Orthorexia Nervosa

Orthorexia nervosa is not an official eating disorder, and by that I mean it isn’t yet included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-V, the standard reference manual for psychiatry, but many health experts believe it should be categorized as one. Orthorexia nervosa is characterized by an unhealthy fixation on healthy eating. Folks with it abstain to the point of obsession from artificial colors flavors or preservatives; pesticides or genetic modifications, fat, salt, sugar, animal or dairy products, gluten, or any other ingredient considered unhealthy. This kind of obsession can lead to nutritional shortfalls, social isolation and sometimes depression. Of course not everyone who tries to eat a healthy, clean diet will develop orthorexia nervosa but because of societal messages about perfectionism there are more incidences of this kind of problem. Eating disorders may start off as benign healthy eating patterns that progressively become more restrictive, rigid, and problematic but positive things (like eating healthy) can flip into negative disorders.

So after reading all this, and reflecting on my most recent doctor visit I get why the concern with how easy it might be to go over the edge on clean eating. I have really been working toward clean eating for almost a year now but I won’t turn my nose up at an occasional piece of birthday cake. Basically I am probably not a likely candidate for orthorexia nervosa. I’m also not addicted to exercise and I don’t know what the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-V, the standard reference manual for psychiatry term for that is either.