Eating difficulties

What is it?

Wellbeing Tools

Eating difficulties affect physical & emotional health
Recognise signs & seek help from trusted professionals.
Early intervention is important for recovery.

Here's more detail

Published: 26/10/23

Eating difficulties, such as eating disorders and disordered eating patterns, are serious concerns that can affect young people both physically and emotionally. It’s crucial to recognise the signs and symptoms of these difficulties and seek help when needed.

If you or someone you know is struggling with eating difficulties, it’s essential to talk to a trusted adult about it, such as a parent, guardian, teacher or counselor. Eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or binge-eating disorder can be life-threatening if left untreated. Early intervention and professional help are critical for recovery.

It’s also important to remember that body image issues and societal pressures related to appearance can contribute to eating difficulties. Promote a positive body image within your peer group, and support your friends in developing healthy relationships with food and their bodies. You can also read more about resources and organisations that provide information and assistance for those dealing with eating difficulties.

Learn more
YoungMinds explains that everyone has a different relationship with food and eating, but if yours is taking over your life, then you might have an eating problem.
Eating problems are common and they can affect anyone with any body shape or lifestyle, regardless of gender, culture, age or ethnicity.
Sometimes the way we feel about food and eating can become a problem. For example, you might find yourself eating when you’re not hungry to cope with negative feelings, or limiting the amount that you eat to help you feel more control of certain situations. This can lead to more serious issues in the long-term.
Struggling with food or eating is never the fault of the person going through it and anyone experiencing problems around food deserves to get better.
Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, explains that there are many ways in which eating disorders severely affect the quality of life of both those suffering and those who care about them. They steal childhoods, devastate relationships and pull families apart. But, with the right treatment and support, recovery is possible.
To learn more about eating difficulties and mental health, visit the links below.
Guidance: What is an eating problem?
Charity information: Beat eating disorders
Blog: My experience of binge eating disorder
Blog: My experience of diet culture and disordered eating
Blog: Not sick enough

For me, when I binged on food it was a coping mechanism in times when I was experiencing high levels of anxiety and depression. This fed an unpleasant cycle when the binge-eating itself led to further feelings of shame and despair.

Hollie, 18

Over time, I was able to pull myself out of that mindset thanks to the love and support of my friends and family. I still struggle with intrusive thoughts around food but am gradually learning to fall in love with eating again.

Katie

I always felt like I had fallen short of the expectations that I set myself and that others set for me. These feelings of inadequacy fuelled most of my binge-eating episodes, meaning the more I ate, the worse my self-image and mental health became.

Ffion, 21