A breakdown
Eating Disorders
Anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating, ARFID and OSFED — all serious, all treatable.
Overview
Eating disorders are serious illnesses involving disturbances in eating, body image and weight regulation. They affect every gender, body size, age and background. You do not have to be 'thin enough' to deserve help — illness severity is not measured by weight.
Common signs
- Restrictive eating, fasting or skipping meals
- Binge episodes — eating large amounts with loss of control
- Purging — vomiting, laxatives, over-exercise
- Preoccupation with food, weight, calories or body shape
- Avoidance of foods due to texture, fear of choking or low interest (ARFID)
- Withdrawing from social meals; rituals around food
What helps
Most areas in the UK have a community Eating Disorder Service — ask your GP for a referral.
The leading evidence-based therapy for adults with anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder.
First-line for children & adolescents with anorexia.
Electrolytes, heart and bone health need monitoring — this is not vanity, it is medicine.
Daily practices
Small, repeatable habits — not a checklist to fail at.
- 01Regular eating: 3 meals + 2–3 snacks at consistent times — even if appetite is gone
- 02Reduce checking behaviours (mirror, weighing) to once a week max
- 03Keep a values list — what does life look like beyond food?
- 04Connect with a recovery community — you are not alone
When to reach out today
These are signals to contact your care team, GP or a crisis service — today, not next week.
- Rapid weight loss, fainting, chest pain, irregular heart rhythm
- Inability to keep food or fluids down
- Suicidal thoughts or significant self-harm
UK resources
Keep reading
Information shaped by NICE, NHS, Mind, and peer-reviewed clinical guidelines. Not a substitute for personalised medical advice.