Until relatively recently, eating disorders have been a taboo topic. And what happens when something is taboo? People fill in their knowledge gaps with rumor, speculation, and guesses. Which has led to a number of pervasive myths about them.
Being one the first outpatient eating disorder group practice in the San Francisco Bay Area, here at Evolve we have encountered these misconceptions many times. So let’s discuss and dispel them.
The most common eating disorder myths:
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🚫 Eating disorders only affect young women.
While it’s true that eating disorders are more prevalent among young women, they affect people of all ages, genders, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Men, nonbinary people, older adults, and children can also develop eating disorders.
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🚫 Eating disorders are a lifestyle choice.
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions with complex biological, psychological, and social factors. The first step is admitting you have a problem. Calling it a choice may perpetuate the pathogenic belief that the individual just needs to figure it out on their own. But when a person is deep into an eating disorder, professional help is often needed to help identify and break destructive patterns of thought and behavior.
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🚫 You can tell if someone has an eating disorder by their appearance.
Not all people with eating disorders are underweight. Many individuals with eating disorders, especially those with bulimia or binge eating disorder, may appear to be at a normal weight or even overweight. Eating disorders can’t be diagnosed solely based on appearance.
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🚫 Eating disorders are all about food and weight.
While food and weight are central concerns, eating disorders are often rooted in deeper issues such as control, self-esteem, trauma, or coping with difficult emotions. The focus on food and weight is often a symptom of these underlying issues.
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🚫 Recovery from an eating disorder is just a matter of willpower.
Recovery is a complex process that usually requires professional help, including medical care, nutritional counseling, and psychotherapy. It’s not simply about “deciding to eat normally” but involves addressing the underlying psychological and emotional issues.
If you or someone you care about is dealing with an eating disorder such as bulimia, anorexia, ARFID (avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder) or binge eating disorder, try not to let unhelpful myths curtail your progress forward toward healing.
So let’s leave you with…
5 truths about eating disorders:
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✅ All different kinds of people have eating disorders.
One of the wonderful things about the internet is that is is easier than ever to discover that you are often not the only one in your situation. With a search, you can find online support groups:
- For people with eating disorders who are men, women, nonbinary, in midlife and beyond, neurodivergent, LGBTQ+
- Specific to the type of eating disorder: night-eating syndrome, ARFID, anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, orthorexia.
- For parents and friends of someone with an eating disorder,
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✅ Healing from an eating disorder is not just about choice—it’s a serious mental health condition that requires help.
Some of the stigma around eating disorders comes from the idea that having an eating disorder is a choice. Just like everyone, whatever current condition we find ourselves in certainly came to be due to certain choices. But just because choices were part of the origin story, doesn’t mean choice is the easy solution. We often find that individuals with eating disorders have higher levels of perfectionism and self judgment. So hearing people say that “an eating disorder is just a choice” can increase shame and self-criticism. Self criticism can be a trigger for engaging in the binge–restrict cycle, which perpetuates the eating disorder, so… this is why it’s harmful to say that eating disorders are a choice. It can reinforce the beliefs and behaviors you are hoping to heal.
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✅ You cannot tell whether someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them.
As a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to avoid assumptions and judgments. Try to always engage with people curiously, while upholding boundaries of respect and kindness. As the saying goes, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
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✅ There is more to eating disorders than just food and weight.
The emotions and trauma that may be at the root of an eating disorder are not always immediately obvious.
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✅ Recovery from an eating disorder is much easier with professional help.
Without addressing the underlying psychological and emotional issues that led to the disordered eating behavior, symptom management is all you can achieve. Eating disorders are often a mechanism for dealing with some deeper emotional pain, trauma, or unmet need. Identifying those emotions and finding new ways to cope is a key part of the healing process. Developing coping skills is one thing you and your therapist will work on in your recovery.
Conclusion
Replacing your misconceptions about eating disorders with truths is important. If you are struggling with an eating disorder, it allows you to let go of the weight of shame and the idea that you have to solve the problem on your own. If you are an ally of someone with an eating disorder, it can cultivate more compassion and patience.
Evolve Wellness Group has both therapists and dietitians available to work with you. When you are ready to take the next step in your journey of healing from an eating disorder, we are here.
Reach out today for a complimentary intake phone call, where we can answer any questions you might have.
