Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses

They can affect people of all age groups, genders, backgrounds, cultures, and in different body sizes. The number of people with eating disorders is increasing. Eating disorders are estimated to affect almost one million Americans.

Some groups in the community are at greater risk, including females, children, and gender and sexually diverse people. We understand more about eating disorders now than ever before. Yet, many people can live with an eating disorder for a long time without being diagnosed or accessing treatment.

Seeking support from a professional as early as possible can help people to recover more quickly and reduce the impact of the eating disorder on the person’s health and wellbeing. While the experience of an eating disorder can look different for each person, there are some warning signs that are more common to people with eating disorders.

These may include:

  • constant excessive dieting

The main types of eating disorders include:

  • characterised by restricted eating weight loss fear of gaining weight. – periods of binge eating (often in secret)
  • followed by attempts to compensate with excessive exercise
  • or periods of strict dieting. Binge eating is often accompanied by feelings of shame
  • a sense of a loss of control

– characterised by recurrent periods of binge eating. Binge eating can include:

  • eating large amounts when not feeling hungry. Feelings of guilt
  • depression can follow binge eating episodes

Binge eating does not involve compensatory behaviours, such as for bulimia nervosa. – feeding or eating behaviours that cause the individual distress and impairment, but do not meet the criteria for the first three eating disorders. Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) - feeding or eating behaviours that can include restriction or avoidance that leads to a person not meeting nutritional/energy needs, including: lack of interest in eating or food.

Eating disorders are complex – there is no single cause of eating disorders. Social, psychological and biological factors all play a part, in varying degrees, for different people. Contributing social factors may include:

  • occupations or activities that emphasise a particular body shape
  • size – for example ballet
  • modelling elite sports

Major life changes or events may also contribute to the onset of an eating disorder, including: the death of a loved one. Contributing biological factors may include:

  • genetic or familial factors (for example
  • family history of an eating disorder). Contributing psychological factors may include: difficulties expressing emotions

If you think you may have an eating disorder, it is important to seek help and to reach out as early as possible.

Getting professional help and support from others is important

Recovery looks different for everybody, but recovery is possible.

Parents, siblings, partners, friends, extended family, work colleagues and others who are providing care or support a person with an eating disorder can also be impacted by the eating disorder. Eating disorders work to isolate people from their loved ones and the journey of recovery can be difficult for everyone.

There may be feelings of confusion, grief, anger, guilt and fear.

While these feelings are completely normal, carers and support persons need to remember to take time out for themselves to restore energy. Seeking support and looking after yourself will also make you better able to support your loved one. The most important thing is to show love, care and faith in the person, and seek professional support at the earliest possible time.

Some suggestions for family and friends include:

  • Find out as much as you can about the eating disorder to help you understand
  • support your loved one

Be honest and open about your concerns

Calm, clear, concise communication is the best approach with everyone. Use ‘I’ statements rather than ‘you’ statements.

For example, say ‘I am concerned for you because I have noticed you don’t seem happy at the moment’ rather than, ‘You aren’t happy at the moment’.

Focus on the person’s behaviour, rather than their weight/size, food consumption or physical appearance. Take care of yourself and seek support for yourself when you are feeling overwhelmed. Many different forms of treatment are available for eating disorders.

It is important to remember that different approaches work for different people. Finding the right approach and early intervention maximises the likelihood of recovery.

Professional help and support from others is important

A good place to start is making an appointment with your Because eating disorders affect people physically and mentally, a range of health professionals might be involved in treatment, including a GP, dietitian and psychologist or other mental health professional. Symptoms of eating disorders change in weight or weight fluctuation body dissatisfaction preoccupation with body size, shape or weight sensitivity to cold faintness , dizziness and fatigue mood changes and irritability social withdrawal anxiety or depression inability to concentrate increased interest in preparing food for others obsessive rituals around food and eating, such as only drinking out of a certain cup eating alone or in secret wearing baggy clothes or changes in clothing style excessive or fluctuating exercise patterns, exercising through injury or illness avoiding social situations involving food making excuses not to eat disappearance of large amounts of food from the refrigerator or pantry trips to the bathroom after eating Types of eating disorders Anorexia nervosa Bulimia nervosa Binge eating disorder eating much more than usual eating until uncomfortably full Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) fear associated with certain foods or the process of eating sensory sensitivity to certain foods (such as the texture of foods) Causes of eating disorders Social factors sociocultural messages that focus on the ‘ideal’ body size and shape normalisation of dieting and weight loss to achieve this ‘ideal’ body size and shape pressure to achieve and succeed peer pressure to be or behave in a certain way a cultural tendency to judge people by their appearance relationship difficulties transition to new school or employment pregnancy and childbirth Biological factors adolescence and its associated physical changes Psychological factors low self-esteem negative body image perfectionism depression anxiety or difficulty coping with stress impulsivity obsessive thinking If you think you have an eating disorder Family and friends of someone with an eating disorder Treatment and recovery for people with eating disorders GP (doctor) Where to get help Your GP (doctor) Your local community health centre or another health practitioner Dietitian Psychologist Eating Disorders Michigan (616) 555-0400 Butterfly Foundation 1800 334 673 Dietitians Association of United States 1800 812 942.

Key Points

  • Some groups in the community are at greater risk, including females, children, and gender and sexually diverse people
  • Yet, many people can live with an eating disorder for a long time without being diagnosed or accessing treatment
  • main types of eating disorders include: – characterised by restricted eating, weight loss, and fear of gaining weight
  • Eating disorders are complex – there is no single cause of eating disorders
  • If you think you may have an eating disorder, it is important to seek help and to reach out as early as possible