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The Counseling Center
At
Marymount Manhattan College
Eating Disorders Services
3rd Floor Main Building
221 East 71st Street
New York, NY 10021
(212) 774-0727
Do you find yourself:
- Having recurring episodes of overeating?
- Having recurring episodes of under-eating?
- Having recurring distress regarding body size?
- Avoiding categories of food to avoid guilt, which can lead to poor nutrition?
- Making recurring negative comparisons of one's body to others?
- Over exercising to lose or maintain weight?
If you answered "Yes" to any of the above, you may be suffering from
disordered eating
What is disordered eating?
Eating habits become disordered when the compulsion to restrict intake
or over-eat become unmanageable, and when self esteem hinges on the amount
of food digested or resisted. These behaviors are rooted in complicated,
emotional issues. Restriction of food can mask difficult feelings and
provide an illusory sense of control. Bingeing and purging help to discharge
painful feelings too difficult to communicate to others. Such "difficult"
feelings include sadness, anger, helplessness, shame, confusion, and low
self-esteem.
Disordered eating and eating disorders are common in cultures where there
is an abundance of food and high priority is placed on thin physiques and
appearance in general. The media in these cultures also play a significant
role in these disorders by fueling and perpetuating the myth that one must be
thin to be deemed attractive and valuable.
College aged students are prone to disturbed eating habits due to the many
stressors they face: separation anxiety, identity confusion, social pressures,
and academic issues and professional concerns. College can be fun but stressful.
Eating disorders can be a temporary phase or become long-term habits. There
are three types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and
binge-eating disorder.
Anorexia Nervosa is a disorder characterized by self-induced starvation.
Symptoms include weight loss, restrictive eating (such as fasting or
"crash" diets), dizziness or fainting spells, rigid exercise routines,
intense fear of fat, self worth determined by what has been or has not been
eaten and Amenorrhea (loss of three or more menstrual cycles).
Bulimia Nervosa is a disorder characterized by bingeing followed by
purging. Symptoms include bingeing, secretive eating, vomiting, use of
laxatives or diet pills, fear of being fat, excessive exercise, and/ or
self worth determined by what has been or has not been eaten.
Binge-eating disorder is characterized by uncontrollable eating of large amount of
food in short periods of time. Binge-eating disorder is sometimes, but not
always, associated with obesity. Symptoms include repetitive episodes
of eating rapidly far past the point of fullness, feeling tormented by
eating patterns, restriction of activities due to embarrassment about
weight, and secretive eating, due to embarrassment about quantity of
food consumed.
Note: Eating disorders cause great psychological distress as well
as serious medical problems. Treatment is essential. Marymount can help
you or a friend get treated. Confidential support and treatment are
available at Marymount for anyone who is struggling with eating or
body image issues.
Marymount Staff available to help:
Dr. Brian Quigley, Director of Counseling Services,
offers consultations, assessments, short term therapy as well as provides referrals to outside therapists specializing in eating disorders and eating disorders programs. He can be contacted at extension 727.
Dr. Hayley Cort, Psychiatric Consultant, can provide psychiatric
evaluations, prescriptions and medication monitoring. Referrals to Dr.
Cort are made through Dr.Quigley at extension 727.
Dr. Gayle Brodski, Staff Psychologist, provides short term therapy and leads groups on a variety of issues. She may be reached at extension 726.
All matters are kept confidential.
Office #: 212-774-0727
E-mail: bquigley@mmm.edu
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