In an age where technology is at everyone’s fingertips, social media has rewritten the way in which people connect with not just each other, but with their own health. For many students, the morning begins not with a nutritious meal, but with a scroll through a feed flooded with influencers preaching discipline, hitting protein goals, and meticulous tracking.
With fitness culture being prevalent, the early stages of a potential eating disorder can easily hide behind the guise of a highly disciplined diet and end up being what we use to rewrite our self-worth.
“During conversations with my clients, I tune in to cues that suggest they may be experiencing some degree of body dysmorphia, their physique largely determines their self-worth, or that they have fitness-related expectations that don’t support their health or align with their genetically predisposed body type,” said Selena Baker, a dietician at Purdue University Student Health Services.
Aside from the rise in fitness culture, the increase in mental health disorders has also been a challenge in the world of eating disorders.
Susan Kersey, director of the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program and clinical associate professor in the School of Nursing, said that many of the eating disorders have now become better identified and are very comorbid with other psychiatric conditions, especially obsessive compulsive disorder.
“We can see patterns in psychological issues that can contribute to the development of eating disorders,” Kersey said. “I think that has really helped move treatment in a more positive, collaborative, and supportive direction.”
Kersey talked about her time as a psychiatric nurse and how awareness, as well as treatment for eating disorders, has progressed since she started practicing.
“When I was a psychiatric nurse in an inpatient unit, we actually had an eating disorder program … back in the 90s, and it was very punitive,” Kersey said. “We would give the patient a sandwich, … make them sit in a chair until they ate it. We locked their bathroom door. We had them use a bedside commode. We monitored them like hawks. I look back on that now and wonder, ‘How much damage did we do?’”
Though much has changed since then, mental health disorders have been amplified more than ever before, and much of the public is still unaware of the ways in which these unhealthy disorders can show up.
A particular stereotype that those with eating disorders face is that eating disorders present in a specific way.
“Individuals living in all shapes and sizes of bodies may be experiencing an eating disorder,” Baker said. “Being aware of this, whether as peers or as healthcare professionals, helps increase awareness and inclusivity in identification and connecting with treatment.”
To bridge the gap between restriction and recovery, Baker focuses on the “wise mind” perspective. This approach seeks to remove judgment and dismantle the “good/bad” dichotomy that is associated with food.
“I remind my clients that ‘guilt’ isn’t a food group so it doesn’t belong on your plate,” Baker said.
Baker said that she works on the intentionality of building a balanced plate. Practicing fueling on a regular basis during the day helps her clients tune into their hunger and fullness cues, developing positive awareness that aligns with the “wise mind” perspective. This shift is vital as the psychological toll of these disorders is much deeper than the physical aspects.
“A lot of people who struggle with eating disorders, specifically anorexia nervosa, struggle with their self-identity, self-worth, (and) where they fit in the world,” said Kersey. “There’s been lots of evidence that suggests that it’s a slow suicide.”
Kersey reminds students that eating disorders can be a lifelong struggle, but treatment is meant to help you learn not to let the disorder consume your life.
“There’s more to your life than being so constrained and overwhelmed with thoughts and behaviors that an eating disorder puts upon a person,” Kersey said.
While the internal battle can feel isolating, the path to recovery often begins with the courage to speak up and lean on a support system. Breaking the silence is the first step toward living life to the fullest.
“Be kind to each other and honest with the people you care about,” Baker said. “Each of us has personal experience with or knows someone who has or is struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder. Get professional support for yourself or encourage your loved ones to pursue support. A therapist, dietitian, and doctor who has eating disorder expertise is a great place to start. Recovery is possible, and you are so worth it!”
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