Eating disorders

Eating disorders are a variety of mental health conditions that are characterised by an abnormal attitude towards food. The disorder affects people psychologically and physically, causing change their eating habits and behaviour. People with eating disorders are likely to be obsessed about their weight, shape and/or what they eat. This usually leads them to have unhealthy eating habits which can have devastating consequences.

What are eating disorders?

Eating is something we all do to live, but for some the relationship with food becomes complicated. Some people may develop a strange diet or become emotionally reliant on food. This kind of eating can often evolve into an eating disorder, it is important to note that eating disorders are different. Eating disorders are serious mental health concerns. They change the way people think and behave especially about food and diet.

Eating disorders are often linked to depression, anxiety and low self-esteem, and can be incredibly harmful both psychologically and physically. They affect people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. Statistics show they are more common in young women. However, more and more cases of older women and men with eating disorders are highlighting the real scale of the problem.

There are several different types of eating disorders. However the most common are anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. Some people are diagnosed with an eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). This is when a person is showing some, but not all, of the ‘classic’ eating disorder symptoms. This can be just as damaging to people’s mental health.

If you think you or someone you know may be suffering from an eating disorder, it is important to act quickly before the condition goes too far because recovery can be a lengthy process. The first thing is to have a medical check up and make sure the body is not undergoing too much stress, then one must seek therapy of some kind. Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy and counselling have proven to be quite useful.

If you are in doubt and would like someone to talk to, please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone or e-mail.

Angelica & Terence Atman