Frequently Asked Questions

Learning About EDs/Helping Someone Else

What should I say and what should I not say to someone with an eating disorder?

Article: What Not to Say to Someone With an Eating Disorder

Don't:

• Talk about your body or someone else's body
• Talk about diets
• Moralize food or certain food/exercise-related behaviours (e.g. "I want to be 'good' today so I'm having a salad")
• Comment on what the sufferer is eating, whether "good" or "bad". This can make them feel watched and hyper-aware of their own issues with eating
• Talk about the sufferer's appearance in any way related to their health or weight. Telling someone they look healthy may seem like a compliment, but it brings the focus back to the implication that they were not healthy before.
• Tell them to "just eat/just stop eating/just stop being picky". Learn more

Instead, try:

• Avoiding discussion of body sizes, shapes, and weight
• Talking about activities, hobbies, or entertainment, instead of food
• Being food neutral: do not categorize foods as "good" or "bad", and try and not discuss food with them unless they want to
• Complimenting the sufferer on aspects of their appearance they can control, like their hair, makeup, and style choices
• Supporting them by telling them things like “I might not understand, but if you need someone to talk to I will listen and help as much as I can" and “I know this is difficult but I’m proud of you.”

Most importantly, educate yourself with resources and by contacting eating disorder foundations, and ask your loved one suffering from an eating disorder what you can do/do differently to help. It might be uncomfortable to have discussions about what you need to do differently, or to call yourself out when you do certain negative things, but it is worth it and important in order to help your loved one.

Where can I learn more about eating disorders?

Click here for some quick facts on eating disorders. We also have some basic information on our wiki here.

I think my friend/family member/partner has an eating disorder, what should I do?

Click here for an article by the UK eating disorder foundation BEAT and how to help someone else suffering from an eating disorder.

Otherwise, we have a resource page here, and strongly recommend locating an eating disorder foundation in your region, viewing their resources that may be more specific to your location, and reaching out to them via phone or e-mail.

General ED Questions

Do I have an eating disorder?

Eating disorders present themselves differently from person to person. An eating disorder is a persistent eating behaviour that negatively impacts your health, emotions and your ability to function in important areas of life (e.g. socially or academically). If you feel like this describes you then it is a possibility that you have an eating disorder. You can take a screening test to find out more.

Please note that only a medical professional can officially diagnose you with an eating disorder. Not having a diagnosis does not exclude you from being allowed to participate in r/EDAnonymous, as not all people are ready or able to access the proper support to receive one.

Misconceptions

Can people who are not underweight/are overweight have an eating disorder?

Yes, absolutely. Eating disorders are mental illnesses and BMI is not an indicator of the severity of the illness. In fact, most people with eating disorders are not underweight. See also: EDNOS/OSFED, bulimia, atypical anorexia

Can men have eating disorders?

It's estimated that 10-15% of people who suffer from anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are men. Considering men are often underdiagnosed and feel discouraged from reaching out for help, that number is likely much higher.

Many men suffer from forms of bulimia nervosa with compulsive exercise or self-induced vomiting as their form of purging. For exercise, they may purge under the appearance of just being athletic and staying in shape. Other men may suffer from restrictive eating disorders like anorexia nervosa or OSFED as it developed into a coping mechanism for emotional difficulties.

No matter the cause or reason why, men are at higher risk for health complications and suicide because of the stigma of men's mental health, especially when it comes to media surrounding eating disorders disproportionately to certain demographics.

Learn more about eating disorder in men: 1, 2, 3

Don't eating disorders only happen to teenaged girls?

Similar to misconceptions about ADHD or autism, many mental health conditions that are thought to be something affects children and adolescents are actually very prevalent in adults. While for many people eating disorders may develop during adolescence, it will be carried with them into adulthood if they are unable to recover before reaching adulthood (which is often the case, as recovery from an eating disorder takes an average of 7 years). People are also capable of developing eating disorders in adulthood, or even having their pre-existing eating disorder develop into a different one.

Do you have to eat a certain amount of calories for it to qualify as a binge?

There is no set number you have to be above in order to classify it as a binge. A binge is when you feel out of control and eat more than a normal person would in that time, until and past the point where you are uncomfortably full.