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Dandelion Seeds

Eating Disorders

What are eating disorders?

​Eating disorders are serious, complex and potentially life-threatening mental illnesses. They are characterised by disturbances in behaviours, thoughts and feelings towards body weight and shape, and/or food and eating. Eating disorders have detrimental impacts upon a person’s life and can result in serious medical, psychiatric and psychosocial consequences.

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Having access to specialised, professional care as early as possible is a key factor in recovery from an eating disorder.

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What are some of the signs and symptoms of eating disorders?

There are different types of eating disorders and everyone’s experience can be different. Some signs that you might be experiencing disordered eating or body image issues include:​

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  • Constant and repetitive dieting

  • Monitoring or recording food intake (counting calories, fasting etc)

  • Restricting your diet – e.g. cutting out food groups or limiting the types of food you can eat

  • Hiding eating from others or eating alone

  • Using rituals around eating (e.g. having to use particular cutlery, or eat at a certain time of day)

  • Spending excessive time to plan meals or shop for food

  • Feeling shame, embarrassment, anxiety after eating or guilt about what or how much is eaten

  • Fear of gaining weight or being unable to control your weight

  • Obsessively checking your body (e.g. standing in front of the mirror or measuring your waist)

  • Feel out of control when eating (unable to resist eating or unable to stop eating)

  • Frequently eating when not hungry or eating until feeling uncomfortably full

  • Engaging in compensatory behaviours

    • excessive or compulsive exercise – i.e. feeling you have to exercise no matter what

    • self-induced vomiting

    • laxative or diuretic misuse

    • fasting

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What do the different eating disorders have in common?

A common factor across all eating disorders includes a disrupted relationship with food and eating habits. This can present in different behaviours such as food restriction, binge eating, purging, dieting or selective eating habits. Many (though not all) eating disorders also feature a strong emphasis on body image, weight, shape, appearance or ‘health’. All eating disorders are serious, and can benefit from treatment.

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Who is most likely to have an eating disorder?

Eating disorders do not discriminate and can occur in people of any age, weight, body size or shape, gender, sexuality, cultural background, economic status, or profession.

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While eating disorders can occur in anyone, some specific experiences put people at higher risk of developing an eating disorder, such as experiences of trauma, discrimination, or pressure to conform to societal or cultural ideals.

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How common are eating disorders and body image concerns?

According to the Butterfly Foundation around 1.1 million Australians currently have an eating disorder and around 30% of young people are extremely or very concerned about their body. The NEDC has found that around 16% of Australians are impacted by eating disorders and disordered eating.

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How dangerous is an eating disorder?

Eating disorders can be very dangerous and potentially life-threatening. This can be due to the serious physical impacts of the disorder, which can affect every organ of the body. The mental health consequences can also be severe, including self-harm and suicide risk. In addition, the impacts on important areas of life are also significant, including on socialising, work/school and hobbies. That said, recovery is possible, and most health impacts can be reversible with appropriate treatment.

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Myths

It is important that everyone understands the facts about mental health and eating disorders. This not only leads to more awareness and acceptance in the community, but also improves prevention, early identification, and seeking help.

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Five common misconceptions about eating disorders identified by the NDEC include:​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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