Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa · Bulimia nervosa · Binge eating disorder
If you need to talk to someone today, call Tele-MANAS on 14416 or KIRAN on 1800-599-0019 — free, confidential, 24/7.
What is it?
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions involving a disrupted relationship with food, eating, and body image, which significantly affect physical and emotional wellbeing.
They include conditions such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, and can affect people of any age, gender, or body size. They are not a lifestyle choice or something a person can simply decide to stop.
Common signs & symptoms
- Preoccupation with food, weight, or body shape that dominates a person’s thoughts
- Significant changes in eating patterns — restriction, secretive eating, or a rigid relationship with food
- Distress or anxiety around meals, or avoidance of eating in front of others
- Withdrawal from social situations involving food
- Marked changes in mood, energy, or physical health that coincide with changes in eating patterns
What it is not
Eating disorders are not about vanity or willpower, and they don’t always come with visible physical changes — many people with eating disorders are not underweight.
They are complex conditions often tied to underlying emotional distress, control, anxiety, or trauma, and they require professional support to address safely.
When to seek help
If you notice these patterns — in yourself or someone you care about — reach out to a professional early. Eating disorders can have serious physical health consequences, and early support significantly improves outcomes.
This is one area where we’d strongly encourage professional guidance over self-help approaches, given the physical and psychological risks involved.
Screening tools clinicians use
Clinicians may use structured tools as part of a broader clinical and, where needed, medical assessment. Screening and treatment planning should always be done by a qualified professional given the physical health risks involved.
If you’re a parent, friend, or teacher and you’re concerned about someone’s eating, our helplines page can guide you on how to start that conversation. Approach with care rather than commenting directly on their body or food choices.
How to get help
This page is for general awareness and is not a diagnostic tool. Only a qualified professional can diagnose an eating disorder. This platform does not provide emergency or diagnostic services — see our full Disclaimer.