Eating Disorders Self-Help: Is It Possible To Break Free From An Eating Disorder On Your Own?

According to the American Psychiatric Association, approximately 5% of people develop an eating disorder. Eating disorder treatment can be lengthy and complicated. Some people with eating disorders may wonder if it is possible to recover from eating disorders on their own, without professional intervention. While it is generally recommended to talk to medical and mental health experts if you suspect you may have an eating disorder, learning more about these conditions, their signs and symptoms, and the negative health impacts they can create may enable patients to recognize their disordered eating habits sooner and connect to professional help more quickly. 

Common eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders recognizes at least seven eating and feeding disorders. Below are some of the more common eating disorders:

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa, usually abbreviated to anorexia, is an eating disorder in which a person typically develops an intense fear of weight gain and dramatically alters food consumption patterns to lose weight or avoid gaining weight. These alterations often involve fasting and food restriction, though they can also include taking laxatives and excessively exercising, depending on the type of anorexia a person experiences. People with anorexia may experience dangerous levels of weight loss that could require hospitalization. 

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa, typically referred to as bulimia, can also result from concerns about weight gain and body image. However, people with bulimia typically engage in two core problematic eating behaviors: binging, or eating a large amount of food in a short period of time, and purging, or engaging in compensatory behaviors to “get rid of” the food. Purging can involve vomiting, fasting, abusing laxatives, or exercising. 

Binge eating disorder

Binge eating disorder is similar to bulimia in that it often involves episodes of binge eating, but no purging behavior afterwards. Binge eating may be used as a coping mechanism to process negative emotions. People with binge eating disorder may experience weight gain, which could lead to similar body image concerns experienced with other eating disorders. 

Signs and symptoms of eating disorders: changing eating habits and secrecy around food and eating behaviors

An eating disorder may develop fairly slowly, with a number of disordered eating patterns emerging over time. Being able to recognize eating disorder symptoms can help a person realize they are engaging in problematic eating behavior and connect with a mental health professional. 

Changing eating habits

Secrecy around food and eating behaviors

Another possible indication of developing an eating disorder is engaging in secretive behaviors around food and eating. People with eating disorders may no longer be willing to eat in front of other people, or they may disappear shortly after meals to engage in purging or body checking. Lying about how much food one has eaten or hiding food away in secret stashes for later binges may also be signs of an eating disorder. 

Health impacts of eating disorders

Another key indicator that one may be developing an eating disorder is experiencing significant negative mental and physical health impacts. Below are some possible ways that an eating disorder might affect mental and physical health.

Mental health impacts of eating disorders

Eating disorders can affect different people in different ways. However, the following are some common mental health impacts of eating disorders:

• Feelings of guilt and shame
• Low self-esteem
• A preoccupation with weight gain, body image, exercising, dieting, and weight loss trends and “hacks”
• Suicidal thoughts
• Development of other mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and substance use disorders

Physical health impacts of eating disorders

Eating disorders can affect people’s physical health in various ways, which may depend on the type and severity of their disorder. The following are some possible physical health impacts of eating disorders:

• Dehydration
• Electrolyte imbalances
• Cardiovascular concerns, including heart arrythmia
• Osteoporosis
• Loss of muscle mass
• Lanugo, or a fine coating of hair all over the body to promote warmth when natural fat stores have been depleted
• Fatigue
• Gastrointestinal concerns
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• For bulimia: sore throat and tooth decay due to frequent exposure to stomach acid through self-induced vomiting
• Organ failure (in severe cases)

Options for eating disorder treatment

While it may be possible for a person to use eating disorder self-help strategies to break free from disordered eating patterns, it isn’t typically recommended. In many cases, a doctor may need to monitor a person’s health to ensure safe recovery.  Also, the negative core beliefs associated with an eating disorder can often be identified and processed with a licensed professional counselor. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may help with this process, and it’s considered one of the more effective forms of therapy for eating disorders. A therapist may be able to help individuals to develop a relapse prevention action plan. This process may help individuals identify triggers that can set off disordered eating behaviors so that they can plan alternative responses instead. 

Online therapy for eating disorder treatment

Many people with eating disorders may feel intense shame about their symptoms, which can prevent them from authentically engaging with a therapist. In these situations, online therapy may be a beneficial alternative form of treatment. Online therapy can provide a sense of distance between the individual and the therapist, which may help the person to open up. With online therapy, individuals can communicate with a therapist via audio, videoconferencing, or live chat. 

Research suggests that online therapy may be just as effective as traditional in-person therapy for eating disorder treatment. One study focused on the use of online therapeutic interventions to address symptoms of bulimia and found that online therapy had similar efficacy outcomes as in-person therapy.