Video Transcription
Let’s Talk Eating Disorders – Transcript
Hi, I’m Sarah Cox, a clinical psychologist and the manager of the Butterfly National Helpline.
I’m here to talk about eating disorders – what they are, who they impact, risks and warning signs, and how to reach out for support.
What is an eating disorder?
Eating disorders can occur when someone experiences disturbances in behaviours, thoughts, and feelings towards food, eating, and body weight or shape.
Eating disorders are serious, complex and potentially life-threatening mental illnesses that can affect anyone. They are not a lifestyle choice and recovery can be difficult without professional support.
There are several different kinds of eating disorders that can take different forms – including:
- Anorexia Nervosa: where someone restricts the amount of food eaten, due to an intense fear of gaining weight.
- Binge Eating Disorder: where someone eats excessive amounts of food in short periods.
- Bulimia Nervosa: where someone eats an excessive amount of food followed by compensatory behaviours, like vomiting or using laxatives, to try and control their weight.
- Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID): where someone restricts their food because of anxiety or fear of food, or sensory difficulties.
- Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) or Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder (UFED): where someone has a combination of different symptoms relating to food and eating.
Who do eating disorders impact and what are the risks and warning signs?
Eating disorders do not discriminate and can occur in people of any age, weight, size, shape, gender identity, sexuality, cultural background or socioeconomic group.
There’s no one cause of an eating disorder – it is often due to a combination of factors including genetic, psychological and cultural influences.
Signs of an eating disorder can be different for everyone and often people make significant efforts to hide their behaviour. They may not even recognise that there is anything wrong or that their eating habits have become a problem.
Common warning signs include:
- Physical signs: rapid weight loss or gain, loss of periods, fainting, and tiredness.
- Psychological signs: preoccupation with food, body shape and weight, anxiety or fear around food and mealtimes, distorted body image, and rigid thinking about eating.
- Behavioural signs: dieting, fasting, calorie counting, cutting out food groups, eating in private, hoarding food, frequent bathroom trips after meals, obsessive exercise, secretive behaviours, and withdrawal from social activities.
How to get help
It’s estimated that over 1.1 million people in Australia are currently experiencing an eating disorder, but less than one in three are getting the treatment or support they need.
The most important thing to remember is that recovery is possible. Without help, eating disorders can lead to serious medical and psychological complications, so it’s vital to seek support as early as possible.
If you’re concerned about yourself or someone you care about, here are steps you can take:
- Use Butterfly’s Screening Tool to assess whether you or someone else may be at risk.
- Talk to a GP, healthcare professional, or trusted adult. Use Butterfly’s Referral Database to find an experienced provider.
- Contact the Butterfly National Helpline for free and confidential support 7 days a week, 8am–midnight (AEST/AEDT).
Call: 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673)
Visit: www.butterfly.org.au to chat online or email.
Remember: You’re not alone — and Talking Helps.
