EDNOS may be diagnosed to individuals who clearly have symptoms of disordered eating, but do not fit the diagnostic criteria for Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa.

 

EDNOS could mean many things: it may mean that someone has the symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa such as restrictive thinking and using food as a punishment or by not eating their favourite foods as they feel they do not deserve them. It can also mean either spoiling the food through over seasoning or only feeling that they can eat when they have exercised or will in the near future. They can still maintain the weight of a ‘healthy’ person but have no pleasure in food and can view it as an evil necessity.

 

There are many forms of disordered eating in society today and this can only add to the difficulties of recovery for a person with such a negative relationship with food. Many will purge but do not binge eat; they have the symptoms of bulimia but purge frequently. Sometimes, it might be that they have a mixture of anorexia and bulimia. Binge Eating Disorder is usually diagnosed as EDNOS as it is not currently a diagnosable mental illness in its own right.