National Eating Disorder Awareness Month: Myths About Eating Disorders

Feb 10, 2016
5 min read

February is known for being American Heart Month, Black History Month, even Great American Pie Month (no joke). But, February is also National Eating Disorder Awareness month - and just like in society, this is often overlooked by many of us. Eating Disorders (EDs) are often the elephant in the room that no one likes to talk about. We know it's there, but if we don't talk about it, we can pretend it doesn't exist. This month is about grabbing that elephant by the trunk hauling it into the middle of the room, shining a giant spotlight on it, and facing up to a growing problem.

MYTHS:

1. Eating Disorders Are A Choice

Eating disorders are a mental illness. No one chooses to have a mental illness anymore than they choose to have a physical illness. Many individuals do engage in dieting behaviors such as eliminating whole food groups, restricting portion sizes and numbers of meals, or low calorie diets with intense exercise. Some of these behaviors can be gateways to eating disorders. But, these people do not go on a diet and think "I'd like to feel like I have to binge and purge" or "I want to fear food so intensely that I won't want to eat."

A large study conducted on perceptions of mental illness found that individuals surveyed felt that those with eating disorders only had themselves to blame and could pull themselves together. Yet, they believed that the overall outcome would be positive, that recovery was very likely. This is consistent with a general tendency to trivialize EDs.

EDs are serious and are not a choice. Eating disorders cause an enormous amount of psychological stress and can even cause physical damage. They do not feel that they have a choice based on the signals being sent in their brains.

2. There are only 2 eating disorders: Anorexia and Bulimia

This is definitely false. Anorexia and bulimia are most commonly portrayed in the media and often get the most attention, but they are not the only eating disorders. Binge Eating Disorder and Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS), more recently re-named Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) in DSM-V, are also present.

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is inadequate intake of food that leads to a weight that is much below a person's ideal weight for their height in addition to an intense fear of weight gain. Bulimia Nervosa (BN) is frequent episodes of bingeing - consuming a very large amount of food, followed by behaviors designed to prevent weight gain (vomiting, laxatives, diuretics, exercise). Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is frequent episodes of bingeing but not followed by behaviors to prevent weight gain. Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder/Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (OSFED/EDNOS) is a feeding or eating disorder that causes some sort of impairment but does not meet the criteria for the other eating disorders. Examples: AN with normal weight, BN with less frequent behaviors, BED with less frequent bingeing, Purging Disorder without binge eating, or Night Eating Syndrome - excessinve nighttime eating.

We'll delve more into each eating disorder in a blog post later this month.

3. It's Obvious When Someone Has An Eating Disorder

Everyone's ED experience is different and every ED presents in different ways. As a society, we try to fit events into a perfect little box which is the image we have perceived. If someone does not fit that image, then they can't possibly have/be "xyz." Society has also skewed our image of normal. Some one with anorexia could appear thin, but some may deem that to be "normal" given societal standards. On the flip side, with the increasing prevalence of obesity and a push for less "fat shaming," someone with BED could appear "normal."

Never judge a book by it's cover. Many ED habits and rituals are done in private and may not be observed by everyone. If someone tells you that they have an eating disorder, it is important to not make comments about their not looking like they have one. This can exacerbate some of their mental misconceptions.

4. People With Eating Disorders Are Vain

Many people believe that those with eating disorders are vain because they are obsessed with how their bodies look. While it is true that many with eating disorders are pre-occupied with their bodies and how they look ties directly into how they feel about themselves, vanity is not the root cause of their ED. This obsession is a direct side-effect of this person's illness. This is "Ed" talking and not the person.

5. If You Don't Have An Eating Disorder, Then Your Eating Is Not Disordered

According to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), 30 million people in the U.S. are affected with eating disorders. But, even more people experience disordered eating, which is defined as "a wide range of abnormal eating behaviors, many of which are shared with diagnosed eating disorders." Our society has normalized disordered eating as being acceptable. In fact, according to a 2005 study, over half of teenage girls and a third of boys are using unhealthy weight control measures, including skipping meals, smoking cigarettes, and taking laxatives. In addition to this, choosing foods based on a preordained set of rules and not how our bodies are feeling is disordered. Feeling moral guilt after eating foods (except for religious or vegetarian diets) is also disordered. Disordered eating is more common than we think!

6. Eating Disorders Are Rare

Completely wrong. According to NEDA, 30 million people in the United States suffer from a "clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their life, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and OSFED/EDNOS. The rate of development of new ED cases has been increasing since the 1950's. The prevalence of various eating disorders is similar among African Americans, Asians, and Caucasians, with the exception of anorexia nervosa, which is more common in Caucasians.

This goes to show that many people have experienced disordered eating or disordered thoughts/relationships about or with food. EDs are not rare at all.

7. Eating Disorders Only Occur In Women

EDs have been characterized as "women's problems" and men are greatly stigmatized for coming forward and sharing that they suffer from an eating disorder. NEDA reports that 10 million men suffer from eating disorders, in the U.S. In fact, males represent 25% of those with AN and BN and 36% of those with BED (based on DSM-IV criteria). Men with EDs often suffer from comorbidities (additional disorders occuring with another) such as excessive exercise, substance abuse, anxiety, and depression.

This month may be National Eating Disorder Awareness month, but the conversation should not end here.

Tune in throughout the month for more posts about eating disorders. For more information, visit NEDA's website at: www.nationaleatingdisorders.org