When you think of someone with an eating disorder, what image comes to your mind?
If you’re like most people, you might have pictured a very frail teenage girl? This is often the image that we think of, these are the stories we most frequently hear and whilst these stories are incredibly important there are plenty of people living with an eating disorder who do not fit this image.
So it might surprise you to know Binge Eating Disorder (BED), is more common than Anorexia Nervosa? It’s going unnoticed by health professionals and community members alike.
What is Binge Eating Disorder?
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is where someone might frequently eat a large amount of food over a short period of time and feel a real lack of control to stop. In most cases, it can result in a high sense of guilt or shame for this way of eating, which understandably can severely affect that person’s mental health and wellbeing.
For detailed descriptions of each type of Eating Disorder, you can head to the National Eating Disorders Collaboration website here (they have a ton of other useful info too!)
Why is Binge Eating Disorder going unnoticed?
Just this month WHIMN an Australian Women’s website, published an article I penned on the topic of BED. In the article I offered some possible reasons why it might be going unnoticed.
So rather than me re-write the article for you (time saving folks – ha ha), here is the website link so you can read the article over on the WHIMN site now.
Do you (or someone you know) need support an Eating Disorder?
If you need support with eating disorders or body image concerns please contact the Butterfly Foundation National Helpline on 1800 33 4673 or email support@butterflyfoundation.org.au.
If you require urgent support please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.