This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Winthrop chapter.

Eating disorders are an important topic in society. With the standards on what size a person should be or how they should look can affect personal mental health. Although eating disorders are a big talk, there are myths that are not quite true. Here are four Myths of Eating Disorders you may not have known.

1. “People Have Eating Disorders for Attention”

Eating disorders are not exaggerated for attention. Although, eating disorders may be perceived as an attention seeker, dealing with this battle is much more than getting attention. When dealing with an eating disorder, you have this mental illness taking over your whole life. You start to focus only on your disorder and stop living your life, such as attending social gatherings with friends, becoming only focused on one thing, your eating disorder. You lose control of your life.

2. “Eating Disorders are only for Girls”

While you may hear eating disorders affecting girls, the truth is eating disorders also affect males as well. According to the online article, “Research on Males and Eating Disorders”, “20 million women and 10 million men will suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their lifetime.” Eating disorders affect both men and female regardless of their age, or biological background. There may be a larger amount of women that are affected by eating disorders than men, however, that does not mean men struggling with this disorder is any less important.

3. “Anorexia is the Only Eating Disorder”

Although Anorexia appears to be the most common eating disorder talked about. There are serval other types of eating disorders along with anorexia such as: Bulimia and Binge eating. According to the National Eating Disorder Association, Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by weight loss, difficulties maintaining appropriate body weight for health, age, etc. a personal with anorexia generally, restricts calories and type of food they eat. Bulimia nervosa is characterized by a cycle of binging and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating. Lastly, Binge eating disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food; a feeling of a loss of control during the binge. The most common eating disorder in the United States. With that being said, anorexia is not the only eating disorder, and is actually not even the most common. ALL EATING DISORDERS ARE IMPORTANT.

4. “Eating Disorders Are Not Serious”

In reality, eating disorders are very serious both during and after recovery. A person in recovery from an eating disorder is most likely to relapses within the first 3 years. As well as having long- term affects. I personally to this day have affects from my eating disorder. Such as anxiety that originated from my disorder along with weak bone density. A person battling with an eating disorder is not something taken lightly, hospitalization, therapy, doctors appointments and possibly death can occur. A person battling this illness is at risk for health complications such as: According to the website “Medical Issues from Anorexia, Bulimia and Other Eating Disorders”, Anorexia: low white blood cell count, leading to low immunity, prolonged dehydration, and kidney failure. Bulimia: tooth decay, ulcers or gastroesophageal reflux disease, potential rupture to the esophagus. Not only are there possible health complications, but possible psychological issues as well. Eating disorders is a mental illness and just because one recovers, there still is a possible chance of psychological issues that arise during or after treatment. I personally still have low body issues about myself even though I have recovered. There are times that I don’t see myself as I way I look.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with an eating disorder visit, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ or call (800)-931- 2237.

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/research-males-and-eating-disorders (quote 2)

https ://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/anorexia-nervosa (quote 3)

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/binge-eating-disorder (quote 3)

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/bulimia-nervosa (quote 3)

https://www.bulimia.com/topics/medical-issues/ (quote 4)