DR MARIANNE MILLER
CARING EATING DISORDER TREATMENT IN SAN DIEGO AND THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, AND WASHINGTON D.C. FOR ADULTS & TEENS
Atypical Anorexia Explained: Why Restriction Happens at Every Body Size
When most people hear the word anorexia, they picture someone who is very thin—often white, young, and female. This image has been reinforced for decades by media, medical training, and diet culture. But the reality is much broader, and far more people live with anorexia than the stereotype suggests.
One eating disorder category that challenges this outdated image is atypical anorexia. The name might imply that it is rare, but in truth, there is nothing “atypical” about it. Restriction can—and does—happen in every body size.
Atypical Anorexia: How to Deal With the Mental and Physical Health Risks and Why There are Controversies About the Term
Atypical anorexia has been in the news a lot in the past year. Whether you’re living in London (UK), Manchester (UK), or Birmingham (UK), or in Texas, California, or D.C., atypical anorexia is more common than you might think. Even though it’s considered “atypical,” it is still anorexia, and with it comes many mental and physical health risks. I have my own experiences having atypical anorexia, and the only differences were that (a) I didn’t “look” like I had anorexia in that I wasn’t unusually thin, and (b) NO ONE thought that I had anorexia, even though I demonstrated most of the symptoms. Let’s dive into the mental and physical health risks of atypical anorexia, and I’ll share more about my story of having it in middle school growing up in Colorado.