OCD ED Dietitian

OCD and Eating Disorders Nutrition Therapy in the St. Louis Area, Missouri, and Illinois

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Provide Counseling for Patients with OCD struggling with ARFID, Picky Eating, Anorexia, Bulimia, Orthorexia, Disordered Eating, and Other Eating Disorders

Learn to manage ritualistic compulsions. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Implement healthy eating patterns. Increase the variety of foods in your diet. Learn coping skills to eat without fear. Improve your relationship with food and your body. Improve your nutrition status and experience recovery with online or in-person treatment.

Are eating disorders and OCD linked?

Given that both disorders involve behaviors of repetitive thoughts, urges, and patterns that significantly impact an individual’s daily functioning and wellbeing, we would agree the two are most definitely linked.

Is body dysmorphia a form of OCD?

They both share similarities by presenting with distressing and intrusive thoughts surrounding repetitive behaviors yet they focus on different themes. OCD, however, is considered a distinct mental health condition. Those with OCD may also experience body dysmorphia and vice versa.

What are the most common eating disorders with OCD?

People with OCD may be more likely to struggle with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder (BED), and other disordered eating habits.

Anxiety and stress caused by OCD can cause changes in appetite. This might increase or decrease a person’s appetite significantly. Also, the time-consuming nature of compulsive behaviors might disrupt regular eating times.

People with OCD don’t always develop an eating disorder or disordered eating. It’s important to work with a nutrition care provider that understands your anxiety disorder and how it might be affecting your eating.

What can nutrition therapy do for OCD and eating disorders?

A dietitian can help ensure that those struggling with OCD are eating a balanced diet including a variety of nutritious and fun foods in their diet. Our outpatient treatment plan includes:

Assessment: We evaluate your eating habits and nutritional status, and identify disordered eating patterns.
Nutrition Education: We provide patients and caregivers with resources and educational materials on everything from eating habits to portion size.
Customized Meal Plans: Some patients need more support, so we offer meal plans based on individual needs and preferences.
Cognitive Restructuring: We help patients challenge and change food-related thoughts and behaviors.
Exposure and Response Prevention: We work with patients to gradually introduce, in a safe and controlled environment, fear foods while manaing compulsions.
Collaboration with the Healthcare Team: Comprehensive treatment is critical for recovery. We coordinate our approach with therapists and healthcare providers.
Ongoing Support and Counseling: We understand how difficult the road to healing is, and we provide support to both caregivers and patients.
Monitoring and Adjustment: We will continuously monitor progress and adjust plans accordingly.

We want someone living with OCD to avoid feeling limited in their intake which could potentially lead to an increase in OCD behaviors or enhance disordered eating patterns. We want to help you heal.

Eating Disorders Treatment Services