Healing online: the importance of preventing and accompanying eating disorders.

Every year, on June 2, we join a very important cause: making Eating Disorders (ED) visible
and acting from prevention, information and awareness. Today more than ever, we need to
question the prejudices that are still alive in our society and open real conversations, where
the body is not a measure of value and mental health occupies the place it deserves.

Eating disorders are not a fad, a stage, or a “wean of drawing attention.” They are complex
disorders that affect the lives and well-being of millions of people. In addition, they often
occur in silence, camouflaged between behaviors that society has normalized: extreme
diets, comments on the body, and the constant pressure to fit into an aesthetic ideal. It is
time to recognize that eating disorders must be taken seriously and that yes, they can be
prevented.

When we talk about ED, it is also important to talk about the stigma that surrounds them.
Often, we find ourselves with prejudices that minimize suffering or blame those who live it.
Phrases like “just wants to get attention” or “he’s exaggerating” not only hurt, they also
misinform.

Many people believe that a eating disorder is visible to the naked eye, but the reality is very
different. One of the most harmful myths is to think that only extremely thin people have a
disorder. This is not only false, but it can prevent many people from receiving the diagnosis
and support they need. The body does not always show what is happening internally.

The idea also persists that these disorders only affect young women, when in reality they
can affect people of any age, gender or body type. Another common myth is to think that it is
vanity, that the person is taking care of their diet or trying to look “better.” Sometimes, even,
these behaviors are normalized because they are confused with discipline or self-care. But
behind that apparent control there is discomfort, fear, anguish and pain. It is not about one
more diet, it is about suffering that needs to be heard and accompanied.

These prejudices are present everywhere. In the educational system, when restrictive
behaviors such as “how good it is good that you don’t eat sweets” are applauded, without
considering that they can be early signs of a eating disorders. In the health system, when
attention is denied to people who do not meet the “typical profile”, focusing only on physical
parameters and leaving aside psychological discomfort. And society in general, which tends
to normalize this type of behavior and comments about the body.

There is still a lot to do in the professional field of psychology. Several professionals continue
to face the eating disorders with general tools that do not manage to address their
complexity. It is essential to promote specialized, updated and evidence-based clinical
training in order to provide a truly effective treatment.

What we should all know about eating disorders.

Eating Disorders are not only a problem with food, they involve emotional, cognitive and
social aspects. Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, among others, alter the relationship
with the body, food and self-esteem.

They do not have a single cause, nor are they healed with “willpower.” They are developed
by a combination of factors that include biological vulnerabilities, low self-esteem, social
pressure, adverse experiences and a culture that rewards increasingly unattainable bodies.

Prevention is cultivated in everyday life

Preventing an eating disorder goes beyond preventing its appearance. It is also learning to
identify early signs, question the messages that promote an “ideal body” and offer
information that celebrates body diversity from younger ages.

Prevention lives in everyday life: in how we talk about the body, food and well-being. It is in
the messages that we transmit, often without realizing it, when we normalize guilt for eating
or applaud restrictive behaviors. Prevention is also teaching that self-care is not control, but
connection; and that food should be part of a full life, not a source of anguish or punishment.

A message for families

On this World Action Day for eating disorders, I want to give a message to moms, dads,
grandparents, brothers, sisters, caregivers and all those people who are nearby,
accompanying a loved one on their path of recovery from an eating disorder. Remember that
you are not the problem, you are part of the solution and your support can make a huge
difference, even when you do not have all the answers.

It is normal to feel confused, afraid or full of doubts. But his willingness to learn, not to judge,
to offer support with patience and love, is already a huge step. His presence can become a
network that sustains, that calms and gives hope.

Including families in the treatment is essential. It has been shown that the work of a patient,
in conjunction with the family, significantly increases the chances of recovery. That does not
mean that everything depends on you, but that your emotional support can valuablely
complement the clinical work.

Accompanying a recovery process can be challenging, but when families get involved with
information, presence and active listening, their support is transformative. From that place of
care and patience, they become a powerful support network, which accompanies and gives
hope in the most difficult moments.

Talking about eating disorders is talking about mental health, bonds, culture and humanity. It
is to recognize that behind each diagnosis there is a story, a body that seeks to feel safe and
a person who needs to be seen beyond their symptoms.

This June 2, the World Day of Action for Eating Disorders invites us to raise our voices, not
only to make these realities visible, but also to transform them from prevention, empathy and
accompaniment. He invites us to question what we think we know and to commit to new
ways of looking at the body, food and emotional discomfort.

Photo by Julia M Cameron:

https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-family-sitting-on-the-patio-8841578/
Prepared by: Ireland Iremar Parra Cota.

Psychology student at Anáhuac Puebla University, with a deep interest in clinical psychology.
Passionate about exploring the complex paths of the human mind and studying Eating
Disorders (ED). Their motivation lies in the desire to understand and help those who face
these challenges, seeking to improve the relationship with their body and food, to strengthen
their physical and emotional well-being.

Article made in collaboration with Alimentando Emociones A.C.

References
Canals, J., & Arija-Val, V. (2022) Risk factors and prevention strategies in eating disorders.
Hospital Nutrition, 39. https://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?
Script=sci_arttext&pid=S0212-16112022000500004

NEDA. (s. f.). Myths of eating disorders. National Eating Disorders Association.
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/sites/default/files/Mitos%20de%20los%20Tastornos
%20de%20la%20Conducta%20Alimentaria.pdf

Verdi, B. (2024) Family Based Treatment (FBT) for Eating Disorders. The first-line treatment
for children and adolescents. Higher Institute of Psychological Studies (ISEP).
https://www.isep.es/actualidad/tratamiento-basado-en-familia-para-trastorno-conducta-alime
ntaria/

NOTE:  World Eating Disorders Action ™ is a global independent collective founded in 2014 by activists and people with lived experience across the globe to share correct information about eating disorders, promote evidence based treatment and offer a platform for like minded organizations to promote policy, research and program advances, ultimately to help those affected and their families.  We bring together over 300 organizations from over 60 countries globally each year.  Blog posts by individuals and agencies are the opinions and perspectives of those contributing and not necessarily the views of World Eating Disorders Action.