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 Eating Disorders

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An eating disorder is a mental health difficulty that affects how a person relates to food and how they see their body. It can impact both physical and emotional health, and in some cases, can be serious.

Eating disorders can look different from person to person. Someone might eat very little, avoid certain foods, eat large amounts at once, or feel the need to make themselves sick after eating. Eating can also bring up feelings of guilt or shame instead of enjoyment.

Food is essential for our health, and everyone has their own relationship with it. Because these patterns can develop gradually, it can sometimes be hard to recognise when eating has become a problem.

 

Eating disorders are complex psychological disorders that affect every aspect of a person’s functioning:

 

Behaviours - A person’s behaviours, especially around food, eating and exercise become disordered, often in extreme and destructive ways.

 

Thoughts/Cognition - The person’s thoughts become distorted, irrational and extreme (all or nothing). These distorted thoughts and ideas, encourage, trigger and influence the disordered behaviours.

 

Physically - How we nourish our bodies has a direct impact on our physical health. When someone has an eating disorder, their body may be affected in different ways depending on their eating behaviours.

Over time, this can lead to physical changes and health problems, and their overall health may worsen if the difficulties continue.

 

Emotionally -  Eating disorders are often linked to underlying emotional difficulties, such as feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or low. The eating behaviours can sometimes become a way of coping with these feelings.

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