Moving away from home, to university is a very exciting feeling. Living with new people, making new friends, studying a course that you have a deep interest in and making memories that you’ll cherish for years to come.
However, unfortunately for many students their time at university can be negatively affected due to suffering from an eating disorder.
HOW DO EATING DISORDERS AFFECT STUDENTS?
Eating disorders can start for many reasons. Information from people who have experienced eating disorders, suggests that it started as wanting to be ‘healthy’. Naturally, people started noticing their weight loss and, the compliments followed. The compliments led to an even increased motivation to continue losing the weight, which led to a spiral effect, especially in the case of anorexia and bulimia [2].
Living in a shared accommodation with students on different courses to you, may mean that you may not all eat at the same time, due to different timetables. Unlike living at home, where you tend to eat meals together, university may allow you to skip meals, or get into a cycle of binge eating and purging, and there is no one there to notice this problem developing therefore can allow this behaviour to continue for longer without question. [2].
It is important to note that it is not uncommon to develop a combination of eating disorders. For example: binge eating disorder and bulimia. This involves binge eating until you are uncomfortably full [1] and being able to make yourself vomit regularly without others noticing [5].
If you have already been diagnosed with an eating disorder, it is important to plan ahead, making a meal plan and a study timetable (please see the section on exam stress and eating disorders for a sample timetable), to ease your time at university. This will help avoid you getting anxious or worried, feelings that may trigger your eating disorder to flare up. It is also important to try develop a support system at university, people who you can confide in and ask for help, and remember that your lecturers and university student wellbeing centre want the best for you and are happy to help.
If you are concerned that you or a friend may have an eating disorder it is important to seek help. Register with the university doctor, to ensure you have access to health care to support you. If you believe a friend is suffering from an eating disorder encourage them to seek help, and always remember to be understanding and supportive. If they suffer from binge eating they may feel that they are in a cycle and that they can’t seem to find a way out, assure them that with help and support, it will get better [5].
ADVICE
- If you have an eating disorder it is important to let the university know so they will be able to support you as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
- Sign up to the university GP, so if any issues arise you will be able to access health care advice.
- Don’t leave your friends out, try and make plans that don’t involve eating, as this can be a stressful situation for them.
- Be organised, and plan ahead to help manage stress.
- Don’t comment on people’s weight or size, you never know what they might be going through and how these comments may affect them, even if it is a compliment.
- Remain understanding and supportive of friends at all time.
If you feel you, or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, please reach out for help by booking an appointment with your GP and also there are many organisations which offer support for individuals and families suffering from an eating disorder:
- Anorexia and Bulimia Care: http://www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk
- Beat: beating eating disorders: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk
- National centre for Eating disorders: http://www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk
- You can also contact your university student wellbeing centre.
Written by Aeesha Ibrahim
3rd Year MPharm Student
References:
[1] NHS (2018). Eating disorders. London: National Health Service. Available from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/eating-disorders/. [accessed 21 October 2019].
[2] Harvey-Jenner, C (2017). ‘Food, uni and me’: How to cope when an eating disorder takes over. California: Hearst Magazine Media. Available from http://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a12443859/eating-disorders-university-anorexia-symptoms/. [accessed 21 October 2019].
[3] Student mind. (2019). Student Eating Disorder Fact Sheet. Leeds: Student Minds.Available from http://www.studentminds.org.uk/uploads/3/7/8/4/3784584/student_eating_disorder_fact_sheet.pdf. [accessed 21 October 2019].
[4] BEAT (2019). Universities. Norwich: BEAT Eating Disorders.Available from https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-involved/universities. [accessed 21 October 2019].
[5] BEAT (2018). ‘But you hardly eat anything?’ Binge eating, Bulimia and me. Norwich: BEAT Eating Disorders. Available from https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/your-stories/binge-eating-bulimia-and-me. [accessed 21 October 2019].