Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that involve extreme concern about eating, weight or shape plus disordered eating. They are not a lifestyle choice or “phase”. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental health disorder. One in seven women will experience an eating disorder over their lifetime. Peak onset is in adolescence …

FREED is First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders. FREED is designed to give young people rapid access to specialised evidence-based treatment and support tailored to their needs. Eating disorders aren’t just about food It is a service for 16 to 25-year-olds who have had an eating disorder for three years or less. Young …

Anorexia (or anorexia nervosa) is a serious mental illness where people are of low weight due to limiting how much they eat and drink. They may develop “rules” around what they feel they can and cannot eat.  Anorexia can affect anyone of any age, gender, ethnicity or background. As well as limiting how much they eat, …

Bulimia (or bulimia nervosa) is a serious mental illness. It can affect anyone of any age, gender, ethnicity or background. People with bulimia are caught in a cycle of eating large quantities of food (called bingeing), and then trying to compensate for that overeating by vomiting, taking laxatives or diuretics, fasting, or exercising excessively (called …

Orthorexia was defined in 1997 by Dr. Steven Bratman, MD.  Orthorexia is currently not recognised as an official diagnosable eating disorder and would fall under the clinical category of Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED). Orthorexia is driven by an obsession with healthy or “clean” eating habits and leads to people cutting out essential food …

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL EATING? It is using food as “comfort” food, or using food as a treat or a reward. This becomes problematic when it is having a significant impact on you and your life. It is common that people are unaware that this is a psychological problem and instead mistakenly think they are “greedy”. …

Physical signs The symptoms of binge eating disorder usually begin in late adolescence or early adulthood, often after an episode of dieting. Behavioural symptoms of binge eating and compulsive overeating: • Inability to stop eating or control what you’re eating• Rapidly eating large amounts of food• Eating even when you’re full• Hiding or stockpiling food …