Eating disorders

• Anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia nervosa
• Binge eating disorder
• Emotional eating 

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that affect a person’s relationship with food, eating habits, and body image. They often involve extreme behaviours around food—such as restricting intake, binge eating, or purging—and can have significant physical and emotional consequences.

While eating disorders may appear to be about food or weight, they are often rooted in deeper psychological issues such as low self-esteem, anxiety, perfectionism, or difficulties in managing emotions and relationships. Food may become a way to cope with distress, gain a sense of control, or express internal struggles.

Common Types of Eating Disorders

• Anorexia Nervosa: Characterised by restricted eating and significantly low body weight, often driven by intense fear of gaining weight.

• Bulimia Nervosa: Involves cycles of binge eating followed by purging behaviours like vomiting or using laxatives.

• Binge-Eating Disorder: Repeated episodes of eating large quantities of food without purging, often accompanied by feelings of guilt or shame.

• Emotional Overeating: Eating in response to emotions such as sadness, stress, or anger.

• Mixed or Atypical Eating Disorders: Includes behaviours like chewing and spitting food or highly selective eating patterns.

Most eating disorders can be effectively treated with psychological therapy. The recommended approach depends on the individual’s needs and the type of eating disorder.

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), especially Enhanced CBT (CBT-E), is considered the leading evidence-based treatment. It helps individuals understand and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours related to food, body image, and emotions.

• Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) focuses on patterns in relationships and self-identity that may contribute to eating difficulties.

Treatment is most effective when tailored to the person’s unique experiences and delivered by a specialist. With over seven years' experience working in a specialist eating disorders service, I am highly trained in treating a wide range of eating difficulties and have supported many individuals towards recovery.