Orthorexia
Intensive, one-to-one treatment for Orthorexia, obsessive healthy eating and health anxiety.
Orthorexia nervosa is more than healthy eating. It is a compulsive obsession with “clean” food and rigid diet rules that harms physical health, relationships and mental wellbeing — often disguised as wellness.
At Noosa Confidential, our orthorexia treatment addresses the underlying control and health anxiety driving the disorder, not just the diet.
It is not about vanity — it is about control and fear disguised as wellness.
Orthorexia nervosa is an eating disorder driven by rigid “clean eating” beliefs and extreme health anxiety.
Orthorexia often develops after anorexia, significant weight loss, bariatric surgery or major illness, and is reinforced by detox culture and toxin-focused narratives online. What begins as health optimisation can escalate into strict veganism, elimination diets, obsessive ingredient checking and compulsive health testing.
Effective orthorexia treatment goes beyond nutrition advice. It requires addressing perfectionism, rigid thinking and anxiety to restore behavioural flexibility and a balanced relationship with food.
How our treatment differs
Intensive One-to-One Model
Orthorexia is highly reinforced by comparison and competition. Group-heavy environments can escalate restriction or moral superiority around food.
Our residential eating disorder treatment is completely Individual with medical and nutritional oversight.
Addressing the Need for Control and Safety
Orthorexia often overlaps with extreme health anxiety and a deep need for control and certainty.
Recovery involves identifying the underlying drive for safety that rigid food rules are trying to create. Using evidence-based therapies such as CBT-E, ACT, IFS and trauma-informed body image work, we help you understand why control around food became your coping strategy — and build healthier, more effective ways to regulate emotions and restore trust in your body.
Aftercare
Recovery continues after you leave. Every client receives 12 months of structured aftercare, including a dedicated mentor for ongoing support, accountability, and real-world guidance - wherever life takes you.
How Our approach differs
Testimonials
FAQs
Get your questions answered
Orthorexia is a complicated condition, often presenting alongside other circumstances. Hopefully some of the following FAQ's can help you to understand more.
What is a dual diagnosis or comorbid condition?
Dual diagnosis refers to having both a mental health condition (like depression, anxiety, PTSD, or bipolar disorder) and a substance use disorder at the same time. These issues often influence each other and require an integrated treatment plan.
Is Orthorexia an Eating Disorder?
Orthorexia is not currently classified as a distinct diagnosis in the DSM-5. However, it is widely treated within eating disorder services due to its rigid restriction, compulsive food rules, and escalating anxiety around “clean” or “pure” eating.
Over time, these behaviours can cause significant nutritional deficiencies, medical complications, and substantial psychological distress — often reaching the same level of functional impairment seen in recognised eating disorders.
Can illness trigger Orthorexia?
Yes. Significant health events, weight loss surgery or recovery from conditions such as cancer can lead to hypervigilance and extreme dietary control.
Is it just discipline or wellness?
No. When food rules become rigid, anxiety-driven and socially impairing, it moves beyond discipline into disordered eating.
Can Orthorexia be treated?
Yes. With structured eating disorder treatment, anxiety regulation and behavioural accountability, flexibility and stability can be restored.
We’re here to help.
Let’s talk about how we can support you.
