Could you be EDNOS?
EDNOS.
It sounds like the name of some futuristic robot created by the brilliant scientists at NASA. And who knows? Perhaps it’s an acronym used in space land… but for those dealing with eating disorders, it has a different meaning:
Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.
You see, medicine and psychology haven’t quite pinpointed all EDs. Not only are they still naming them, they are also leaving some “up in the air”.
So what constitutes EDNOS? Here are a few of the traits EDNOS sufferers share…
- A woman who exhibits all the symptoms of anorexia but has not stopped menstruating.
- An individual who exhibits all the symptoms of anorexia but is within a normal weight range.
- An individual who exhibits all the symptoms of bulimia but binges/purges less than 2X/week for less than 3 months.
- An individual who purges after eating small amounts of food.
- An individual who engages in “chew & spit” behavior with large quantities of food. (Basically, this is purging through spitting instead of vomiting, exercising excessively, or using laxatives.)
Though I’m not someone who treats persons with EDs, I can only imagine how difficult it would be for a professional to diagnose and treat someone who could be considered EDNOS. In fact, I wonder how many people out there have EDNOS and think nothing of what they are doing to their bodies, minds and souls?
4 opinions for Could you be EDNOS?
kristina
Jan 28, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Really interesting especially (to me) because of the term “PDD-NOS” which is sometimes thought of as a “milder” diagnosis than autism.
angelique
Feb 1, 2008 at 9:44 am
Kristina:
I wasn’t familiar with the term PDD-NOS. Perhaps they use that “NOS” addition for anything out of the norm.
Wonder if that’s good or bad? Hm. Maybe neither.
Angelique
raschel
Nov 4, 2008 at 12:42 am
people used to say i had a problem because i made myself throw up all the time after like NOTHING id eat a rice cake and throw up. just because i was bored. i throw up after everything i cant help it! im in a normal weight range, but other than that, show ALL the signs of anorexia. people would be like “you have a problem!” and im like i dont qualify for an ed so theres nothing ou can do about it… i dont binge, i just like to puke, and im of normal weight. and i made everyone so mad! then they discovered this and i gothelp.. but yea i think pepole need to be more aware ofthis diagnosis! seriously! people of normal weight walk around livingoff 1 calorie a day and no one cares because they arent sticks. thanks for puttingthis up
CED
Dec 2, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Thanks for discussing Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified or EDNOS. Did you know that more than 50% of people who seek treatment for eating disorders are given EDNOS as a diagnosis? The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt discusses what EDNOS is, why it’s important and who it’s affecting in their most recent blog entry. Be sure to check it out here: http://eatingdisorder.org/blog/2008/12/02/ednos-is-it-an-eating-disorder-or-not/
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