Struggling with Body Image & Eating Disorders?

Concerns related to body image and eating are common and diverse. However, the extent to which this is a problem for you or a loved one can be hard to determine, particularly in a society flooded with messages around dieting and what we should look like.

Disordered eating refers to disturbed eating patterns that impact on a person’s emotional, mental or physical wellbeing. This might include a preoccupation with dietary intake, holding strict rules around what, how much and where food can be eaten, and triggering distressing emotions if these eating preferences or rules are broken. When these disordered eating patterns develop into particular sets of symptoms they may also then have progressed into what is diagnosed as an eating disorder.

Body image concerns often come hand in hand with disordered eating. Difficulties with our body image will often present as a predominantly negative attitude and view of our body and how it looks including its size, shape, weight and/or how it functions. Body image concerns can begin to dominate how we value ourselves as a person and have a significant impact on our self esteem and confidence.

If you are struggling with your body image you might have trouble with feeling ok in clothes you are wearing each day or to social events. You might find you skip going out and doing things because you don’t feel ok about how you look. You might spend a lot of time checking your body shape, size and reflection in the mirror or avoid seeing your reflection as much as possible.

If food choices and anxiety around eating and your body shape and weight is impacting on how you feel about yourself and your ability to engage meaningfully in life, you might benefit from talking with one of our psychologists.