Today, as people debate about what is a “healthy” or “unhealthy” diet, it’s clear that there are many misconceptions commonly held about food. In the same way, there are many misconceptions held about eating disorders and the persons who struggle with them. Many individuals think that anorexia (the act of an individual starving themselves) and bulimia (the act of eating copious amounts of food in a single sitting and then forcing themselves to purge it afterward due to shame and guilt) are for weak individuals. Eating disorders can be caused by a variety of issues and not all instances are the same.
Misconceptions:
- Misconception One: Most persons with an eating disorder are underweight.
- Misconception Two: To overcome an eating disorder, one simply needs “willpower.”
- Misconception Three: It’s easy to tell an individual has an eating disorder.
Struggling with an eating disorder is not a sign of having a weak character. However, because of the stigma and embarrassment, one might face, too many people struggle silently instead of getting help they need.
Eating disorders can develop for a number of reasons including poor body image or sell esteem, abuse, depression and outside pressures. Society has placed such a hard standard on body image that it can be hard for individuals to feel like it’s ok to accept themselves.
Thriveworks Knoxville eating disorder therapy has caring licensed, psychologists and counselors that can help you improve your relationship with food. We have no waiting lists–meaning that we can get started right away. In addition, to best serve our valued clients our therapists accept most major insurance plans including Blue cross / Blue shield, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Tri-care, and many others.
