Eating Disorder Program

Contact: Kathleen Deters-Hayes, MSW, Program Coordinator
Phone: 315 464-3179
Email: detersk@upstate.edu
Location: Adult Psychiatry Clinic, Department of Psychiatry
Directions: Located at the northeast corner of Harrison and Almond Streets, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science Building is on the corner building located on the Hutchings Psychiatric Center campus.
Clinic Hours: 8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday

When we struggle with disordered eating it is often difficult to believe that food is not the issue that is causing us such grief. Certainly our struggle appears to be centered around what we are doing (eating compulsively, binging/purging) or not doing (starving) with food. It seems as though whether we are dieting or caught up in a binge, all we can think about is food.*

Signs and Symptoms

Anorexia Nervosa

Person refuses to maintain normal body weight for age and height
Loss of menstrual cycle
Intense fear of becoming fat
Excessive exercising
Preoccupation with food and body size

Bulimia Nervosa

Person binge eats
Feeling out –of-control while eating
Vomits, abuses laxatives, exercises or fasts to get rid of calories
Believes self-worth requires being thin (it does not)

Binge Eating Disorder/Compulsive Overeating

Person binge eats frequently and repeatedly
Feels guilt and shame about binge eating
Feels out –of-control and unable to stop eating during bingers
May eat secretly or snack and nibble all day

* From Eating in the Light of the Moon by Anita Johnson, 1996 pp 23-24.