Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses. Anyone, regardless of age, gender or background can develop an eating disorder. There’s no single cause and you don’t need to experience all the symptoms of an eating disorder to suffer from it. Examples of eating disorders include bulimia, binge eating disorder, and anorexia. These can be a way of dealing with feelings or situations that make you feel unhappy, depressed, angry, stressed or anxious. No one chooses to have an eating disorder and they are not the fault of the person suffering.

Sometimes people worry about talking to someone because they feel their eating disorder isn’t serious enough. People also hesitate to speak up because they don’t want to worry people or waste their time. Feelings of guilt, embarrassment and shame can also hold people back from finding help. Whether your difficulties have developed recently or whether they have been going on for a while, whether you have been treated in the past or have never shared your challenge, you deserve to have your concerns and feelings acknowledged and your illness treated.

 

Online resources:

BEAT
www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk 
- Adult helpline: 0808 801 0677
- Student helpline: 0808 801 0811
- Youth helpline 0808 801 0711

Helplines are open 365 days a year from 9am–8pm during the week, and 4pm–8pm on weekends and bank holidays.

Anorexia and Bulimia Care
www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk - Helpline: 0300 011 1213

Breathe
www.breathetherapies.co.uk - Telephone: 0800 321 3137