Understanding the Impact of Stigmas Associated with Eating Disorders

With the rise of “TikTok therapists” and other mental health professionals sharing evidence-based information on social media platforms, conversations about mental health are becoming more commonplace. People are learning more about what it means to take care of their mental health and recognizing when getting professional help might be in order. Stigmas – that is, a negative attitude about a mental, physical, or social feature of a person or group – against mental health conditions and mental health treatment is also decreasing because of this attention. This new level of exposure benefits the individuals dealing with mental health challenges as well as their loved ones.

Eating disorders are unique mental health conditions in that there are physical symptoms associated with a diagnosis. Because of the differences from other mental health conditions and their severity, this group of mental health diagnoses face heightened stigma. And heightened stigma creates an even greater obstacle for those struggling with eating disorders to make the decision to seek treatment.

Stigma against eating disorders

There are many commonly found stigmas against eating disorders and those suffering from them. Some of the main stigmas showing up in current discourse include:

• “People with eating disorders are responsible for their problems.”
• “Bad parents are the cause for the development of eating disorders in adolescents.”
• “Eating disorder treatment is only available to rich kids.”
• “Overweight people can’t possibly have eating disorders.”
• “It’s just a phase; they don’t have an eating disorder.”
• “Eating disorders only impact middle-class, Caucasian females.”

These statements, shared across multimedia in various iterations and utterances, can have a detrimental impact on a person facing an eating disorder. Stigma for any mental health condition or any physical condition invalidates a person’s experience and often hinders them from reaching out for help.

For instance, a 2015 systematic review found that weight stigma negatively influenced psychological adjustment, eating pathology, and stress levels. For those who held stigmas against those with eating disorders, they attributed the mental health condition to personal responsibility and blamed the individual (1). Another example of the stigmas faced by people with eating disorders comes from a study where participants read vignettes and answered a series of questions. People with eating disorders were found to be more stigmatized than those with depression. Participants described those with eating disorders as more fragile and more likely to leverage their eating disorder for attention than those with depression. They were also held more responsible for the development of their eating disorder (2).

How stigma impacts eating disorder treatment

People with eating disorders who face stigma every day may begin to internalize these messages, which can have hugely negative consequences for their overall well-being. In addition to the emotional load of facing eating disorder stigma comes the impact on diagnosis and treatment.

Stigma may cause someone with an eating disorder, especially a young person, to make decisions that are directly contrary to their well-being, like delaying or not seeking eating disorder treatment when necessary. It may also cause someone with an eating disorder to try to hide their eating disorder with other behaviors, like excessive exercise. Additionally, eating disorder stigma may lead an individual to experience depressive and self-esteem symptoms, social alienation and withdrawal, and greater eating disorder symptoms (3).

It’s not surprising that the influence of stigma expands beyond how people with eating disorders feel about themselves. The families or loved ones of people with eating disorders may postpone the decision to seek eating disorder treatment due to concern about how peers will perceive their family and specifically their child. After all, studies show that individuals with mental health disorders are often thought to be weak, incompetent, and responsible for their condition (3). 

Overall, there are many emotional and logistical impacts caused by stigma against eating disorders. So what can we do about this issue?

What to do about eating disorder stigma

In 2015, researchers conducted a study that examined stigma resistance in those who have eating disorders, including those who were in treatment. The results of this study showed that those who had greater stigma resistance — that is, those who were able to avoid internalizing stigma’s themes — had reduced their eating disorder and depression symptoms. They also had higher self-esteem and more positive attitude towards engaging in mental health treatment (4).

To reduce the internalization of stigma, it’s important to know the facts about eating disorders. There are many great resources online to learn more about what eating disorders are and how they impact individuals and families, including:

• The National Institute of Health – Eating Disorders
• The National Eating Disorders Association
• The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders

Working with eating disorder specialists – like the team at Hidden River – also helps you learn more about how to avoid the impact of stigma and the need to begin the recovery process as soon as possible. At Hidden River, we strive to connect closely with families to help them navigate treatment and support their young people as they begin healing from their eating disorder.

To learn more about our services, please reach out to info@hiddenriverhealing.com.

Visit our website to learn more about eating disorder treatment at Hidden River. For a closer look at our grounds and living quarters, take a look at our gallery.

References

1. Puhl, R. & Suh, Y. (2015). Stigma and Eating and Weight Disorders. International Journal of Bipolar Disorders, 17.
2. Roehrig, J.P. & McLean, C.P. (2009). A comparison of stigma toward eating disorders versus depression. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 43(7), 671-674.
3. Brelet, L. et al. (2021). Stigmatization toward People with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder: A Scoping Review. Nutrients. 13(8). 28-34. 
4. Griffiths, S. et. al. (2015). Stigma resistance in eating disorders. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 50, 279-287.