78. Let’s talk about eating disorders
The Psychology of your 20s
Misconceptions around eating disorders and anorexia – weight, gender, and age
One of the biggest misconceptions around eating disorders, specifically anorexia, is that it is solely a weight disorder. In reality, it is primarily a mental disorder where weight loss can be a side effect but not always present. Only a minority of people with eating disorders are underweight. Another misconception is that eating disorders only happen to women, whereas they can affect people of any gender. Similarly, eating disorders are not limited to young people and can occur at any age. There is a common stereotype of an underweight young woman when it comes to discussing eating disorders, which overlooks the existence of conditions like binge eating disorder or bulimia, as well as the fact that it can affect individuals of various genders and body weights. Challenging these misconceptions is important to improve access to treatment and reduce stigma and discrimination.
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