Eating Disorder Myths vs Facts
Ever since I started working with individuals who suffer from eating disorders, I have noticed that there are many myths and stigmas that people believe about eating disorders, diet culture, etc. These myths and stigmas perpetuate harmful stereotypes and ideas that harm all of us, especially individuals struggling with eating disorders and body image issues. For that reason, here are a few big myths I have noticed as a therapist working with this population that perpetuate harm.
Myth: You must be emaciated/underweight to have anorexia nervosa, or for an eating disorder to be a problem.
Fact: Body size does not determine whether someone has an eating disorder, including anorexia nervosa. Anorexia is a mental health condition that includes, restricting food, intense fear of gaining weight, and body image issues, and often includes behaviors like compulsive exercise and laxative use. These things are all unhealthy regardless of body size. Eating disorders do not discriminate based on body size, and the idea that only individuals in small bodies can have eating disorders is a harmful stigma that makes it so that individuals in larger bodies who need treatment for their eating disorders often do not end up getting the help they need. This is especially harmful considering that anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric disorders.
Myth: It is safe to assume that if someone has lost weight, it is a good thing, and I should congratulate them.
Fact: There are many possible reasons for weight loss, many of which include health conditions, or eating disorders. You usually don’t know why or how someone lost the weight that they did, or how they personally feel about that weight loss. It is important not to assume that weight loss is good and safer to keep comments about others’ weight loss to yourself.
Myth: Eating disorders are not actually very harmful.
Fact: Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric disorders. Additionally, other behaviors often seen in anorexia and other eating disorders like purging and laxative use, can cause electrolyte imbalances that put individuals at significantly higher risk for sudden death due to heart issues. Excessive exercise also increases the likelihood of sudden death due to significant stress on the body. Individuals with eating disorders are at higher risk for organ damage, bone issues, malnutrition, infertility, hair loss, etc.
Myth: Fad diets and restrictive diets are not a problem.
Fact: Fad diets and diet culture normalize food restrictions and try to convince you that you are the problem instead of their diet. Research shows that the great majority of individuals who try diets end up gaining the weight back. Diet culture tries to tell people that they did something wrong and sends them away to try a new diet. In reality, it isn’t people who fail diets, it’s diets that fail people. Fad diets and food restrictions are not sustainable or healthy ways to achieve weight loss. Research has also shown that a significant number of people who try dieting later develop an eating disorder. There are healthier, safer, and more sustainable ways to heal and work on your relationship with food, including intuitive eating.
While these are only a few of the harmful myths out there regarding eating disorders, spreading awareness about these few things would significantly help the stigma associated with eating disorders, body size, etc.
References:
1. More information about eating disorders can be found here:
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
2. More information about intuitive eating can be found here:
http://www.intuitiveeating.org/
