It鈥檚 estimated that at least 1.25 million people in the UK are living with an eating disorder. Eating disorders are also responsible for more loss of life than any other mental health condition. But despite becoming more prevalent over the last few decades, they are still widely considered to be misunderstood. As the theme of this year鈥檚 Eating Disorders Awareness Week (24 February 鈥� 2 March 2025) is 鈥渁nyone can be affected鈥�, our therapists expose the truth about some the most common misconceptions we have about eating disorders.

  1. Eating disorders are rarely about food

Accredited psychotherapist and eating disorders specialist, , says that a common misconception of eating disorders is that they are all about food. 鈥淭his actually couldn't be further from the truth,鈥� asserts Allie who says that disordered eating habits and weight control behaviours are often only the symptoms of a much bigger issue.听Instead, Allie describes eating disorders as an unconscious attempt by the body, mind, or psyche to cope with something unbearable. 鈥淲e may see the symptoms of overeating or restrictive eating as opposites, but underneath is the inability to nourish or to receive. Underneath is often doubt, shame, and the inner critic, which fuel the overeating or restrictive eating, and also the body hate that drives the behaviour. When we are able to live in our bodies instead of hiding from them, we are able to have a relationship with ourselves and then with others,鈥� explains Allie.

Registered counsellor and therapist, , agrees and says that although managing weight may start as a way of trying to feel better about ourselves and feel more in control, it can escalate to the point of controlling us. 鈥淧erhaps you鈥檙e trying to gain more personal autonomy or feel more confident as a teenager or maybe you feel trapped in a controlling relationship and not able to advocate for yourself. You might be lacking in self-esteem and not feel good enough. What often starts as a good idea to make yourself feel better about yourself can quickly take hold and becomes an obsession if you are vulnerable and lacking confidence and self-worth,鈥� shares Lindsay.

鈥淓ating disorders can develop due to many factors,鈥� adds Edinburgh based eating disorder specialist and accredited therapist, . 鈥淎s well as unprocessed trauma - where we see eating disorders as coping mechanisms 鈥� they can also be a sign of undiagnosed autism or wider neurodivergence.鈥�

  1. You don鈥檛 need to be underweight to have an eating disorder

Often when we think of someone with an eating disorder, we think of someone who is significantly underweight. However, Lindsay says that 鈥渁lthough weight loss is typical in anorexia nervosa, most people with an eating disorder stay at what is considered to be a healthy weight or may even be considered overweight.鈥� In fact, studies have shown that as much as 85 per cent of people with eating disorders aren鈥檛 underweight. 鈥淧eople with eating disorders often look healthy so their friends and family may not realise they have an eating disorder,鈥� adds accredited counsellor and eating disorder specialist, .

Ruth agrees and says that the most misunderstood eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, can result in both weight loss and weight gain but claims it鈥檚 only ever represented on screen with the purging symptom being vomiting. 鈥淚n reality, purging can also include restrictions, the use of laxatives or diet products, and over-exercising,鈥� explains Ruth. 鈥淎t least 41% of people with an eating disorder has binge eating as a symptom.鈥�

  1. Eating disorders don鈥檛 just affect young, white females

鈥淭he media representation of an eating disorder is often a privileged white teenage girl with anorexia听nervosa 鈥� but the reality couldn鈥檛 be further from the truth,鈥� shares Ruth. 鈥淣ot only does anorexia account for less than 8% of all eating disorder cases, eating disorders impact people from every intersection of life. For example, a quarter of eating disorder cases are male, roughly 23% of eating disorder cases are autistic, and there鈥檚 a disproportionate number of cases from the LGBTQ+ community.鈥�

Harriet adds that fitness industry is also rife with people with eating disorders - 鈥渆specially guys who are into wellness and outwardly look so healthy,鈥� shares Harriet. 鈥淭here鈥檚 still so much stigma around men with eating disorders that may don鈥檛 find the support they need. Society needs to expand its idea of the stereotype as eating disorders don鈥檛 discriminate. Anyone can be affected.鈥�

  1. Eating disorders aren鈥檛 about being vain or attention seeking

Lindsay says that although there is often an association between body dissatisfaction and eating disorders, they鈥檙e not about someone being vain or just wanting to look a certain way. 鈥淓ating disorders are serious diagnosable illnesses, they are not a lifestyle choice, a phase, or someone being attention seeking,鈥� explains Lindsay. 鈥淥ften people diagnosed with an eating disorder will go to great lengths to hide it. Many people with eating disorders actually report wanting to 鈥榙isappear鈥� and hide themselves away, feeling inferior to others or like they don鈥檛 want to be seen. Confidence is usually very low at this time and it鈥檚 common for sufferers to become introverted and struggle to socialise.鈥�

Harriet agrees and adds that 鈥渆ating disorders are about deeper issues, about something traumatic they鈥檝e experienced. Monitoring the food they put in their bodies brings a sense of control, a distraction from deeper pain, and even a sense of achievement for some.鈥�

  1. Eating disorders are not a choice

Lindsay says that eating disorders are complex illnesses 鈥� there is no single cause. Instead, they are thought to be caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. 鈥淓ating disorders are both distressing for the individual and their loved ones. They require specialist treatment, but people can and do get better from them. Eating disorders are mental health disorders and are never a personal choice,鈥� shares Lindsay.

鈥淚t is important to recognise that eating disorders are simply coping mechanisms,鈥� adds Ruth. 鈥淲hilst many intersections indeed collide to create an eating disorder, including genetics, personality, culture, and, of course, trauma, no two people will have the same lived experience or eating disorder journey, so try not to compare your experience to others and minimise your own. If you are struggling with any eating disorder, you are worthy of support.鈥�

Harriet says that research has shown that you are more likely to recover from an eating disorder if you seek help within the first three years of it developing 鈥� but it鈥檚 never too late to recover.

  1. There is no 'one size fits all' when it comes to therapy

鈥淲hile the NICE Guidelines recommend talking therapies such as Schema Therapy (my own modality) and enhanced CBT as pathways for recovery, remember that only you will know if a therapy style or practitioner feels right for you,鈥� suggests Ruth. 鈥淪chema Therapy can support you in understanding and processing the experiences and negative core beliefs which led you to develop your eating disorder whilst also helping you create healthier pathways for the future.鈥�

Harriet says that, whichever therapy path you choose, there鈥檚 no doubt it can help people recover from eating disorders in multiple ways. 鈥淭herapy is about understanding your past and the things that have led to your eating disorder 鈥� whether that鈥檚 traumas, bullying, your environment鈥tc,鈥� explains Harriet. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also about working on symptom interruption. People are often ambivalent about change and may feel safe using food to cope with their deeper-seated issues. So therapy can help work on their motivation and help find other ways to cope. It also encourages self-compassion and a healthy relationship with your body image 鈥� when self-worth has been become so overly linked to body image, making it hard to feel good about yourself.鈥澨�

Lindsay agrees and says that although eating disorders are different for everyone, the common denominator is often the same - trying to take control of your feelings. 鈥淭he sad thing is the individual often doesn鈥檛 see this and can become deluded into believing they have a grip on the situation, when in fact they haven鈥檛. Specialist help and support is often required to help the individual work through their feelings and gently challenge their negative thought processes and behaviours into more healthy ones.鈥�

To find a trained and registered eating disorder therapist or counsellor, please visit 麻豆原创鈥檚 therapists directory.

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