Understanding Eating Disorders
Information on common eating disorders, how to identify them, and the crucial first steps to seeking help and treatment.
About Eating DisordersHave I got an eating disorder?
If you feel you may have an eating disorder, you must talk to your family and/or GP so they can help you. Talking about your eating problems can feel scary. But to access treatment, the first step is usually to talk to your GP or hospital doctor. They should then be able to refer you to specialist services.
Different Types of Eating Disorders
The most common eating disorders are:
- Anorexia nervosa (often called anorexia) – trying to control your weight by not eating enough food, exercising too much, or doing both.
- Bulimia – losing control over how much you eat and then taking drastic action to not put on weight.
- Binge eating disorder (BED) – eating large portions of food until you feel uncomfortably full.
- Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED): A person may have an OSFED if their symptoms do not exactly fit the expected symptoms for any specific eating disorders. OSFED is the most common eating disorder. Find out more about OSFED on the Beat website (link placeholder).
- Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID): ARFID is when someone avoids certain foods, limits how much they eat or does both. Beliefs about weight or body shape are not reasons why people develop ARFID.
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