When you hear the words ‘eating disorder’, what images come to mind? If you are like the mainstream media, it is probably a very thin, white girl in her teenage years. You probably didn’t picture a woman of colour, a man or a plus-size person. I’d like to start by busting some of these myths.
1. Not all people struggling with ED look emaciated/overly thin.
Fact: People of all shapes and sizes suffer from Disordered Eating. For some people, myself included, their body’s normal weight range is considered plus-size so while they may only be eating 300-500 calories a day and working out 3-4 hours a day, many people would not look at them and see a person with ED. It should also be noted that not all disordered eating is about avoiding food, counting calories or purging. Disordered eating also includes emotional overeating and binge eating, as well as other non-intuitive eating disorders.
2. Not all people struggling with ED are white, female or young.
Fact: Despite the image of young white women as the the media norm for people suffering with ED, there is a growing number of men, people of colour and queer people who are struggling as well. People with disabilities also suffer from eating disorders but are rarely shown in media representations.
3. A person must be visibly thin in order to be at risk of dying from their ED.
Fact: By the time I actually looked overly thin or sick, I had been in the hospital at least once a month for years. The first time I was admitted to the hospital as a result of my eating disorder, I had only been struggling for 10 months and still looked quite healthy. However, on a daily basis, I was smoking cigarettes (at least a pack a day) and drinking skim milk chai lattes to curb my hunger, but wasn’t consuming much else at all. I was the furthest thing from healthy.
4. Not everyone who is visibly thin, has an eating disorder.
Fact: People have different body sizes, shapes and metabolisms. All choices and looks are valid, remember the health exists at every size.
Please stop making assumptions, believing stereotypes and judging other people. Everyone is deserving of recovery, including you!
