Eating problems
Everyone eats differently, but if the way you eat is taking over your life, then you could have an eating problem. But you’re not alone.
What is an eating problem?
Lots of people have different eating habits. You might eat loads one day, be less hungry another day, or go through phases of wanting to eat more or less healthily. But that doesn’t mean you have an eating problem.
But if you’re focussing a lot on controlling what or how much you eat, or if you have urges to eat and then make yourself sick, these are signs you could have a problem.
All kinds of things can cause eating problems or disorders. You might develop an eating problem when things don’t feel right in other parts of your life, especially if you’re feeling worried, stressed or feeling out of control. Images we see online and in the media can add to the feeling that we have to look a certain way, or be a certain weight which may not be healthy for our body.
Eating problems are common and they affect people with any body shape or lifestyle
Symptoms of eating problems
Here are some types of eating behaviour which you might be experiencing quite often, or taking to extremes:
- losing appetite
- eating when not hungry
- obsessing about your body (e.g. being too fat, or not muscly enough)
- eating only certain types of things or following fad diets
- being afraid of gaining weight
- dramatic weight loss or gain
- making yourself sick
- no longer enjoying eating socially or leaving the table quickly (to be sick or hide food)
- focusing on buying or cooking food for others
- feeling secretive about eating
- being secretive about/preoccupied with food
- being self-conscious about eating in front of others
If any of the symptoms above are affecting your everyday life, it’s a good idea to talk to someone about how you’re feeling. You might have an idea about what an eating disorder looks like, but not everyone experiences the same difficult eating behaviours, and your weight on its own does not determine whether you have a problem.
Being able to control how much or what you eat might give you a feeling of order, but it can lead to more serious issues. If you are worried at all, please reach out for help.
Some eating problems can become serious mental health conditions that need professional help to diagnose and treat. In very serious cases and without the right kind of support and treatment, they can even cause death, which is why it is so important to speak to someone if you are struggling with your eating so that you can get the help you need to recover. It might feel really difficult, but you can get through it and you deserve to get better.
What to do about eating problems
- Talk to someone you trust. If you think you might have an eating disorder, telling someone about it can feel quite hard. But we’ve worked with many young people who have suffered from eating disorders, and they tell us that talking about it was the first step on their road to recovery.
- Speak to your GP for advice. Sometimes learning to eat normally again can be hard work, so your doctor can help you get the support you need. They might suggest talking therapies that you and your family can try, to help you figure out and deal with the issues that have triggered your eating problem. They may also want to measure your weight to assess your BMI (Body Mass Index) – it’s ok to be nervous about this, but just remember they don’t want to judge you, they only want to help.
How to support a friend with an eating problem
- If you’re worried about a friend who’s struggling with their eating, listen to them. They might have difficult things going on in their life which are causing the changes to their eating.
- Encourage your friend to speak to their GP so they can find out what professional support is there for them.
- Remember, if you are worried about them, you don’t have to keep their secret – if they don’t get the help they need things can get much worse for them very quickly. Telling a family member, teacher or someone else you trust might feel hard for both of you, but it’s important because the quicker your friend gets support, the more likely they are to recover.
- Look after yourself. It can be really hard supporting someone who is going through a tough time and this can affect your own wellbeing and mental health. Make sure you also have someone you can talk to about how you’re feeling, like a family member or trusted friend.
Help Center
We offer support to anyone under 30 about anything that’s troubling them.
Email support available via letstalk@speakoutu.org.
Free webchat service available.
Opening times: 9pm – 5pm, Monday – Saturday