Disordered Eating
An eating disorder is a serious mental health condition characterised by extreme concerns about weight, shape, eating and/or body image. These concerns lead to disordered and unhealthy patterns of behaviour, including restricting food intake, fasting, counting calories, vomiting, misuse of laxative use, and excessive or driven exercise. These behaviours can greatly affect a person’s physical, psychological and social functioning. Approximately 9% of the Australian population suffer from an eating disorder according to the National Eating Disorders Collaboration. Eating disorders affect men and women of all ages, of all socio-economic backgrounds, and of all shapes and sizes.
We have a range of other resources which you may find helpful.
- If you worry a lot about features of your appearance that are not related to your body weight or shape, you may find our body dysmorphia resources helpful.
- If worries about your appearance are having a negative impact on your life, you may find our resources for addressing appearance concerns helpful.
- Some people with eating disorders have difficulties with perfectionism. This means they hold themselves to unrealistically high standards in many different areas of their life. If this is a problem for you, you may find our resources on addressing perfectionism helpful.
- People experiencing eating disorders tend to think in very self-critical ways. Our resources for improving self-compassion and improving self-esteem can help to address this.
Last Updated:
20/04/2021