You Don’t Need to Be Underweight to Have an Eating Disorder
Many people delay seeking help because they believe eating disorders only affect people who are visibly underweight. In reality, eating disorders can affect people of all body sizes, genders, and ages.
Someone may be struggling with:
obsessive thoughts about food or weight
restrictive eating
binge eating
purging
compulsive exercise
intense anxiety around meals
…without appearing underweight.
In fact, the majority of people with an eating disorder does not appear underweight. Eating disorders are mental health conditions, not weight categories.
Recovery is allowed before things get worse or before you reach a certain body
Unfortunately, stereotypes about eating disorders can stop people from accessing support early. Many people tell themselves:
“I’m not sick enough.”
“I don’t look like someone with an eating disorder.”
“Other people have it worse.”
One of the biggest misconceptions in eating disorder recovery is that people need to “hit rock bottom” before getting help.
They don’t.
Early support often leads to:
less medical risk
less emotional suffering
faster intervention
improved quality of life
Our psychologists offer therapy both in-person at our Camberwell (Victoria) clnic and telehealth (Australia-wide). If you are ready to work together, reach out to us to have a chat to one out friendly team members.
Helpful resources
Note: The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and is NOT intended as medical /psychological advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for personalised guidance.
This blog post was created with the support of AI tools to help with clarity and structure. All content reflects the professional knowledge and clinical judgement of the authors.
