Eating Disorder
- Katie Tsang
- Jan 18, 2022
- 4 min read
What are eating disorders?
Eating disorders are a group of mental health conditions that involve persistent eating behaviours that may negatively affect one’s emotional and physical health, as well as their ability to function in their social and occupational lives. They can manifest in many different ways, and often people may not realise that they have an unhealthy relationship with food, body image or exercise.
Although medical students and medical professionals may feel that they know more about eating disorders through their education and expertise, this does not make them immune to developing them. It goes without saying that the competitive and stressful environment of the medical course can lead to reduced self-esteem and greater self-criticism in certain people, and there is limited but growing evidence that this may predispose medical students to developing eating disorders.
There is an unspoken mentality that doctors need to
be perfect, but that is not the case
You’re only human, and there should be no shame in reaching out to a friend, a family member, your personal tutor or your GP for help if you feel like you are struggling with your relationship with food, your body image or exercise.
Useful Resources
EDISS Nottingham (Eating Disorders In Student Services)
To book an appointment:
e: info@firststepsed.co.uk
t: 01332 367571
You can also self-refer on their website here
What are the types of eating disorders?
This is not meant to be a ‘diagnostic’ guide – never try to diagnose yourself or make assumptions about others! This is simply to educate yourself about the different ways eating disorders can present themselves.
Anorexia Nervosa
People with anorexia nervosa may:
Restrict their food to very small amounts
Sometimes calorie counting obsessively
Be obsessed with losing weight, being thin, reaching a certain goal weight etc
Avoid certain foods for fear of making them gain weight/fat
Exercise excessively to lose weight
Fast (go without eating for certain periods of time) to lose weight
Think of themselves as being too fat, even when they’re very thin (see Body Dysmorphia below)
Avoid eating in front of people
The dangers/consequences of anorexia nervosa mostly revolve around getting to a dangerously low weight or level of body fat. These include:
Anaemia
Multi-organ failure
Being cold all the time
Dry skin, brittle hair and nails
Fainting and low blood pressure
Depressed immune system
Infertility and amenorrhea (in women), poor testicular function (in men)
Constipation – possibly leading to bowel obstruction
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia is very similar to anorexia in terms of its main features (food restriction, obsession with thinness and losing weight) but one of the key differentiating factors is a behaviour called purging.
Purging is making oneself throw up to avoid absorbing the food they’ve eaten.
Bulimia is extremely dangerous not only because people may get to dangerously low weights, but also because repeated vomiting can lead to:
Tooth decay
Constant nausea and abdominal pain (especially if in conjunction with bingeing)
Cardiac irregularities
Esophageal damage
Binge Eating Disorder
People with binge eating disorder tend to eat large quantities of food in a short span of time (‘binge’) past the feeling of being full. In some people it is triggered by food restriction or emotion.
Bingeing is different from overeating – it can be difficult to differentiate, but here are some key features that make binge eating different:
Followed by intense feelings of guilt/self-loathing
The feeling of being out of control while eating – some people say they feel like they ‘zone out’
Eating/bingeing in private
The bingeing may follow food restriction or purging, forming a vicious cycle.
Eating until one feels physically ill
Other kinds of disordered eating
Even if your/your friend’s situation may not seem to fit with the above descriptions, if someone’s eating habits are causing them any sort of distress or impacting on other aspects of their life (school/work, relationships, finance), please do not hesitate to find help.
Other things to look out for are:
Obsession with healthy/’clean’ eating (orthorexia)/fear of unhealthy food
Diabulimia – People with Type 1 Diabetes that may skip their insulin injections in order to lose weight
Exercise addiction
How can I find help?
Within the university…
Talk to a friend you trust
If you are worried about someone else, please try to respect your friend’s privacy and be careful about who you talk about your concerns to! It is probably best to approach your friend before approaching anyone else, in most cases!
E-mail or meet up with your personal tutor
MedSoc Support
Talk to student supporters who will maintain your confidentiality and will not judge.
Find them on their FB page @NottsMedSocSupport to either message the page or find your year group’s supporters.
Alternatively, you could e-mail them at medsocsupport@nottingham.ac.uk
Talk to your medic parent or peer mentor
Talk to your parents and family.
Nightline
This is a confidential, anonymous and non-judgemental listening and advisory service you can contact by various means.
Tel: 0115 951 4985
Int: 14985 (from UoN Hall Phones)
Email: nightlineanon@nottingham.ac.uk
Instant Messaging: www.nottinghamnightline.co.uk/IM
Skype: 'nottingham.nightline'
Seeking professional help ...
EDISS Nottingham (Eating Disorders In Student Services)
To book an appointment: e: info@firststepsed.co.uk t: 01332 367571 w: firststepsderbyshire.co.uk
You can also self-refer on their website here
Book an appointment with your GP
It takes a lot of courage to tell someone you’re struggling, and many people might even find these problems ‘embarrassing’, even though there’s nothing to be ashamed about!
If the idea of talking to your GP about this makes you nervous, it might be helpful to write a few bullet points on a post-it note so that you remember everything you need to say.
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