10 things you need to know about Eating Disorders

February is Eating Disorders Awareness Month, and I want to take a moment to share a few things I wish more people understood about eating disorders.

Because EDs thrive in silence, stereotypes, and the belief that you’re “not sick enough.”

So here are 10 things I want you to know:

1. You can’t tell how much someone is struggling by their weight.

Less than 6% of people with an eating disorder are medically underweight.

2. Binge Eating Disorder is the most common eating disorder.

When people think of EDs, they usually think of anorexia or bulimia.But most people actually struggle with binge eating disorder (BED).

3. People with BED are less likely to seek or receive support.

Many assume they just “lack self-control.”But BED isn’t a character flaw — it’s a real mental health condition.

4. Nobody chooses to develop an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are not a lifestyle choice.They are complex illnesses, not personal failures.

5. Eating disorders are about food… but they’re also not about food.

They can be triggered by an energy deficit, dieting, and/or traumatic events.And they are often sustained by biology, survival responses, emotional overwhelm, and beliefs about worth and body.

6. Eating disorders are not about attention.

Most people suffer in silence for years and become experts at hiding their symptoms.

7. Eating disorders are not a “thin white girl disease.”

People of all ages, genders, body sizes, and backgrounds can struggle. 

8. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

They are serious.Not a phase. Not a diet gone too far. Not something to ignore.

9. Recovery is possible.

With the right support, people can rebuild a life that feels normal again — with food, with their body, and with themselves.

10. You don’t have to be “sick enough” or have an official diagnosis to deserve help.

If your relationship with food is impacting your life, your health, your mental space, or your joy — that is enough.

You deserve support now, not later.

If you or a loved one is struggling with an ED, I would love to support you. Learn more how I can help here