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understanding EATING DISORDERS
Eating disorders are not just about food. They are complex mental health conditions that can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background. They impact thoughts, emotions, physical health and relationships – and they are never a “choice” or a sign of weakness.
Here I’ll briefly outline the main types of eating disorders, what they can look like, and how support can help.
Whatever label (or no label) best fits your or a loved one's experience, one thing is very important to remember:
A healthy, peaceful relationship with food and with your body can be rebuilt.
You do not need to have a “perfect” diagnosis, be a certain weight, or reach a crisis point before seeking help.
If you recognise yourself or someone you care about in any of the descriptions below, you are not alone — and support is available.
Click below to arrange a free of charge initial conversation and explore whether working together feels right for you.
If you need support sooner, or are worried about safety or physical health, the options below may help.
Getting Support When Things Feel Overwhelming
Getting Support When Things Feel Overwhelming
Getting Support When Things Feel Overwhelming
Eating disorders can sometimes feel overwhelming, and there may be times when support beyond therapy is needed.
If you are finding it difficult to keep yourself or someone you love safe, or if physical or mental health feels at risk, it is important to seek additional support:
• Contact your GP or NHS 111
- If there is immediate danger, call 999 or attend A&E
Reaching out for extra help is not a failure — it is an important and responsible part of care and recovery.
Therapy does not replace medical care, and where there are concerns about physical health, additional medical support may be needed alongside therapy.
BEAT - Eating Disorders Help
Getting Support When Things Feel Overwhelming
Getting Support When Things Feel Overwhelming
Beat is the UK’s leading eating disorder charity, offering confidential support for people affected by eating disorders and for those supporting them. Support is available via helplines, online chat and email.
- Visit Beat’s website
- Access Beat’s helplines and urgent support
- Support and advice for carers and loved ones
Beat also provides free, downloadable guides for people who are worried about their own eating or about someone they care about, offering clear information and practical support.
Common Eating Disorder Presentations
The descriptions below outline some of the more commonly recognised eating disorder presentations.
Eating difficulties can look very different from one person to another, and it isn’t always possible to recognise them from the outside.
You may notice aspects of your experience reflected in more than one description, or you may feel that none fully fit. That is very common.
What matters most is not the label, but how your relationship with food, eating, and your body is affecting your wellbeing and day-to-day life.
You do not need a diagnosis, or to fit neatly into a category, to seek support.
Anorexia Nervosa
Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
Anorexia Nervosa
People with Anorexia may focus heavily on weight, calories or exercise, and may feel a strong need to stay in control.
Over time, Anorexia can lead to serious physical and emotional consequences, but with skilled support and compassionate care, recovery is possible.
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
Anorexia Nervosa
People with Bulimia have a cycle of bingeing and purging which is often driven by shame, distress and a preoccupation with weight and shape. Many people with Bulimia appear to be “functioning” on the outside, while feeling very distressed inside.
Therapy can help to break this cycle, address underlying emotions, and rebuild a kinder relationship with food and the body.
Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder and is often misunderstood.
BED is not about “lack of willpower”. It is closely linked to emotional pain, self-esteem, trauma and coping strategies. With support, people can learn new ways to respond to emotions and reduce binge episodes over time.
ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder)
ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) involves limiting the amount or variety of food, but not due to concerns about weight or body shape, it is more about sensory issues.
ARFID can affect both children and adults and may lead to nutritional deficiencies, weight loss and anxiety around mealtimes. Therapy can help explore the underlying causes and gently expand “safe” foods at a manageable pace.
OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder)
OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder)
OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder)
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) is diagnosed when someone has significant eating-related difficulties and distress, but their symptoms don’t fit neatly into the other categories.
OSFED is just as serious as other eating disorders and absolutely deserving of support and treatment.
Overlapping Eating Difficulties
OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder)
OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder)
Some eating difficulties don’t fit neatly into the categories above, or may overlap with them.
Orthorexia - Unhealthy obsession over ‘clean’ or ‘healthy’ foods
PICA - Eating of non-human foods that are not of any nutritional value
T1DE - Eating difficulties that can develop alongside Type 1 Diabetes, often involving complex relationships with food, insulin, and control
Rumination Disorder - Repetitive bringing up of food that has been partially digested
Questions You May Be Wondering About
If you cannot find an answer to your question, you are welcome to get in touch at Moore2therapy@gmail.com
No. Many people seek support because their relationship with food, eating, or their body feels difficult or distressing. You do not need a formal diagnosis, a certain weight, or to be in crisis to explore support.
That is very common. People often recognise parts of themselves across different descriptions, or feel unsure how to label their experience. Therapy focuses on your individual experience, rather than fitting you into a category.
No. My work does not involve meal plans, food rules, or nutritional advice. Instead, therapy offers a space to explore the emotional, psychological, and relational factors that sit beneath eating difficulties, at a pace that feels manageable for you.
I work with young people aged 13 and over, as well as adults. For children under 12, support is usually most appropriately accessed through NHS children’s services, where care is more closely integrated with paediatric and family-based support. This helps ensure that younger children receive the level of medical and systemic care they need.
Where appropriate, I may also recommend liaising with GP or NHS services to ensure the right level of support.
When working with young people (aged 13 - 17) confidentiality is respected, with safeguarding considerations taken into account where there are concerns about safety.
Many people tell me this, and it does not mean therapy cannot help you. NHS counselling is often time-limited and focused on managing symptoms within a set structure. In private therapy, there is more space to work at your pace and to explore the underlying emotional, psychological, and relational aspects of eating difficulties, rather than just coping strategies.
This can allow for deeper understanding and more individualised support, while still working safely and within appropriate boundaries.
It’s okay to feel unsure. An initial conversation is simply an opportunity to talk things through, ask questions, and decide whether support feels right for you at this time.
Reaching out does not commit you to therapy — it is simply a chance to talk things through, ask questions, and decide what feels right for you.
Moore2therapy (M2T)
56 Northfield Road, Cobham, KT11 1JL, United Kingdom