Discussing eating disorders with Dr. Samantha DeCaro, The Renfrew Center

Introduction: In this episode of the Just a Mom podcast, we explore eating disorders with Dr. Samantha DeCaro, a licensed clinical psychologist. Dr. DeCaro discusses the prevalence, causes, and prevention of eating disorders, touching on the complex relationship with mental health, anxiety, and depression.

Pandemic's Impact on Eating Disorders:

• Isolation during the pandemic contributed to eating disorders.

• Increase in social media use, body dissatisfaction, and comparison.

• Food insecurity, anxiety, grief, and loss as triggering factors.

Factors Contributing to Eating Disorders:

• Social media's role in body image dissatisfaction.

• Challenging myths about who can have an eating disorder.

• Awareness efforts lead to increased diagnoses.

Populations at Higher Risk:

• Elevated risk for those identifying as female.

• LGBTQ+ community, victims of weight stigma, and those feeling unsafe at heightened risk.

Difference Between Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating:

• Eating disorders as complex psychiatric disorders.

• Disordered eating exists on a spectrum, ranging from clinical disorders to healthy relationships with food.

Common Eating Disorder Protective Factors:

• Avoiding dieting behaviors, promoting body acceptance.

• Encouraging a healthy relationship with food beyond fuel.

• Breaking down scarcity mindset and fostering body diversity awareness.

Promoting Healthy Attitudes in Children:

• Importance of language around food and body image.

• Teaching that all bodies come in different shapes and sizes.

• Encouraging connection with body signals and cues.

Recognizing Patterns of Emotional Eating:

• Differentiating between occasional comfort eating and problematic patterns.

• Suggesting additional coping tools beyond food.

Signs of Eating Disorders:

• Intense dissatisfaction with body image.

• Increased isolation and anxiety around food.

• Preoccupation with ingredients, calories, or cooking without personal consumption.

• Presence of depression, rigid thinking, and elevated suicide risk.

• Acknowledgment that everyone may experience some form of disordered thoughts or behaviors regarding food and body image.

• Dr. DeCaro discusses common signs of eating disorders, emphasizing hyper-focus on food and weight.

Preventing Eating Disorders:

• Strategies and protective factors are explored, challenging societal norms and promoting holistic health.

• The importance of prioritizing mental health and normalizing mental health treatment is highlighted.

• Dr. DeCaro introduces a transdiagnostic approach, emphasizing a multidisciplinary team.

Levels of Care at Renfrew Center:

• Overview of residential, day treatment, intensive outpatient programming (IOP), and outpatient care.

• Addressing the affordability of treatment and Renfrew Center's acceptance of insurance plans.

• Dr. DeCaro hints at a future episode focusing on practical ways parents can help children with a healthy relationship with food.

• The episode concludes with gratitude from Susie and Dr. DeCaro for the informative discussion on eating disorders and the importance of mental health care accessibility.