Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions involving unhealthy thoughts, emotions, and behaviours around food, weight, and body image. They can affect both physical and mental health and may become life-threatening if untreated.
🧠 Key Types of Eating Disorders
🍽️ Anorexia Nervosa
A condition where a person severely restricts food intake due to an intense fear of gaining weight.
Key behaviours
- Extreme dieting or fasting
- Excessive exercise
- Strong fear of weight gain
- Distorted body image
🍽️ Bulimia Nervosa
A cycle of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviours.
Key behaviours
- Eating large amounts of food in a short time (bingeing)
- Purging through vomiting, laxatives, or fasting
- Feeling loss of control during episodes
- Shame or guilt afterwards
🍽️ Binge Eating Disorder
- Eating large amounts of food quickly
- Feeling unable to stop
- No regular purging behaviour
- Strong feelings of guilt or distress
🍽️ ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
- Avoiding foods based on texture, smell, or fear
- Not linked to body image concerns
- Can lead to nutritional deficiencies
🧠 Key Characteristics
Physical effects
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Dizziness or fatigue
- Feeling cold
- Dental damage (especially from vomiting)
- Hormonal disruption
Psychological effects
- Low self-esteem
- Anxiety around food
- Distorted body image
- Emotional distress
- Social withdrawal
🧠 Causes and Risk Factors
Eating disorders develop from a mix of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.
Risk factors
- Genetics (family history)
- Perfectionism or anxiety traits
- Bullying or body criticism
- Pressure from sports or appearance-based environments
- Trauma or low self-worth
🧠 Related Terms
- Disordered eating (general unhealthy eating patterns)
- Feeding and eating disorders (clinical category)
- Food obsession
- Chronic dieting behaviours
🧠 Warning Signs
- Skipping meals regularly
- Secretive eating habits
- Frequent bathroom use after meals
- Strict food rules
- Obsessive calorie counting
- Avoiding social meals
🧠 Treatment and Support
Eating disorders are treatable with early intervention.
Support options
- Talking therapies (CBT, family therapy)
- Dietitian support
- Medical monitoring
- Mental health services
- Support groups
Important note
Recovery is possible, but early help improves outcomes significantly.
🧠 Key Learning Summary
- Eating disorders affect both mind and body
- They are not “lifestyle choices” but serious mental health conditions
- They can affect anyone, regardless of age or background
- Early intervention improves recovery chances
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