Did You Know About This Eating Disorder?

Chew and Spit is an undefined eating disorder falling under the category of EDNOS, or, eating disorder not otherwise specified. Eating disorders in this category are rare and uncommon, compared to prevailing eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.

What Is CHSP?

Different eating disorders create different relationships and patterns of behavior with food. Anorexia nervosa results in restriction and starvation. Bulimia nervosa results in binging and purging. Binge Eating Disorder is uncontrollable binge episodes which are not met with intermittent fasting or purging. CHSP, as it stands to its name, is about chewing and spitting out food. Fearful of ingesting and digesting calories, an individual suffering from CHSP will simply chew a food, then spit out the remains after the desired flavor has been tasted.

Why Does Someone Develop CHSP?

Eating disorders are symptoms of underlying issues. An eating disorder rarely has to do with its two large components themselves,: food and body image. In an effort to control unmanageable emotions, abuse, or trauma, one turns to their eating, weight, and body image, as something they can control. Typically, eating disorder behaviors are learned. Problematically, there is a world of pro-eating disorder websites online. People can access tips, encouragements, and even shame for supporting their eating disorder problems.

Is CHSP A Stand Alone Eating Disorder?

Currently, CHSP is not yet defined as an eating disorder but a symptom of disordered eating. Through new research, researchers discovered that CHSP is usually a symptom of transitioning between eating disorders or trying to maintain an eating disorder. For example, after a restriction period, one might turn to CHSP behavior to regain calories without ingesting too many. Like other eating disorders, people with CHSP feel deep amounts of guilt and shame regarding their behavior. Researchers believe that such little information is available on the problem because people don’t talk about it. The limited information, the scarcity of the problem, and the nature of the problem itself causes an immense amount of shame in a person with CHSP.

What Are The Side Effects Of CHSP?

Not fully digesting food results in a severe vitamin deficiency. Lack of essential vitamins and nutrients can result in poor skin health, bone health, immunity health, and more.

Harmony Place keeps a licensed professional eating disorder treatment specialist on staff for our residential patients. Our dual diagnosis treatment center offers highly individualized programs to treat substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. For more information, call 1-855-627-1417.