A leading provider of eating disorder treatment in London

An eating disorder is a complex mental illness, characterised by severe disturbances in an individual’s eating habits, and an obsession with weight and body shape. A person with an eating disorder typically becomes preoccupied with controlling their weight, which can lead them to make unhealthy choices about food. The destructive behaviours that are associated with eating disorders may include:

• Drastically limiting the amount of food that is consumed
• Eating excessive amounts of food in one sitting
• Engaging in unhealthy behaviours to influence food and weight e.g. induced vomiting, laxative abuse, excessive exercise
• A combination of the above

These behaviours can have an extremely detrimental effect on an individual’s physical and psychological wellbeing, and can even be fatal.

Our eating disorder experts in London are able to provide high quality outpatient treatment for the most common types of eating disorder, as well as atypical eating disorders. These include:

Anorexia nervosa – anorexia nervosa is characterised by an obsession with being thin, an irrational fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image. People with anorexia are fixated on keeping their weight as low as possible and often achieve this by starving themselves, making themselves vomit after eating, and exercising excessively. 

Without appropriate treatment, anorexia can result in a range of severe physical and psychological problems, and can even be fatal. An estimated 10% to 20% of anorexia sufferers die from the devastating effects of this disorder. At Harley Street, we understand that comprehensive anorexia treatment can reduce the symptoms of anorexia, promoting mental and physical wellbeing.

Anorexia is most common in young women between the ages of 14 and 25. However, it is important to understand that it is possible for anorexia to manifest in anyone, and at any age.

Bulimia nervosa – people with bulimia nervosa are driven by a need to restrict their food intake. This results in periods of excessive eating (binge eating), with sufferers often eating up to three or four times the usual amount of food, after which they make themselves vomit or take laxatives (purging) in order to rid their body of the calories that they have consumed. These binge-purge cycles are often triggered by hunger, stress, or emotional anxiety, and can mean that there is no significant change in a person’s weight, as the cycles can balance this out.

If left untreated, bulimia can result in a wide array of long-term complications. At Harley Street, we understand that seeking help for bulimia is a crucial, but often difficult step. Our dedicated team are committed to offering compassionate and personalised bulimia treatment, aiming to address the underlying problems as a means of reducing physical manifestations of this disorder.

Bulimia can affect males and females of any age, but it is more common amongst girls and women between the ages of 15 and 25 years old.

BED – BED is characterised by frequent binge eating, even when you are not hungry. Unlike bulimia, BED sufferers do not engage in purging behaviours and therefore, the constant overeating associated with BED is likely to result in obesity and other associated complications.

Our specialists at Harley Street are committed to addressing the psychological problems that underpin BED, as a means of reducing its physical symptoms and promoting health and wellbeing. Our treatment plans are tailored according to individual needs, in order to ensure the best possible outcomes for each and every one of our patients.

Research suggests that BED affects both men and women equally, and has been found to occur most frequently between the ages of 20 and 40.

OSFED – OSFED, also known as ‘atypical eating disorders’ or ‘EDNOS’, have features that closely resemble anorexia, bulimia or BED but do not meet the exact requirements needed in order to receive a formal diagnosis. Examples of when OSFED might be present include:

• The person’s weight may be slightly above the weight threshold for a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa
• Binge eating and purging may occur infrequently
• Having an obsession with weight and body shape, with no other symptoms
• Being extremely underweight as a woman, but menstruation (periods) still take place

Many people who have OSFED have experienced anorexia, bulimia or BED in the past or may subsequently go on to be diagnosed with one of these conditions in the future.

Outpatient eating disorder treatment in London comprises a range of treatment approaches, all of which are recovery-focused and evidence-based. We are able to provide:

• Eating disorder therapy delivered in a number of different formats including:
  • 1:1 therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Couples therapy
• A variety of established therapeutic techniques that have been found to be effective in the treatment of eating disorders:
  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
  • Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT)
  • Psychodynamic counselling
  • Interpersonal therapy (IPT)
  • Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
  • Compassion focused therapy (CFT)
  • Cognitive analytic therapy (CAT)
  • Schema therapy
  • Integrative counselling

You can read more about eating disorder treatment on our approach to eating disorder treatment page.

Our highly qualified eating disorder treatment team have a wealth of clinical expertise in treating these complex conditions, and ensure that their practice is underpinned by robust National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. We are dedicated to delivering a comprehensive programme of outpatient care to each of our eating disorder patients, and use evidence-based treatment approaches.

The signs and symptoms of eating disorders vary from person to person and differ according to the type of eating disorder that you are suffering from. However, the following are common signs that an eating disorder may be present:

• Having a preoccupation with food and feeling as though food dominates your life
• Abnormally low or high body weight
• A desire to eat alone or in secret
• An obsession with physical appearance and others’ perception of your body
• Experiencing guilt and shame when you eat
• Experiencing stress during mealtimes
• Feeling as though you have lost control over your eating habits
• Believing that you are fat when other people say that you are thin

You can read more about the signs and symptoms of the different eating disorders that we are able to treat, by accessing the links below:

• Signs and symptoms of anorexia nervosa
• Signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa
• Signs and symptoms of BED
• Signs and symptoms of OSFED