National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is an annual campaign to educate the public about the realities of eating disorders, and to provide hope, support, and visibility to individuals and families affected by eating disorders.
An eating problem means any relationship with food that you find difficult. Not every eating problem will be diagnosed as a disorder. Food is one of the many mediums through which our emotions and distress can be expressed.
Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that involve disordered eating behaviour. This might mean limiting the amount of food eaten, eating very large quantities of food at once, getting rid of food eaten through unhealthy means (e.g. purging, laxative misuse, fasting, or excessive exercise), or a combination of these behaviours.
Understanding feelings and behaviours linked to certain eating disorders can be helpful. This is true even if you don’t have a diagnosis. Or, if you prefer to consider your experiences in a non-medical way.
It’s important to remember that eating disorders are not all about food itself, but about feelings. The way the person interacts with food may make them feel more able to cope, or may make them feel in control.
- Approximately 1.25 Million people in the UK have an eating disorder*
- Around 25% of those are male*
- Recent research from the NHS information centre showed that up to 6.4% of adults displayed signs of an eating disorder*
If you or anyone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, there is so much help available. Contact your GP and check out the sites listed below:
BEAT – The UK’s Eating Disorder Charity
MIND – Information and support for mental health
If you are struggling with loneliness and isolation, please see our contact us page and get in touch. We can help!
