Tips & Suggestions: Share Your Eating Disorder Struggle With Loved Ones

Eating disorders are often an uncomfortable disease to have. For many, they carry feelings of shame or embarrassment that keeps them from opening up to their social support network of friends and family about the problem. That can keep the problem from improving, and cause further deterioration in health.

Loved ones are just that; people who love you. Eating disorders carry a significant mental component, alongside the medical issues. Avoiding the support your loved ones can offer you just when you need it most will worsen your prognosis, and make it less likely you can get the help you need to break the cycle. When you keep your eating disorder a secret, you’re leaving the health issue in control of you; so take that control back and stand tall.

Opening up doesn’t necessarily mean you have to talk about everything you’re going through. You can share without delving specifically into each item that’s affecting you. And you can sort through your list of loved ones to try and identify those who are most likely to be helpful and supportive; and avoid those who might have a hard time being a positive influence if you talk about it with them. It might be difficult, but talking about it can give motivation and reassurance that you can get better.

Key Points:

  • 1The way people react to your announcement will vary based on each person’s level of understanding.
  • 2Write some ideas down so you can control the flow of the conversation.
  • 3Getting their support can be key to your success.


It is imperative to protect yourself when sharing your eating disorder with friends and family [1]. You want to be able to advocate for yourself and know that it can feel like a lot of pressure as well as be emotional.
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Written by HealthStatus
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our health risk assessment, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years.

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