Eating disorders

Ancient terracotta sculpture of a seated figure holding a cup, displayed against a dark background.
PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE UNCONSCIOUS

Dark feelings will haunt us until they are expressed in words

Continued mental growth requires dealing with alexithymia, or the inability to express emotions through words or images

by Tom Wooldridge

Photo of a hand holding a melting ice cream cone against a clear blue sky.
DIFFICULT EMOTIONS

How to stop emotional eating

Whether compelled by an inner void, loneliness or boredom, psychoanalysis can help you understand why you seek comfort in food

by Nina Savelle-Rocklin

Photo of a woman in a kitchen spreading jam on toast with a spoon.
EATING DISORDERS

The important link between eating disorders and past trauma

For someone who’s endured trauma, an eating disorder might be one of the aftereffects. That should inform their recovery

by Giulia Suro

Distorted reflections of people on a textured surface next to a blurred person on the right, in a photo.
EATING DISORDERS

Body image distortions are a normal feature of mental life

Body image distortions can be severe in anorexia nervosa and bulimia, but they’re also a normal feature of mental life

by Matthew R Longo

Photo of a young girl eating at a table indoors with an older man in the background, warmly lit setting.
EATING DISORDERS

When fear grew in my stomach, I starved myself just to survive

Hungry to survive an abusive childhood, I stopped eating. Years later, I learned the name of my eating disorder

by Nataliya Deleva

Photo of four people outdoors eating chips with sauce from trays on a cobblestone street with buildings in the background.
THE BODY AND PHYSICAL HEALTH

Practise ‘intuitive eating’ and feel a lot happier about food

Practise ‘intuitive eating’ and free yourself from worrying about food and the ricochet between dieting and indulging in it

by Charlotte H Markey

Black and white photo of a woman cooking in a kitchen with pasta and mushrooms on the counter.
EATING DISORDERS

Learning to cook taught me that self-care isn’t selfish

In healing my relationship with food and cooking, I saw how caring for myself was the first step toward caring for others

by Céline Leboeuf

Illustration of a person eating with chopsticks at a table while another person walks away in a softly coloured room.
EATING DISORDERS

How to spot an eating disorder

Worried about someone’s behaviour around food? Eating disorders are serious and secretive: knowing the red flags will help

by Phillip Aouad & Sarah Maguire

Photo of a woman sitting by a bright window reading a book in a relaxed pose.
EATING DISORDERS

Is ‘feeling fat’ really a manifestation of underlying sadness?

Patients with eating disorders who feel overweight are often told that the underlying cause is emotional. What if it’s not?

by Stephen Gadsby & Bence Nanay

Black and white close-up photo of a person’s arm showing skin texture and pigment and shadows; protruding ribs are visible behind the arm.
EATING DISORDERS

A ghost in limbo

Two decades of anorexia obscured who I was beneath my sickness. Then a stranger saw me

by Miranda Gold

Hands holding freshly picked blackberries, with a background of green leaves and a black and white spotted dress.
EATING DISORDERS

Sweetness and light

After years of subsisting on protein bars and iceberg lettuce, berry-picking brought me home to my body

by Jamie Cattanach

Photo of a cupcake with white icing and orange sprinkles in a yellow wrapper against a bright yellow background.
EATING DISORDERS

How to enjoy food without feeling guilty about it

Through mindful eating and a shift in mindset, you can alleviate unwarranted negative feelings and embrace the joy of food

by Vivienne Lewis