Eating Disorders

When people have problems with how much they eat or the way that they eat we call it an eating disorder. The two most common eating disorders are anorexia (where a person eats too little food) and bulimia (where a person deliberately makes themselves vomit or take laxatives to get rid of food they have eaten).

Young people of all ages and every background can suffer from an eating disorder, young men as well as young women.

People get eating disorders for complicated reasons. These can include:

• stress, panic
• feelings that are hard to accept
• unhappiness, depression
• problems in your home or school life
• sudden changes
• feeling out of control
• no apparent reason

Not eating or eating too much when you're stressed and unhappy is normal behaviour, but getting into the habit of controlling how much you eat can become a dangerous habit which is very difficult to break, and which will put your future health at serious risk.

Many people with eating disorders try to hide their problem. It is common to feel guilty and ashamed. But the longer you leave the problem, the more serious it will get.

It is common for people with an eating disorder to feel guilty, depressed and ashamed. This may stop you from asking for help, but it can be very difficult to get better on your own. Confidential help is available from your GP, the
practice nurse, a health visitor or specialist organisation.

• Key Link: www.b-eat.co.uk