Eating Disorders

What is an eating disorder?

Eating disorders are characterised by an abnormal attitude to food that causes someone to change their eating habits and behaviour.

 

If you’re suffering from an eating disorder, you might find yourself focusing on your weight excessively, making unhealthy choices around food, over-exercising or using other behaviours like purging to control your weight.

 

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions. If you suspect you might be suffering from one, it’s important you get the right treatment as soon as possible.

What are the different types of eating disorders?

Eating disorders come in different shapes and sizes. The most common ones are:

 

Anorexia nervosa – when a person tries to keep their weight as low as possible, often by excessively restricting their eating and/or excessively exercising.

 

Bulimia – when a person goes through periods of binge eating and is then deliberately sick or uses laxatives to control their weight.

 

Binge eating disorder – when a person eats large amounts of food in a short timeframe.

 

Some people might be diagnosed with an eating disorder that has a mixed presentation of these symptoms which is referred to as EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified).

What are the symptoms of an eating disorder?

The most common symptoms of an eating disorder are:

  • Negative perception of your own body
  • Constant weighing yourself
  • Dissatisfaction with body parts
  • Food restriction
  • Compulsive exercise
  • Need for perfection
  • Purging
  • Fear of being fat
  • Excess eating

Treatment for eating disorders

If you are suffering from an eating disorder, depending on its type and severity, you might require a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment. You are likely to be offered a psychiatric review and we will also work closely alongside your GP and a nutritionist.

 

There are certain circumstances in which inpatient treatment may be necessary in which case we will liaise with appropriate approved providers about your care.

consultation taking notes

Frequently asked questions

You should seek help if you find yourself getting preoccupied about your weight/body image, engaging in behaviours which involve restricting your eating or your symptoms are interfering with your daily life.
You are more likely to have difficulties at a clinical level when the severity of your symptoms – and how much you observe yourself to be managing your eating – is different to the people around you. If you’re suffering from an eating disorder, your eating habits may be impacting your relationships and you may be engaging in behaviours that are not in the best interest of your health and wellbeing.

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Dr Elena Touroni

Dr Elena Touroni is a skilled and experienced consultant psychologist with a track record of delivering high-quality services for individuals with all common emotional difficulties and those with a diagnosis of personality disorder. She is experienced in service design and delivery, the management of multi-disciplinary teams, organisational consultancy, and development and delivery of both national and bespoke training to providers in the statutory and non-statutory sector.


Having obtained a first degree in Psychology (BSc) at the American College of Greece, she completed her doctoral training at the University of Surrey. Dr Touroni is highly experienced in the assessment and treatment of depression, anxiety, substance misuse, personality disorder, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, adjustment disorder and relationship difficulties. She works with both individuals and couples and can offer therapy in English and Greek.


Dr Touroni has held a variety of clinical and managerial positions including as Head of Service in the NHS. Further she has held academic positions for the University of Surrey and the Institute of Mental Health lecturing on specialist postgraduate Masters and Doctorate programmes.


She is trained in several specialist therapeutic approaches such as schema therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based approaches and Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT). As well as holding a variety of NHS positions, Dr. Touroni is the co-founder of a private practice in Central London that has been a provider of psychological therapy for all common emotional difficulties including personality disorder since 2002. She is the founder and one of two directors of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic.