A mental health concern that is not talked about enough is the realm of eating disorders. Much like suicide, eating disorders make others uncomfortable. When someone mentions they’re depressed, most people can relate to some extent and can sympathize. It’s easier to be there for someone with depression or anxiety. But when someone discloses an eating disorder, that’s difficult for people who have never experienced that to feel comfortable knowing what to say.
This post is part of a series discussing eating disorders.
What is Other Specified Eating or Feeding Disorder (OSFED)?
OSFED was previously known as Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) but this was changed in the most recent iteration of the DMS-5. This diagnosis covers the instances in which someone has disordered eating, but they don’t quite fit the diagnostic criteria for one of the other eating disorders.
For example, atypical anorexia is under the label of OSFED. This diagnosis covers individuals who meet all diagnostic criteria for anorexia without meeting the weight requirement. This allows for more targeted treatment for those who would have otherwise not been recognized as needing anorexia treatment.
What Causes OSFED?
Because OSFED covers a large spectrum of potential behaviors, it is impossible to really nail down a cause for this particular category. It involves those who have behaviors of anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder. This means that the cause of OSFED is going to be much more individually driven.
What are the Symptoms of OSFED?
Again, this is difficult to nail down and is going to be much more individual based than other eating disorders. The list of potential symptoms for OSFED is quite long! Some of the more obvious symptoms to look out for are drastic weight changes over a short period of time and secretive eating habits.
How is it Treated?
Therapy is going to be the most effective way of targeting the symptoms the individual is going to be experiencing. The treatment plan will have to be very customized and really honed in on that person’s experience with their eating disorder. CBT is a good place to start but may need to be adjusted with other modalities depending on the roots of the eating disordered behaviors that manifested as OSFED.
