Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Please don’t rely on this post for diagnosis or treatment. If you think you might be struggling with an eating disorder, seek help from a qualified professional.
What is orthorexia nervosa?
Orthorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by an obsessive focus on eating foods considered 'pure', 'clean', or 'healthy'. While not formally recognised in clinical environments, individuals who struggle with orthorexia may instead be diagnosed with OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder), EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified), or simply described as having disordered eating patterns.
What defines 'pure' or 'healthy' varies by person, but the obsession with clean eating often becomes all-consuming. Just as someone with anorexia might feel intense guilt over eating 'too many calories', someone with orthorexia may feel that same guilt over eating something they perceive as 'impure' or 'unhealthy'.
This mindset can lead to eliminating entire food groups or nutrients, putting the person at serious physical and psychological risk.
It is also common for those recovering from anorexia to fall into these patterns instead.
So why is it brushed off?
Personally, I believe the reason no one takes this specific eating disorder seriously is because society assumes eating healthy equals wellness when, in reality, that just isn’t the case at all.
That’s not to say that anyone on a diet has this disorder, though. A diet doesn’t typically involve fear, shame, or a need for control in the way an eating disorder does. Like anorexia, orthorexia can act as both an outlet and an addiction.
Lived experience
You may notice that I refer to anorexia rather frequently in this post, the reason for that is because I’ve experienced it for myself so it’s easier to do comparisons and I can be certain that what I’m saying is correct. But also, if you struggle with anorexia yourself and don’t relate or agree to what I’ve said, that’s completely okay, too. Everyone experiences things differently.
Whatever you’re struggling with, you are valid and not alone.
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