Gaining The Courage To Ask For Help With An Eating Disorder

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Eating disorders might be some of the most complicated mental and physical disorders to address. It’s important to note that such issues are both mental and physical, which is part of why their treatment is so complex.

Research has found that acknowledging one has an eating disorder, and reaching out to someone for help, is a critical step in recovery. It is very difficult to recover from an eating disorder without outside help. But, that same research stated that there can be severe anxiety surrounding who to reach out to. Should it be a friend? A therapist? A family member? There can be concerns that people won’t believe the severity of the situation, or will struggle to understand how someone can have a problem with food. Unlike alcoholism or substance abuse, issues with food are not as universally accepted as a medical condition.

For those struggling with an eating disorder, it can be difficult to even put words around what they’re going through, particularly because there are so many ways eating disorders manifest themselves. An alcoholic can simply say, “I drink too much.” A gambling addict can say, “I have a gambling problem.” But the verbiage around eating disorders isn’t as simple.

Further complicating matters is the fact that those with the disorder may know that the road to recovery will be long and tedious. There will be relapses. So the thought of beginning recovery, which begins by talking to someone, can be daunting. We reached out to two experts who specialize in treating patients with eating disorders. Meghan Watson, founder of Bloom Psychology and registered psychotherapist, and Dr. Ebony, food relationship strategist who coaches women in having healthy relationships with their bodies and food, provided insight on gaining the courage to ask for help with an eating disorder.

Source: Meghan Watson / Meghan Watson

Your experience is valid

Echoing what the above-referenced research noted, Watson states, “Getting the courage to ask for help with an eating disorder is terrifying and can bring on a host of other anxieties such as: ‘What might they think?’ ‘Will they judge me?’ ‘Do I even have a real problem?’ Be mindful of invalidating your experiences. You don’t have to be in a particular body to have an eating disorder. If you are concerned about your relationship with food, it is worth discussing.”