Of course, eating disorders can go beyond the disorder labels of bulimia and anorexia nervosa. These complex mental illnesses often affect peoples’ feelings of self-worth, sometimes leading to depression and a distorted body image, all of which makes it incredibly hard for sufferers to ask for help and support with their eating.
It can be easy for everyone involved to lose hope. But the really good news is, once diagnosed, it is possible to for people struggling with an eating disorder to recover.
Treatment and recovery
Treatment will depend on the nature and symptoms of the disorder, and is different for all patients. It includes self help programmes, individual support or group therapy, while long-term resources and services such as eating disorder specialists or inpatient treatment are also available.
There are national and local support groups that not only offer information about disorder awareness, they can help people suffering with eating disorders continue their recovery outside a clinical setting, reducing the risk of the disorder recurring.
Get involved in Eating Disorder Awareness Week