An eating problem is any relationship with food that you find difficult. But eating problems aren’t just about food. They can be about trying cope with or hide painful feelings, even from yourself.
On this page:
Watch Mind’s series of animations explaining eating problems and disorders. You’ll find tips for getting help, recovery and self-care. And learn ways to support someone else with an eating problem. Our thanks to Mind for allowing us to share.
But eating problems and disorders are not just about food. They can be about painful feelings that you may find hard to express, face or resolve. Focusing on food can be a way of hiding these feelings and problems, including from yourself.
Many people think that someone with an eating problem will be overweight or underweight. People might also think that certain weights are linked to certain eating problems. Neither of these things are true.
Anyone can experience eating problems – whatever their age, gender, weight or background.
James was a teenager when he developed an eating problem. Stereotyping around eating disorders meant it took time for people to realise what James was experiencing. Watch James’ story to learn about barriers to getting help, how yoga helped him accept his body and find his community. Our thanks to Mind for allowing us to share this film.
Food plays a significant part in our lives. Most of us will spend time thinking about what we eat. Sometimes we might:
Changing your eating habits like this every now and again is normal. But if you feel like food and eating is taking over your life, it may become a problem.
There are many ways that eating problems can affect the way you act and think about food.
If you have an eating problem, you might be familiar with some of the behaviours listed below.
Warning: this list includes descriptions of behaviours to do with food. This can be upsetting or triggering. If you’re feeling vulnerable at the moment, you might want to move on to the next section.
If you have an eating problem, you might:
Eating problems can affect you in lots of ways.
You might feel:
You might find that:
With other people in your life, you might feel that:
Sandeep was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). But she is much more than her diagnosis. Hear how her family, faith and supporting others helped Sandeep with her recovery.
Warning: Sandeep mentions that she is a suicide survivor.
As it may feel like part of your everyday life, you might be unsure if your issue with food and eating is a problem. But if your relationship with food and eating is affecting your life, you can seek help. It doesn’t matter how much you weigh or what your body looks like.
Some people don’t seek help because they think their problem is not serious enough. Sometimes they do not feel ‘ill enough’ to have an eating problem.
It’s also possible to have problems with eating and keep them hidden. Sometimes this can be for very long time.
Many people with eating problems also have other mental health problems. Some common experiences include:
Food is one of many ways in which anxiety, depression or obsessive-compulsive behaviours can be expressed.
You may have thoughts about death or suicidal feelings. You might feel that you want to die. You might feel that it is the only way to escape your eating problem. This can be very frightening and make you feel alone.
You can contact Samaritans 24/7 to get support for these feelings. If you are under 35, you might find it helpful to contact Papyrus.
If you feel unable to keep yourself safe, it’s a mental health emergency. Get emergency advice.
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An eating disorder is a medical diagnosis based on your eating patterns. It involves medical tests on your weight, blood and body mass index (BMI).
An eating problem means any relationship with food that you find difficult. Not every eating problem will be diagnosed as a disorder. Eating disorders are a diagnosed type of eating problem.
Getting a formal eating disorder diagnosis isn’t always easy.
For example:
But understanding feelings and behaviours linked to certain eating disorders can be helpful – even if you don’t have a diagnosis. Or if you prefer to consider your experiences in a non-medical way.
In your assessment, your BMI should not be the only factor your GP or hospital doctor takes into account.
Unfortunately, diagnosis and treatment for an eating disorder can be related to your weight. You could have a serious problem with eating, but without meeting the criteria for diagnosis. This can feel very frustrating. However, you should not need an eating disorder diagnosis to get treatment for an eating problem.
Usually, your recommended treatment will be for the disorder most similar to your eating problem.
See below for information on treatment and support.
If you get a bulimia diagnosis (known as bulimia nervosa), you may experience a cycle of what’s called bingeing and purging.
If you experience bulimia, you might feel:
If you experience bulimia, you might:
While experiencing bulimia, you might:
If you get an anorexia diagnosis (known as anorexia nervosa), you’re not eating enough food. This means you’re not getting the energy you need to stay healthy.
Some people think anorexia is about slimming and dieting, but it’s much more complex. At its core, it’s often connected to low self-esteem, negative self-image and feelings of intense distress.
If you experience anorexia, you might feel:
If you experience anorexia, you might:
While experiencing anorexia, you might:
If you get a diagnosis for binge eating disorder, you might feel unable to stop eating, even if you want to.
With binge eating disorder, you might rely on food to make you feel better. You might also use food to hide difficult feelings. It is sometimes described as ‘compulsive eating’.
If you experience binge eating disorder, you might feel:
If you experience binge eating disorder, you might:
While experiencing binge eating disorder, you might:
If you get an OSFED diagnosis, you have an eating disorder. You may experience any feelings, actions or body changes linked to other eating disorders. But you don’t meet all the criteria for anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder.
This doesn’t mean that your eating disorder is less serious than others. OSFED just means that your disorder doesn’t neatly fit into current diagnoses. Getting a diagnosis of OSFED can help you access treatment and support. Previously, OSFED was known as ‘eating disorder not otherwise specified’ (EDNOS).
For more details, see Beat’s information about OSFED.
If you get a diagnosis of ARFID, you’ll strongly feel the need to avoid certain foods (or all foods). This might be because of smell, taste or texture. The idea of eating may fill you with anxiety. ARFID does not tend to be linked to body image issues. It’s more anxiety about the process of eating itself.
For more details, see Beat’s information about ARFID.
If you get a diagnosis of pica, you’ll often eat things that aren’t food. The things you eat tend to have no nutritional value. Some examples may be chalk, metal or paint. This can be very damaging to your body.
For more details, see Beat’s information about pica.
If you get a diagnosis of rumination disorder, you’ll regularly regurgitate your food. Regurgitating means bringing food back up that you’ve already eaten and swallowed. You won’t have a physical health problem to explain it. You might re-chew, re-swallow or spit out the food you regurgitate.
For more details, see Beat’s information about rumination disorder.
Diabulimia is something that can affect people with type 1 diabetes. It is a term for when you deliberately restrict or stop taking your insulin to control how many calories your body absorbs from food.
‘Diabulimia’ is not a formal medical diagnosis, so your doctor might not know about it. But it is a term that some people with type 1 diabetes use to describe this experience.
Some people also use the term ‘T1ED’ or ‘T1DE’, which is short for ‘type 1 diabetes with an eating disorder’. You may hear this used to describe living with type 1 diabetes and experiencing an eating disorder, including restricting your insulin.
Restricting your insulin can be very dangerous, or even life-threatening. So it is important to get support.
The charity Diabetes UK has more information on diabulimia and diabetes, and where to turn for help.
There’s no single cause of eating problems. Most health professionals think they’re caused by a combination of factors. Some may be biological, while others come from your surroundings or past.
It might be hard to understand why eating has become an issue for you. This page explains some of the more common factors.
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People experiencing eating problems often share common traits. Certain traits may make you more vulnerable to developing an eating problem.
Some common traits include:
The start of your eating problem may be linked to a stressful event or trauma in your life.
Some examples are:
Eating problems often develop at the same time as you’re going through major life changes such as:
When you’re expecting a baby it’s natural for your body and nutritional needs to change. But if you have mental health problems, or have had eating problems in the past, this can be a difficult experience. Some people find that eating problems can get worse during this period.
Find out more about eating problems and pregnancy from Tommy’s, the midwife-led charity.
Researchers aren’t sure how much family issues lead to eating problems. Most agree that family is just one of many things that could affect how likely eating problems are.
Some research suggests that eating problems may be more likely if your home didn’t feel safe or stable when you were a child. But there is little research to show that specific family issues cause eating problems. For example, coming from a very protective or inflexible family.
You may feel that your family was significant in your experience of eating problems. Or you may feel that other factors have been more important.
Social and cultural pressures probably don’t cause eating problems. However, they can contribute to them and help to keep them going.
We’re surrounded by messages about body image through films, magazines, social media and adverts. This can give us unachievable ideas about how we should look.
You might not be aware of it, but you may be comparing yourself to unrealistic images. As a result, this type of social pressure might:
Images of ‘perfection’ can be hard to avoid if you use social media. But try not to compare yourself or anyone else to these images.
Be aware that before posting photos online, people commonly make use of:
Try to remind yourself people post photos on social media that are often edited to look better than reality. It can feel difficult, so sometimes taking yourself offline for a while might help. See Mind’s pages on online mental health for more information.
You can also use social media in a positive way in your recovery. Read more on the Beat blog – Eating Disorders and Social Media.
If you have physical or mental health problems, you may also develop eating problems. If you have a physical health problem, this can sometimes make you feel powerless. You may use eating or exercising as a way to feel more in control.
Or an eating problem might begin because you experience a mental health problem. Some examples include:
Your eating problem can also cause mental health problems such as those listed above. It could also be linked to feelings of low self-esteem, worthlessness or powerlessness.
Research has shown that genes and biology may impact your chance of developing an eating problem.
We all have brain chemicals that control hunger, appetite and digestion. It has been found that some people with eating problems seem to have different amounts of these.
Some things, although not the cause of your eating problem, could help to prolong it.
You might be coping with recovery at the moment, or have had eating problems in the past. Try to be aware of certain things that can make your eating problems more likely to come back. Some people call these triggers or ‘at risk’ times. For example, you may find talking about food and dieting with friends triggering. It might be helpful to learn what your triggers are, so that you can try your best to avoid them.
This page has information about recovering from an eating problem, including:
Recovering from eating problems means different things to different people. It might mean that you never have thoughts or behaviours related to your eating problem again. Or you might still experience thoughts and behaviours, but not as often. They might also have less impact on your life.
The way you perceive your relationship with food, and your views on recovery, might change over time.
You might sometimes feel:
Whatever recovery feels like to you, it can take a long time to get there – even when you feel ready to try. You may have to think in years rather than weeks and months.
Recovery can seem scary if you feel:
If you have tried to recover before, or have relapsed, you might start feeling like you’re completely beyond help. But it is possible to feel better, even if it takes a long time.
Watch this Mind animation about recovering from an eating disorder. This includes tips for taking care of yourself, finding support and coping with difficult feelings. Our thanks to Mind for allowing us to share this.
Many people wrongly think that only young women can experience eating problems. Because of this, it might feel hard to share your experiences if you’re older or you identify as male.
Remember, anyone can have eating problems.
You may also find your body changes at a different rate to your mental health. As you start to look healthier, you may feel worse.
Other people may think you have recovered when you’re still finding things very hard. It can help to keep talking about how you feel, with people you trust.
Not everyone around you will understand what it’s like to have an eating problem. Some people may comment on your body, your weight, how much you eat or what you eat.
People might think they’re saying something positive to help you. But they might not realise that it can be difficult for you to hear. This can be really hard to cope with – what helps or hurts is different for everyone.
It might help to try and explain to family and friends how you feel. Describe to them what a more helpful or supportive response would be.
You can’t always stop people from saying unhelpful things. It could be a good idea to think about how you will deal with the things people might say.
Recovery does not mean putting on weight for everybody. But for some people this is incredibly challenging to live with. Some people have found these tips have worked for them:
There are certain times of year that might trigger difficult thoughts and behaviours. Often these are celebrations that revolve around food and eating with others, like Christmas and birthdays.
If you are Muslim you may find that Ramadan causes conflicts between your faith, your eating problems and recovery. You might find that fasting triggers thoughts and behaviours related to your eating problem. Especially if you’re praised for eating very little. Others find that eating with family and friends during iftar makes them feel out of control.
Although you may be excused from fasting if you have a medical problem, this may make you feel guilty. Other people may not understand why you are not fasting.
Read Habiba’s blog on the Beat website about eating disorders and Ramadan.
This page has some tips for taking care of yourself if you’re living with an eating problem:
These self-care tips can help to live with your eating problem day-to-day, and with your recovery.
Eating problems can feel very difficult to talk about for many reasons. People close to you may find eating problems hard to understand, but will often want to help however they can.
The eating charity Beat has tips for talking to others about your eating problem.
If you are finding it hard to talk, try writing things down. For example. you might find writing a letter helps you set out your thoughts more clearly.
You might find it helpful to show people our pages about eating problems to help them learn more.
Eating problems can make you feel ashamed, isolated and misunderstood. It can really help to talk to people who are going through something similar.
You can look for peer support online or face-to-face. These organisations can help you find peer support for eating problems:
It’s very common to go back to your old thoughts and behaviours. Especially around times when you feel stressed.
Try to identify situations when you might be more at risk of your eating problems returning. Some examples could be:
Think about your warning signs. Try to learn what you can do to prevent things from getting worse. Early warning signs could be:
Most people will have setbacks in their recovery. But after each setback you may find you understand more about yourself and your eating problem.
It’s important to try and be gentle with yourself. Try to accept relapses as part of a long, but achievable, process of change.
Routines around eating and food can be hard to break. But you might find that making small changes can help. For example:
If you have an eating problem you may find that you spend a lot of time comparing your body to other people’s, sometimes without even really realising you are doing it. We are often surrounded by pictures and images – especially on social media.
Try to be as kind to yourself as you can. For more ideas, have a look at these pages on:
Getting treatment can help you develop healthy, balanced eating patterns. It can also help you face and cope with any underlying issues.
On this page:
Note: this page covers recommended treatments for anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder.
You may get a diagnosis of other specified feeding and eating disorder (OSFED). Or you may not get a diagnosis at all. Your doctor should offer treatment for the diagnosis that most closely matches your symptoms.
You shouldn’t need a diagnosis to get treatment.
Talking about your eating problems can feel scary. But to access treatment, the first step is usually to talk to your GP or hospital doctor. They should then be able to refer you to specialist services.
See Mind’s pages on seeking help for a mental health problem for more information.
In some cases, at first you might get support through an online self-help programme.
This might be offered to you initially if:
You should receive short support sessions alongside the programme. These may be face-to-face or over the phone.
If you find the programme hard to complete, or find it unhelpful, ask your GP for more support.
Like some other mental health problems, you might be offered talking treatments for eating problems.
The following treatments are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). It produces guidelines on best practice in healthcare.
Read more about the NICE recommendations for treating eating problems.
This form of CBT is specifically adapted to treat eating disorders. It may be offered for anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder.
Family therapy means working through issues with your family and the support of a therapist. It’s commonly offered to people with anorexia, especially younger people.
You might explore situations that could relate to underlying issues of your eating problem. It can help your family understand your eating problem and how to support you.
You can access talking treatments through the NHS. Your GP should be able to make a referral. But be aware that there can be long waiting lists on the NHS. Because of this, some people also consider private therapy. For private therapy, you have to pay for appointments.
Some options include:
See below for useful contacts for eating problems.
If you get an anorexia diagnosis, you may be offered some additional talking treatments.
There are no specific drugs to treat eating disorders. However, you may be offered medication for underlying factors such as depression or anxiety. For example, you may be offered an antidepressant to help manage these feelings.
You should be offered medication alongside talking treatments. Medication shouldn’t be the only thing you’re offered. Your doctor will decide whether to offer you medication – you can decide whether you want to take it.
If your eating problem means you’re underweight, drugs are absorbed more quickly into your bloodstream. This could make any medication more harmful, or not as effective, as it should be.
See our information on antidepressants, antipsychotics and medication for more about these drugs.
You may need to go into a hospital or clinic because of your eating problem. This might be necessary if:
If you’re an outpatient or day patient, you will go home most evenings and weekends. If you’re an inpatient, you will stay in the hospital or clinic for most of your treatment. How long you are admitted for will depend on how much help you need to recover.
You’ll normally receive a range of support as an inpatient. The staff at the hospital or clinic could include:
Treatment can include:
Your weight and general health will be monitored for the duration of your stay. You may also get guidance on:
Refeeding means being given food to bring your weight up to a healthy level. It involves helping you to gain weight so that your energy levels and physical health improve. You may be given certain foods for their nutritional value. Or foods that are particularly good at helping people gain weight.
Refeeding varies from one clinic to another. Some doctors may do this over a period of time, allowing you to gradually increase your weight. Others will want to help you back to a healthy weight as soon as possible.
This can be a distressing process, especially if you do not want to gain weight. It may be something to discuss with your GP or hospital doctor in more detail.
There are only a few NHS eating disorder clinics. So you may not always be able to access treatment close to where you live. This could mean going to a clinic further away, or going to a general mental health hospital. Ask your GP or care team if you’d like to know more about specialist clinics.
There are also private treatment centres. Some may offer similar treatment to NHS clinics. Others have a wider range of complementary and art therapies.
Try using Beat’s HelpFinder tool, which is a directory of available services.
You could be forced to go to hospital under the Mental Health Act. This is often known as ‘being sectioned’. You can be sectioned if your own health or safety is at risk, or to protect other people.
Before being sectioned, you will be assessed by health professionals. You could be sectioned for your eating problem if, for example:
If you are sectioned, you may also be treated against your consent during your stay in hospital. Treatment against your consent for an eating problem could involve refeeding, for example.
For more detailed information, see Mind’s legal pages on sectioning.
You can do lots of things to help someone with an eating problem – despite how helpless you might sometimes feel. We have tips for giving someone practical and emotional support, and taking care of yourself.
On this page:
Watch Mind’s animation about helping someone with an eating disorder. This includes tips for talking with them about their feelings and experiences.
If someone you care about has an eating problem, you might:
You might be feeling powerless, frustrated and angry. But a good place to start is just to show the person you’re here for them.
Try to be considerate of the following:
Many of us assume that eating problems are linked to certain behaviours, or physical traits.
You might assume that:
But none of these assumptions are true.
Anyone can experience eating problems. This is regardless of age, gender, weight or background.
For people with eating problems, dealing with misconceptions is a difficult part of the experience.
You might be finding it hard to understand the person’s eating problem. This can also make it hard to be accepting towards how they might feel. Or how your attitude or behaviour might make them feel.
Try thinking about the following:
As well as developing your own understanding, these practical ideas can help the person you’re worried about.
You could try the following:
If the person is a member of your family, you might attend family therapy as part of their treatment.
Family therapy means working as a family to:
You can find a family therapist by asking your GP or hospital doctor for a referral. You can also look for a therapist via the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice.
If family therapy isn’t right for you (or isn’t available), it can still help to discuss what is happening with your family.
It’s important that you manage your own wellbeing while supporting your friend or family member. Try to do the following if you can:
Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT)
aft.org.uk
Information about family therapy, including a directory of therapists.
Beat
0808 801 0677 (England)
beateatingdisorders.org.uk
Offers information and advice on eating disorders, and runs a supportive online community. Also provides a directory of support services at HelpFinder.
British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)
babcp.com
Information about cognitive behavioural therapy and related treatments, including details of accredited therapists.
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
bacp.co.uk
Professional body for talking therapy and counselling. Provides information and a list of accredited therapists.
Hub of Hope
hubofhope.co.uk
UK-wide mental health service database. Lets you search for local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support. You can filter results to find specific kinds of support.
Mind
Mind’s helplines provide information and support by phone and email.
Local Minds offer face-to-face services across England and Wales. These services include talking therapies, peer support and advocacy.
Side by Side is Mind’s supportive online community for anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
nice.org.uk
Produces guidelines on best practice in healthcare.
Overeaters Anonymous Great Britain
oagb.org.uk
Local support groups for people with eating problems.
Papyrus HOPELINEUK
0800 068 41 41
07860039967 (text)
pat@papyrus-uk.org
papyrus-uk.org
Confidential support for under-35s at risk of suicide and others who are concerned about them. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Samaritans
116 123 (freephone)
jo@samaritans.org
Freepost SAMARITANS LETTERS
samaritans.org
Samaritans are open 24/7 for anyone who needs to talk. You can visit some Samaritans branches in person.
Student Minds
0808 808 4994
studentminds.org.uk
Mental health charity that supports students. Runs Student Space, offering online information and helpline support delivered in partnership with The Mix.
Talk ED
talk-ed.org.uk
Advice and support for anyone affected by eating problems.
Tommy’s
tommys.org
Information and support for people affected by stillbirth, miscarriage and premature birth.
YoungMinds
0808 802 5544 (Parents Helpline)
85258 (text the word ‘shout’)
youngminds.org.uk
Provides advice and support to young people for their mental health, as well as supporting parents and carers.
Our friendly team at the Portsmouth Mental Health Hub are here to help.
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If you or someone you know needs urgent mental health help, please call 111 – the NHS non-emergency number. It’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is free from any phone. They have specialist mental health nurses who can support adults and young people.
In a life-threatening emergency, always call 999.