Eating Disorders: Defeating the stigma
House of Medics
We are a group of professionals who either work in the healthcare industry or are passionate about healthcare.
If you were to hazard a guess at the mental health condition that has the highest rate of loss of life associated with it, what would you go with? Depression? Bipolar disorder? Post-traumatic stress disorder? Whilst all of those are reasonable responses, it is in fact eating disorders that are responsible for more loss of life than any other mental health condition in the United Kingdom. Shocking, isn’t it?
For a condition that is such a big problem, it is rarely spoken about and often forgotten about. A lot of the time, eating disorders are not really considered in mental health conversations. With instances of eating disorders on the rise, it is important that awareness surrounding this type of mental health condition is increased. February is known as ‘eating disorder awareness month’ and for the UK specifically, eating disorder awareness week will occur between 26thFebruary 2024-3rd March 2024.
The NHS defines an eating disorder as, “a mental health condition where you use the control of food to cope with feelings and other situations.” This definition encompasses all types of unhealthy eating behaviours, which is important because it is a common assumption that eating disorders are mental health disorders that cause those living with the condition to limit food consumption to extreme levels.
The exact cause for eating disorders remains a mystery. It is thought that they are more likely to occur in families with a history of eating disorders/alcohol misuse/drug misuse, those with anxiety/low self-esteem or perfectionists, victims of sexual abuse or those criticised for eating habits/body shape/weight.
Some of the most common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa (more commonly referred to as anorexia), bulimia nervosa (more commonly referred to as bulimia) and binge eating disorder (BED). However, there are others that include but are not limited to: other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED), eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS), avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and Pica (the consumption of non-food substances with no nutritional value e.g. paper or soap).
Eating disorders are complex conditions that affect people differently. They can affect anyone of any age, gender, background or ethnicity. Between 1.25 million and 3.4 million people are currently affected by an eating disorder in the U.K. and approximately 25% of this population are male. Although most eating disorders develop during adolescence, they can also develop during early childhood (around 6 years of age) and later on in life (in adults over 70). Contrary to popular belief , anorexia nervosa only makes up 10% of eating disorder cases. With treatment, recovery from an eating disorder is the most popular outcome. The earlier the treatment is sought, the better the chance of recovery.
Other things that can aid recovery include the type of language used towards the condition. Instead of saying, “X has anorexia,” consider substituting this with, “X is currently experiencing anorexia.” It is important to separate the person from the condition so that they know that the condition does not define them.
With eating disorders, it is important to know what to look out for. It is important for every individual to look into eating disorders so that they can identify if this condition is affecting themselves or, others around them. Generally, symptoms include but are not limited to: persistent worrying about weight/body shape, deliberate induced vomiting/laxative consumption after eating, excessive exercise, changes in mood, unusual weight in comparison to others of a similar age (much higher or much lower), delayed signs of puberty (such as primary amenorrhea), feeling cold, tired or dizzy and indigestion issues (bloating/constipation/diarrhoea). Some examples of common warning signs include: dramatic weight loss, lying about how much has been eaten/frequency of eating/weight, avoiding eating with others and trips to the bathroom immediately after eating.
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If you suspect that you, or someone else around you, is currently living with an eating disorder please seek help. Consider discussing this with your GP, or alternatively, there is a lot of helpful information readily available, with the eating disorder charity ‘Beat’ being a great hub for this.
This February, do your part in helping to raise awareness for eating disorders by discussing them with those around you and being supportive of, or showing understanding towards, those currently living with the condition. It is even more important for us as healthcare professionals to contribute towards raising awareness for eating disorders as our careers are centred around the health and wellbeing of people.
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