Eating Disorders: How to Get Support at University

According to Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, around 11 to 17 percent of female students and four percent of male students experience an eating disorder while at university. 

For many students it’s the first time they’ve lived away from home, and they may be experiencing academic and social pressure. 

There are many different types of eating disorder: binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, orthorexia, ARFID, pica and rumination disorder.

I was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa as a teenager and talked to Kat Dixon-Ward, a Clinical Advice Coordinator at Beat, to find out more about getting support at University

“Moving to university can be a major change in someone’s life, and we know that change and transitions can be critical periods in which disordered eating can emerge,” said Kat Dixon-Ward, one of Beat's Clinical Advice Coordinators. 

When I was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa as a teenager, I was completely in denial. I knew I was restricting what I ate, and I knew I had lost a lot of weight, but I was sure I could stop whenever I wanted. 

“It is completely possible for someone to not realise that they are experiencing an eating disorder, and denial can often play a role,” said Dixon-Ward. “One reason why it’s so important to open conversations to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of eating disorders is to lessen this barrier to help.” 

Signs of an eating disorder 

If you suspect you, or someone you know, might have an eating disorder, there are several signs to consider. These include changes in your behaviour, such as becoming preoccupied with food, exercising excessively, or withdrawing from your friends and family.   

“If you notice concerns with your body image, self-consciousness when eating in front of others, changes in your mood, tiredness or difficulty concentrating, these could also be signs that you might have disordered eating,” said Dixon-Ward. 

Link to mental health problems 

Eating disorders may also occur alongside other health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, Dixon-Ward explained. The link between depression and eating disorders goes both ways, with each influencing the other.  

When I think back to that time, it  feels like I was in a trance. I felt very disconnected from reality, but to everyone around me I seemed happy and bubbly; getting involved in activities and socialising a lot.  

What people didn't know about that time is that I felt dizzy every time I stood up, I couldn’t sit down on a chair for very long because I could feel my bones digging into it, and I was freezing all the time. My lips would turn bright blue, even in the summer, and people would ask if I was trying out a weird new lipstick. I would laugh and say I was.  

Despite acting outwardly cheery, I felt miserable. I lost interest in all the things that used to make me happy and began to distance myself from my friends. 

Obsessive behaviour 

Eating disorders generally spark obsessive behaviour, with sufferers being consumed with weight, exercise, food and body image.  

I was obsessed with the scales. Every day I would weigh myself, and the outcome of that would determine my mood for the rest of the day. I would fantasise about eating big slabs of chocolate and blocks of cheese, even having dreams about it. 

Despite losing so much weight, I remember looking in the mirror and still thinking that I was ‘ugly’ and ‘fat’. Looking back on pictures of myself at that time, I looked so unhealthy. My face was drained and lifeless and my eyes were dull. My body was pale and thin. I never believed in body dysmorphia at the time, but I was obviously experiencing it.