Eating Disorders Don't Have a Look

Service users share how they relate to their own personal experiences of disordered eating.

For Eating Disorders Awareness Week, we are centring the voices of people in East London who have experienced disordered eating. Often, public awareness of eating disorders is mired in outdated stereotypes. To help challenge this, we asked service users about what they would most want people to know about who they are. A common theme that came up was challenging the idea that eating disorders ‘look’ a certain way. The quotes below illustrate how certain individuals relate to their own personal experiences of disordered eating and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who has shared. However, please note that they are not intended to provide a set ‘truth’ about what it is like to have an eating disorder. People who are struggling may relate to some, none, or all the below – all experiences are valid and should be taken seriously. If you are experiencing disordered eating, please be aware that the below content may be challenging for you, and we encourage you to read (or not read) with care.

Eating disorders do not have a body type

“One thing that I wish that all disordered eating services understood is for healthcare professionals to really absorb that an eating disorder, or disordered eating, does not have a body type. You know, eating disorders and disordered eating do not have a body type, age, ethnicity, gender. There are stereotypes and they don't apply to everyone and actually they don't apply to the majority. I think understanding this is at the core of positive change in services.”

Photography by Katharine Lazenby, taken whilst an inpatient receiving treatment for anorexia

It's important for all health professionals to understand that eating disorders are about distress, regardless of body size

“People working in eating disorders probably understand more than most people. But I think it’s really important for GPs or any kind of non-specific psychologist or psychiatrist, for example, to understand that a very small proportion of people with eating disorders are actually clinically ‘underweight’.

But the majority of people with eating disorders are living very distressing lives, very dangerous physically and mentally. Either completely at crisis point or coasting really miserably in disordered eating patterns – but they’re just not being picked up because healthcare professionals still have this stereotype in their mind of the ‘thin young woman’.”

Stereotypes about the eating disorder ‘body type’ can make recovery much harder

“I feel I'm not sufficiently underweight for it to be a problem.”

“I feel I almost need to be thin(ner) to keep the identity and get treatment.”

“I did eventually fit that stereotype. But when I first presented when I first self-referred to an eating disorder service, the psychologist weighed me and said, ‘oh you’re fine’. And those were honestly the most damning words that I could have possibly heard. And that was probably what was the real nail in the coffin for my descent, mentally and physically.”

It can seem like there is more awareness now around different body types and eating disorders – but it needs to be translated into practice

“This might seem like a basic point because it’s already being talked about in this sphere, but I do just feel like it still hasn’t fully been taken in by healthcare services if that makes sense. I think that would be really amazing, it would just be so incredible.”

Another stereotype about what eating disorders ‘look’ like is that they ‘only affect women’.

This can affect how men experience their own difficulties with eating, and how likely they may be to seek help.

Confused, photograph by Lottie Bolster, expert by experience

“I also think there's a huge stereotype where people think it's only an issue with women, but it also happens for men. If someone had just taken the time to speak to me properly about this, then I probably wouldn't be so reluctant to talk about it. But because of the way it’s always been, I just shut it down straight away. And then I think a lot of people are not talking to me about it because of the way I’ve responded.”

“Rightly or wrongly, it’s something that I’ve always grown up with, thinking that eating disorders are associated with women. So maybe subconsciously that’s one of the reasons why I’m so resistant to the conversations – but it hasn’t been handled in the best way.”

A note from ELFT

At East London Foundation Trust, we have been working with Experts by Experience to design a new Community Disordered Eating Service that meets all kinds of needs. We understand that eating disorders and disordered eating don’t have a ‘look’ and often do not fit traditional stereotypes - our aim is to connect everyone with the support they need. If you are struggling with disordered eating and live in the boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets, or City & Hackney, you can ask your GP to refer you to our service. You can also refer yourself via our website at the Community Disordered Eating Team.

Referral Form >>

Further information about eating disorder support can be found on the Beat website >>