Debunking Eating Disorder Myths

What you thought you knew about eating disorders may be untrue. It’s not easy, but you can recover. Learn about the reality debunking eating disorder myths.

As much as 9 percent of the U.S. population, or nearly 29 million Americans, will have an eating disorder during their lifetime, according to a collaborative project based at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Disordered eating that doesn’t yet qualify as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating can still be dangerous, since those problems may progress to a full diagnosis or be signs of other problems.

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Below, we debunk some of the myths surrounding these often-misunderstood conditions, then explore ways you can free yourself.

Myth one

Eating disorders are a choice. 

In fact, the inability to control behavior toward food is what defines an eating disorder. People who suffer from binge eating disorder or bulimia often go to great lengths to hide their struggles.

“Most bulimics who have been bulimic for a while get pretty self-punitive,” says Edward Abramson, PhD, the author of “Emotional Eating: What You Need to Know Before Starting Your Next Diet.” “They are angry with themselves for doing it, even though they think they shouldn't be doing it.”

In anorexia, the refusal to eat may begin as a choice. In the Middle Ages, for example, women may have refused to eat as a sign of moral purity. Today, you may be worried about your weight. But the behavior quickly takes over, and people with anorexia are no longer able to choose to eat.

Myth two

Eating disorders aren’t real illnesses. 

The truth is that anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental disorder, and bulimia and binge eating can permanently damage your gastrointestinal system. Treatment can include committing to in-patient care for six months or longer.

Often, the conditions accompany other issues or diagnoses, says Abramson, including depression, substance abuse, and borderline personality disorder.

Science is still working to understand the conditions.

“Many instances of bulimia respond to antidepressant medications. Perhaps there's something underlying that's in common with depression and bulimia. Some folks have speculated that bulimia is just a different manifestation of depression,” Abramson says.

There's no clear answer yet, but the consensus is that they’re serious disorders, often requiring lifetime treatment, not a passing phase.

Myth three

Eating disorders affect only well-off teenage American girls. 

The truth is researchers have documented cases of anorexia as far back as the 12th century — in every region in the world.

Eating disorders affect boys, too. It’s true that eating disorders are more common among females, perhaps because of hormonal differences, but as many as 10 percent of teen boys may eat abnormally.

And they don’t need to be well-off. In fact, money may be protective. One study found that boys who had a genetic vulnerability to disordered eating and lived in poorer neighborhoods or families tended to have earlier, and worse, symptoms.

Binge eating, often accompanying anorexia, was also common in the past, but bulimia may be a more recent phenomenon.

Myth four

Media and advertising images create unrealistic standards. 

That is true — and not true. In entertainment and advertising, you see models, athletes, pop singers, and movie stars who devote themselves to maintaining their bodies. It’s part of their job, just like an accountant needs to learn new tax rules.

But feeling unattractive because you don’t look like a pop star is not the same as having an illness, which may come with a genetic vulnerability. Eating disorders may share genes with diabetes and autoimmune and gastrointestinal disorders.

Such conditions occurred long before people had TVs and smartphones. Sir William Gull delivered a report about anorexia nervosa at a meeting of the Clinical Society of London in 1873.

What you can do

You may eat more than a quarter of your daily intake during the night after dinner, a behavior called night-eating syndrome. Some people eat the same food compulsively, like ice or paper — a disorder called pica syndrome.

You might end up with nutritional deficiencies because you eat too little or stick to only certain foods. You might purge after eating, although you don’t binge. You might rely on ice cream or other unhealthy snacks to console yourself, night after night, during untreated depressions.

To decide if you need help, ask yourself: “How much time do I spend thinking about food, weight, and body image?” If you’re thinking that way more than you want to, ask for help.

Don’t delay.

Eating disorders are treatable, but they do more physical damage the longer they continue.

You can join a peer support group, request an online mentor, and find specialists through support group organizations like the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) and the National Eating Disorders Association.

Overeaters Anonymous is a 12-step group modeled on Alcoholics Anonymous, where you’ll find an active community. You might also be able to find an in-patient treatment center.

If you’re worried about someone else, it’s trickier. Try not to be discouraged if your first effort to talk about a problem doesn’t get a desirable response. You may need to make several tries. ANAD offers a free guide for helping others.

A crucial part of recovery is seeing your body realistically.

Here are a few tips on how to get there.

• Don’t diet. Instead, eat well-balanced, nutritious foods only when you’re hungry. Learn about emotional eating, and explore better ways to respond to life’s ups and downs. If you slip in your efforts to eat more nutritiously, don’t despair. Forgive yourself, appreciate your efforts to improve, and resolve to try again.
• Don’t aspire to look like people you admire online or on screen. Surround yourself with friends who value who you are, not how you look. Set goals you can realistically reach in school, at work, or in physical activities.
• Find a form of physical exercise you enjoy. Whether it’s yoga , biking, hiking, or team sports, all that matters is that you enjoy the activity and keep it up. In moderation, physical activity can be an avenue to a highly positive body image, helping you get to know and value your body and its strength.

If you’d like to lose weight or be more fit, don’t expect dramatic changes.  Make a reasonable plan and stick with it.

Look for role models, coaches, or yoga instructors who demonstrate healthy eating habits, self-care, and respect for their bodies.

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