What is an eating disorder?
- Regularly eating too little, eating a lot in a short space of time (binge eating), thinking about food or calories 24/7, or making yourself sick after eating, can be signs of an eating disorder.
- Eating disorders include bulimia, anorexia and binge eating.
- They can affect anyone.
- If you’re struggling with your eating habits, there is help available.
Eating disorders are closely tied in with mental health. While we often see them portrayed in very specific ways on the TV and in the media, eating disorders are different for everybody. They take various different forms, as well as different levels of severity.
It’s estimated that about 1.25 million people are dealing with issues around eating in the UK. They affect people from all genders, backgrounds and ages. While conversations in the media often focus on the most severe types of eating-related issues, they often develop gradually without you realising. It is possible to overcome them, so getting the help you need is very important if you’re struggling with issues around eating.
If you’re having problems with your eating, or feel that your circumstances or relationships are affecting how and/or what you eat, then it's important to speak to someone and find help. You can find tailored support for what you're going through here.
You can also find out more about eating disorders at BEAT – the UK’s eating disorder charity.
