is writing about an eating disorder a good college essay

Can I Write About My Eating Disorder In College Essays?

A crucial part of appealing to the college admission board is writing a good personal essay. The topic isn’t limited to anything as long as it’s that student’s personal experience. Some of the well-known compositions found amongst college students are related to family members and the part they played in their life.  Here we will see about Can I Write About My Eating Disorder In College Essays?

Eating disorder is a mental illness that many remain uneducated about, so it’s generally recommended not to write an essay about it. People familiar with various eating disorders have either friends or family who dealt with it or dealt with it themselves. Many people have false assumptions about this mental illness based on loose descriptions shown in TV shows and movies. 

When it comes to writing a college essay, people will recommend a student to write about something that highlights the positive aspects of their lives. It could be about how you solved a difficult problem that you faced during a tough moment, personal growth essays about if anything happened in your life that made you change your beliefs, and many more. The main theme remains that you learned something positive out of it. 

Recovering from an eating disorder can indeed be an amazing topic, but there is no guarantee that everybody would look at it the same way. If a student is determined to write an essay about this topic, they should word it carefully and focus essentially on the recovery part of the eating disorder than the tough times that it put you through. Unfortunately, many people still view mental illnesses as a crucial weakness in a person and you never know who’s going to be the one reading your essay and their personal experiences with the topic. 

As long as you keep the focus of your essay on how powerful your growth out of an eating disorder has been, it can be a good college essay. 

Write about Eating Disorder and Other Mental Illnesses in College Essays

People often suggest against delving into issues that involve mental illnesses to write college essays, it’s often recommended that if you want to include your battle with an eating disorder in your essay, do it in a manner so that it doesn’t remain the focus of the essay. Why do people say that and why is it often recommended not to write about this?

The truth is that even though a student might highlight how much they’re fought to overcome the psychological imbalances in their body, it doesn’t leave a good impression on most college admission boards. Shifting from high school to college is a big deal, and it’s like the first step into adulthood where you won’t be confined to the safety of your home. College is much more stressful and competitive than high school where you have to stay on top of the game to excel in your field. 

A student that holds enough value to the mental illness that they fought to the point where they write about it in their college essay, there is a chance for relapse. College is a stressful environment where even the students that don’t suffer from mental illnesses suffer mental breakdowns. If you put a person who already dealt with that in the past, it’s uncertain how they’d react to this change even if they’re on medication or they’re still getting counseling. 

If a student’s desired college has a high acceptance rate, they could write about their journey recovering from an eating disorder and still get accepted. If they’re aiming for a top school with a less than average acceptance rate, then it’s recommended to choose a topic that sheds most of the light on the positive moments of their life and qualities that show their mental strength. 

Colleges with a low acceptance rate and high graduation rate only choose students who show the determination to thrive under a lot of stress. If a student discusses mental illnesses such as an eating disorder in their essay, there are high chances of them not getting accepted even if they have amazing grades and good references.

You Make The Ultimate Decision

The truth is that some essays surrounding an eating disorder can be well-received by your college of choice. It depends vastly on chance. The chances of getting into a top school with an essay like that are low because many people choose to write about various mental illnesses that they suffered from. 

The bottom line is that it depends on how you word it and how your college admission board will perceive it. Some exceptional writers can word their essays in a captivating way and engage the reader to emotionally tune in to their growth from this eating disorder. They strategically weave how much they grew from their experiences and shed as much positive light as they can upon their character after they overcame their mental health issues. 

There are no restrictions when it comes to writing a personal essay for college. As long as the experience was yours or if you feel strongly about the topic you chose, you’re free to write about it. This is one of the first things your college will look at when they look at your application and it shapes the way they view you as a person. If you’re confident about writing about your eating disorder and believe that it will shed a positive light on your application, you can write about it. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

What Eating Disorder Is Common Among College Students?

Anorexia and bulimia are not only common among college students but also two of the most common types of eating disorders globally. College students might also suffer from other types such as BED (Binge eating disorder) and EDNOS (Eating disorder not otherwise specified).

What Should I Avoid Writing In A College Essay?

Students generally avoid writing about controversial topics (such as related to politics), negative experiences they’ve had with high schools and academia in general, and a whole essay dedicated to the awards and achievements you’ve won since you were a child.

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Common Application: Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are becoming more and more common in teenagers and even adults these days, on account of societys idea of the perfect body. The spread of this devastating mental disease has reached every corner of the world and affects millions of young men and women. The point of this essay is to explain the types of eating disorders there are, the effects of these eating disorders, the harsh effect that the media has on a young persons mind, and my personal battle with this disease that came, destroyed a lot of things, and never really left. There are many types of eating disorders, the most common eating disorders though are Anorexia-Nervosa and Bulimia-Nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is when a person is overwhelmed by the irrational fear of gaining weight, distorted body self-perception and they tend to restrict their diet to very small portions of food, if at all. This eating disorder is more commonly found in women but can also be found in men. Anorexia effects your mind in so many ways that many people claim to not know who they are anymore, they feel as if they’ve lost themselves in the disease and become obsessed with it. Anorexia is thought of as the “incurable disorder” because many people never completely recover from this disorder, they only learn how to manage it well, after many many years of rehabilitation and therapy. The obsession that comes with this disorder completely over takes the persons life, a scale becomes their worst enemy and food becomes a monster they are constantly fighting. Mentally, this disorder wears a person down, until they start developing other mental disorders such as depression or even schizophrenia. The mental effects that this disorder has is only the half of it, the effects it physically leaves are awful as well. Typically, a person who develops this disorder and lives with it for a long period of time with eventually become very weak and frail, their hair becomes thin and tends to fall out, they stop menstruating and because of this their bones will lose their density and be very easy to break. It’s also common for someone to become addicted to drugs or alcohol. There is nothing beautiful about this disease, there is nothing good about this obsession and in the end, the person is never happy with their “progress” anyway. Eventually they will wither away to nothing simply because they never think they’re thin enough. (nimh.nih.gov) The other common eating disorder that people suffer from is Bulimia-Nervosa, this disorder is the act of binging and purging, or eating large sums of food in a short period of time, and then ridding the body of the food, often by throwing up or with laxatives. This disease, while is similar to Anorexia, has its own physical effects and mental effects that are just as deadly. A person who suffers from this disease will often lock themselves in a room by themselves, to binge in private. The differences between the two disorders are the way the food is consumed, how much, and how the diseases differ in terms of being noticeable. The food consumed when the person is diagnosed with Anorexia tends to cut their food up into very small pieces, and very very small portions of food, while a person with Bulimia tends to consume large bites of food, and in large quantities. People with bulimia tend to also be able to hide their disease better, because even in the most desperate attempts of ridding their body of the food, they’re still taking some calories in. This doesn’t mean the bulimia is a safer eating disorder or that it’s better. Both of these disease can ruin a persons life in a very short period of time, and it also can ruin the lives of people around them. Eating disorders don’t only effect the person who has it, it also effects the ones that love them, constantly putting them in fear that you could die or severely hurt yourself. These diseases are like hurricanes or tornados. They come through and cause so much destruction. When they pass, there is still so much damage and there is lots of work that needs to be done to fix things, but they’ll never be the exact way they were before. (nimh.nih.gov) There is an overwhelming idea that the media has loads to do with the growing epidemic that is eating disorders. The media uses sex and the idea of the perfect body in the media to get their point across, even in car commercials you never see a heavier person driving, or the average sized 40 year old man. There is always that constant reminder that one has the perfect body and the perfect smile and the viewer doesn’t. Women in the media are often shown in skimpy clothing, and they’re very fit. Clothing models and runway models are never plus sized. Even fictional characters are thin and beautiful. The idea of the perfect body is constantly flashed in front of our faces, all the time. There is never an add on the TV for being happy with yourself, but there is plenty of exercise equipment and diet pills for sale. A survey was done at Yale, and 4,000 students said they would rather give up a year of their life than be fat, and a large percent of them stated that they would try diet pills, if they felt like they should. 91% of women surveyed on a college campus had attempted to control their weight through dieting. 22% dieted “often” or “always.” Market data estimates that the total U.S. weight loss market was worth $55.4 billion in 2006 and is constantly growing at a very rapid rate. Think about that, all that money is going into paying a person who is fit and beautiful, to tell you that a little pill can make you thin and happy. There’s something very suspicious about that, and I find it very hard to believe that the people in the ads got their 6 pack from swallowing a pill. The media is harder on our minds than we realize, and with it being such a large part of our culture and our lifestyle here in America, we don’t even register that the media is making such a big impact on the younger minds of today. In a survey of girls 9 and 10 years old, 40% have tried to lose weight, according to an ongoing study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Right there is a reason that we should be more concerned with trying to prevent eating disorders, and distorted ideas of body image in the younger generations. By the time girls reach the age of 17, 78% of them are unhappy with the way their bodies look and want to change it. 42% of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner. These statistics are the sad reality behind the growing danger of eating disorders, and how they even effect the younger children as well. The media will probably never stop portraying women as thin beautiful people, all the time, but that doesn’t mean people can’t try to help younger people grow up to understand the truth behind the media, the magical effects of photoshop and make up, and the truth behind the “perfect women.” There isn’t one. (anad.org & healthpsych.psy.vanderbilt.edu) My personal experience isn’t well known. Very few people know about my eating disorder, other have their own suspicions. This will be the first time telling my story so openly, but hopefully not my last. I would love for my story to help someone with their own disorder, but I know in my heart that an unfinished story can’t help someone, only influence them to at least make it as far as I have. I haven’t recovered from my eating disorder, I still struggle on a daily basis with food and my self confidence. Thankfully though, I think I’ve escaped my darkest days. I remember this moment very distinctly, because it was the first time I ever really thought I was fat. I was in 6th grade, and I was on a dance team. The night that we were supposed to perform, I wore a crop top type costume, I remember looking down at my body and not liking what I saw. Things progressed slowly from there and then eventually exploded into a full blown obsession. I suffered from Anorexia-Nervosa and reached my lowest weight, in 8th grade of 78 Lbs. Being only 5’2’’ at the time, people automatically assumed that I would be very petite. On a daily basis I was consuming so few calories that I tended to become light headed and tired all the time. Physically, I just looked worn out, mentally I was worn out, and I was tired of the stress that I was facing. I decided to chose between the things that were most important in my life, and decided that I would have to stop giving at least one thing less attention. Of course, I wasn’t going to give up my eating disorder, it was impossible, so I decided that school was the last thing on my list of things to care about, and I began to fail all my classes. History and English were my two favorite subjects, and I completely stopped trying in everything I did. The assignments we got were never that challenging for me, I just didn’t care enough to try and complete them. I put papers in my locker so they could sit there until I got sick of looking at them, rubrics for projects were thrown in the trash and my projects were mediocre quality. I knew I could do a lot better, but I wasn’t applying myself at all. What changed my life at this point was my fathers divorce, he was going through his own hard time, and left decision making up to me, I chose to move. I was desperate for something to change, and I was also desperate to “fix myself” before I started at a new school. I became obsessed with self help books and websites, equally as obsessed with helping myself, as I was with destroying myself. Eventually I did talk to someone. I tried at home treatment, because I refused to go to a center, I started to overcome my eating disorder and things seemed to get a little better. The time came to move, and obviously I wasn’t going to be able to take my therapist with me, so I stopped treatment, and I moved on with my life. To this day I still see signs of my disorder, haunting the back of my mind. I have my bad days when I won’t eat anything, or days when I feel ashamed of myself because of the things that I did eat, but there are always struggles that come with making progress. I hope to eventually be able to say that I did beat my demons, and that I’m happy with the direction my life is going. Until then, I’ll be fighting my demons and hopefully helping people understand these deadly mental diseases and the effects that the world has on young men and women.

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Eating Disorders, Essay Example

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Introduction

Eating disorders affect men and women of all ages, although adolescents tend to be the age group that is more susceptible. This is because, as their bodies are changing, they may feel more pressure by society as well as peer groups to look attractive and fit in (Segal et al). Types of eating disorders include Anorexia, Bulimia and Compulsive Overeating, which can also be related to the first two. The reasons behind Eating Disorder usually stem from a reaction to low self-esteem and a negative means of coping with life and stress (Something Fishy).  Eating disorders are also often associated with an underlying psychological disorder, which may be the reason behind the eating disorder or which may develop from the Eating Disorder itself. Mental health disorders that are often associated with Eating Disorder include Anxiety, Depression, Multiple Personality Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, BiPolar, BiPolar II, Borderline Personality Disorder, Panic Disorder and Dissociative Disorder. The longer a person suffers from ED, the more probable that they will be dealing with another mental illness, most likely Anxiety or Depression (Something Fishy). The eventual outcome of Eating Disorder can be deadly. “Some eating disorders are associated with a 10-15% mortality rate and a 20-25% suicide rate. Sometimes, anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating may be perceived as slow suicide (Carruthers).” In order to prevent the deadly consequences of Eating Disorder and to prevent it from becoming more pervasive in society, it is necessary to recognize the correct treatment method for this disease.  Traditional treatments have focused on providing risk information to raise awareness of the consequences of Eating Disorder (Lobera et al 263). However, since Eating Disorder is a mental illness, a more effective treatment is one that offers psychological evaluation, counseling and treatment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is emerging as a more robust and effective method that can be used not only to treat Eating Disorder but the associated mental illnesses that may accompany it.

The Problem

Eating disorder is pervasive in society and can have deadly consequences on those that suffer from it. Many time Eating Disorder goes undetected by family members and friends because those suffering will go to great lengths to hide their problem. However, there are some signs and symptoms that can be clues that a person is suffering from some sort of eating disorder. According to Segal, these signs can include:

• Restricting Food or Dieting: A change in eating habits that includes restricting food or excessive dieting. The person my frequently miss meals or not eat, complaining of an upset stomach or that they are not hungry. A use of diet pills or illegal drugs may also be noticed.
• Bingeing: Sufferers may binge eat in secret, which can be hard to detect since they will usually do it late at night or in a private place. Signs of potential bingeing are empty food packages and wrappers and hidden stashes of high calorie junk food or desserts.
• Purging: Those who suffer from bulimia will force themselves to throw up after meals to rid their body of added calories. A sign that this is occurring is when a person makes a trip to the bathroom right after eating on a regular basis, possible running water or a fan to hide the sound of their vomiting. They may also use perfume, mouthwash or breath mints regularly to disguise the smell. In addition to vomiting, laxatives or diuretics may also be used to flush unwanted calories from the body.
• Distorted body image and altered appearance: People suffering from Eating Disorder often have a very distorted image of their own body. While they may appear thin to others, they may view themselves as fat and attempt to hide their body under loose clothing. They will also have an obsessive preoccupation with their weight, and complain of being fat even when it is obvious to others that this is not the case.

There are several possible side effects from Eating Disorders, both physical and psychological. Physical damage can be temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of the eating disorder and the length of time the person has been suffering from it.  Psychological consequences can be the development of a mental illness, especially depression and anxiety. Some sufferers of Eating Disorder will also develop a coping mechanism such as harming themselves, through cutting, self-mutilation or self-inflicted violence, or SIV (Something Fishy).

Physical consequences of Eating Disorders depend on the type of eating disorder that the person has. Anorexia nervosa can lead to a slow heart rate and low blood pressure, putting the sufferer at risk for heart failure and permanent heart damage. Malnutrition can lead to osteoporosis and dry, brittle bones. Other common complications include kidney damage due to dehydration, overall weakness, hair loss and dry skin. Bulimia nervosa, where the person constantly purges through vomiting, can have similar consequences as Anorexia but with added complications and damage to the esophagus and gastric cavity due to the frequent vomiting. In addition, tooth decay can occur because of damage caused by gastric juices. If the person also uses laxatives to purge, irregular bowel movements and constipation can occur. Peptic ulcers and pancreatitis can also common negative heath effects (National Eating Disorders Association).  If the Eating Disorder goes on for a prolonged time period, death is also a possible affect, which is why it is important to seek treatment for the individual as soon as it is determined that they are suffering from an Eating Disorder.

Once it is recognized that a loved one may be suffering from an Eating Disorder, the next step is coming up with an effective intervention in time to prevent any lasting physical damage or death. The most effective treatment to date is Cognitive-behavioral therapy, an active form of counseling that can be done in either a group or private setting (Curtis). Cognitive-behavioral therapy is used to help correct poor eating habits and prevent relapse as well as change the way the individual thinks about food, eating and their body image (Curtis).

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is considered to be one of the most effective treatments for eating disorders, but of course this depends on both the counselor administrating the therapy and the attitude of the person receiving it.  According to Fairburn (3), while patients with eating disorders “have a reputation for being difficult to treat, the great majority can be helped and many, if not most, can make a full and lasting recovery.” In the study conducted by Lobera et al, it was determined that students that took part in group cognitive-behavioral therapy sessions showed a reduced dissatisfaction with their body and a reduction in their drive to thinness. Self esteem was also improved during the group therapy sessions and eating habits were significantly improved.

“The overall effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy can depend on the duration of the sessions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is considered effective for the treatment of eating disorders. But because eating disorder behaviors can endure for a long period of time, ongoing psychological treatment is usually required for at least a year and may be needed for several years (Curtis).”

  Alternative solutions

Traditional treatments for Eating Disorders rely on educating potential sufferers, especially school aged children, of the potential damage, both psychological and physical, that can be caused by the various eating disorders .

“ Research conducted to date into the primary prevention of eating disorders (ED) has mainly considered the provision of information regarding risk factors. Consequently, there is a need to develop new methods that go a step further, promoting a change in attitudes and behavior in the  target population (Lobera et al).”

The current research has not shown that passive techniques, such as providing information, reduces the prevalence of eating disorders or improves the condition in existing patients. While education about eating disorders, the signs and symptoms and the potential health affects, is an important part of providing information to both the those that may know someone who is suffering from an eating disorder and those that are suffering from one, it is not an effective treatment by itself. It must be integrated with a deeper level of therapy that helps to improve the self-esteem and psychological issues from which the eating disorder stems.

Hospitalization has also been a treatment for those suffering from an eating disorder, especially when a complication, such as kidney failure or extreme weakness, occurs. However, treating the symptom of the eating disorder will not treat the underlying problem. Hospitalization can effectively treat the symptom only when it is combined with a psychological therapy that treats the underlying psychological problem that is causing the physical health problem.

Effectively treating eating disorders is possible using cognitive-behavioral therapy. However, the sooner a person who is suffering from an eating disorder begins treatment the more effective the treatment is likely to be. The longer a person suffers from an eating disorder, the more problems that may arise because of it, both physically and psychologically. While the deeper underlying issue may differ from patient to patient, it must be addressed in order for an eating disorder treatment to be effective. If not, the eating disorder is likely to continue. By becoming better educated about the underlying mental health issues that are typically the cause of eating disorder, both family members and friends of loved ones suffering from eating disorders and the sufferers themselves can take the steps necessary to overcome Eating Disorder and begin the road to recovery.

Works Cited

“Associated Mental Health Conditions and Addictions.” Something Fishy, 2010. Web. 19 November2010.

Carruthers, Martyn. Who Has Eating Disorders?   Soulwork Solutions, 2010. Web. 19 November 2010.

Curtis, Jeanette. “Cognitive-behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders.” WebMD (September 16, 2009). Web. 19 November 2010.

Fairburn, Christopher G. Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Eating Disorders. New York: The Guilford Press, 2008. Print.  

“Health Consequences of Eating Disorders” National Eating Disorders Association (2005). Web. 21 November 2010.

Lobera, I.J., Lozano, P.L., Rios, P.B., Candau, J.R., Villar y Lebreros, Gregorio Sanchez, Millan, M.T.M., Gonzalez, M.T.M., Martin, L.A., Villalobos, I.J. and Sanchez, N.V. “Traditional and New Strategies in the Primary Prevention of Eating Disorders: A Comparative Study in Spanish Adolescents.” International Journal of General Medicine 3  (October 5, 2010): 263-272. Dovepress.Web. 19 November 2010.

Segal, Jeanne, Smith, Melinda, Barston, Suzanne. Helping Someone with an Eating Disorder: Advice for Parents, Family Members and Friends , 2010. Web. 19 November 2010.

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Is it okay to write about mental illness in an essay? Answered

I had an eating disorder, but I'm recovering now. I also started an Instagram account to help other runners with eating disorders. I want to write about this in my commonApp/ApplyTexas essay (UT Austin).

When I search this question on the Internet, I see a lot of advice against writing about it because the colleges might be afraid to admit people who have/had mental illness. But if I'm in recovery and am trying to help others, then is it ok?

Do you have any examples for what you/other people have done about this in the past?

This is perfectly normal.

Earn karma by helping others:

After reading a lot of commentary about certain college essay taboos I would say that writing about an eating disorder can have mixed results. Please hear me out. Let's say your application reader at UT Austin is a woman who similarly had an eating disorder and overcame it and became a strong human. She may look at this topic as a triumph and advocate for you. On the other hand what if you get a sis male ex-jock who never understood this kind of disease personally and pre-judges you and feels that you pose somewhat of a risk in ensuring that UT can rely on you as a viable addition to the class makeup. Do you want to leave it up to chance? I'm not sure it's a toss of a coin 50/50 but perhaps the majority of readers may not completely feel this is the best topic for you to uncover about your personal self.

There are so many interesting things about every applicant that you need to ask yourself if perhaps you can pique someone's interest about you by writing about a different facet of your personality. When you have a disorder like bulimia or anorexia laypeople who are not familiar with it or being part of a friend or family member's recovery might make uneducated assumptions about the causality or circumstances that created this situation in your life and make the wrong non-clinical judgment. If you don't get into UT, and you write this essay topic, you might not forgive yourself for thinking that it was misunderstood. My suggestion is that you assess your risk for writing it and if they are beyond your comfort zone, pick another topic.

An extreme view is that some people might think a hard college like UT is already full of stressors so they want to be sure that their future class has the most success at thriving no matter what kind of rigor is thrown at them. I have a friend who is currently suffering from bulimia and lost 25 lbs this summer over-exercising and calorie counting. She is currently in therapy, intense therapy with multiple docs and although I know she will overcome this, it will not be something she wants to share with colleges yet, let alone her friends and family members.

I’d agree but I’d lean towards the optimistic side but don’t make it depressing have an upbeat tone and focus on your personality not the eating disorder then you absolutely can write about it.

@CameronBameron gave a great answer, but I just want to chime in - it is a risky topic, but if you decide it's right for you, try not to focus too much on the ED and more on how you overcame it. A common mistake with essays on serious topics/illness/tragedy is focusing too much on the event, and not enough on how you responded to it. Hope this helps, and best of luck! It's awesome work you're doing out there :)

As long as you give a story of how you overcame it and make it personal enough that it shows me that YOU came to a realization that changed who YOU are it should be a fine topic to talk about. The major issue I would have is with the Instagram account. It can lead you into going out of topic. Don't forget, the essay is supposed to be about you, not what you accomplished. Also, does the instagram account have a huge following? (more than 10k at least) If yes, then it is something you can mention (after saying your story and how that story led you into creating the account) since you can say you made some sort of impact on other people and your community. If the answer is no, then you can say you are trying to make an impact through the account, but if we are being realistic, colleges love people that have ALREADY succeeded so you mustn't talk that much about it.

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The Reality of an Eating Disorder

A medical student's award-winning piece on her battles with an eating disorder.

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Ms Cursor’s essay was honored as part of the 2023 Gerald F. Berlin Creative Writing Contest for its thoughtfulness. Psychiatric Times ’ resident poet of 26 years, Richard M. Berlin, MD, established the Gerald F. Berlin Creative Writing Award at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in 2005 to honor the poetry, fiction, and reflective essays of medical students, physicians in training, graduate students, and nursing students from the medical school. Psychiatric Times is delighted to share her work and insights and hopes it serves as reminder of the importance of self-care for medical professionals, including students, as well as a better understanding of the struggles experienced by those with eating disorders.

I stare at the ceiling, having lost track of time. I roll over in the hospital gurney, entangled within a pair of cheap scrubs that are much too big for me. I’m trying hard to sleep but it’s impossible. I’m also hungry; I only had Jello and saltines for dinner because the vegetarian options are sparse here, at least according to the ER nurse whose empathy I am finding increasingly attractive. Inside my room is the gurney, a TV built into the wall, a blanket, and my snack wrappers neatly consolidated on the floor inside a Styrofoam cup. There is no light and nothing on the walls except the TV. The remote is even a keypad built into the wall outside of my room. I want to change the channel, but I am too scared to venture outside, into the common area clustered with other psych patients, all of us waiting for a bed to open in the hospital. I don’t want to be here, but I am not well enough for any alternative.

Sometime within the past twenty-four hours I was admitted to the hospital from McCallum Place Eating Disorder Center. I had been in eating disorder treatment for around a month, and, unable to use my eating disorder to cope for such an extended period of time, my suicidal thoughts grew too loud for me to handle on my own.

I have lived with anorexia nervosa for the past thirteen years. You might look at me and wonder how that’s possible.

I am not emaciated; I do not look sick. This is not to say that there weren’t periods of time when I did appear unwell; however my lowest weight did not correlate with my lowest point mentally. Anorexia—in fact, all eating disorders—are deadly, regardless of weight. The body and mind shrivel while the soul deflates as your sole focus in life becomes food. Eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of any mental illness. One of the leading causes of death of people with anorexia nervosa is suicide.

While I do not look sick, I still battle daily urges to restrict my food, to run “x” number of miles to allow myself to eat “x” amount, to relish in the feeling of size zero pants slipping from my hips, to retreat back to behaviors like these that brought me so much comfort when inside I feel chaos. My eating disorder is deeply engrained, as are the years of depression, anxiety, and obsessive thoughts it has buried.

A year and a half ago, I started my first year of medical school. If you had asked me then to predict how the year were to unfold, I would not have forecasted any of it. I had taken three GAP years prior to medical school, in part to focus on recovering from my eating disorder. I wasn’t supposed to still be struggling with this, let alone need a leave of absence from medical school to admit myself to eating disorder treatment, nor end up in the hospital as a patient myself.

The first few weeks of medical school were the first time in my life I experienced panic attacks. At first I didn’t know what they were, and I judged myself for having them. How could everyone around me be so calm? Why was I so anxious that I was on the verge of passing out? Well, I wasn’t eating enough. My eating disorder hung on as a coping mechanism to manage all the change that was happening as I transitioned to medical school. It was a way to make me feel safe when I otherwise felt like an imposter. I felt insignificant among my classmates and colleagues, and controlling my body size somehow made me feel better. Restriction provided me with the bursts of serotonin I needed when I was otherwise lonely, overwhelmed, or feeling inadequate. But when you are starving, you become hypoglycemic, diaphoretic, light-headed, anxious.

Two months into medical school, my cousin died suddenly. My family still does not disclose the details, but I do know that his death was from some form of self-harm. I didn’t see my cousin very often, but when our paths did cross, I understood he was struggling. And I struggled, too. My cousin’s death overwhelmed me. I felt as though I could have prevented it somehow, and it precipitated a deep emptiness inside of me. I reached out to one of my mentors in medical school. Her response was to make sure that I was safe with myself. Safe with myself? It had never occurred to me that I could be unsafe with myself. Until that moment.

This became a very sticky thought, and throughout my first year of medical school, it grew more persistent. As its persistence grew, so did its ability to influence my emotions. For the first time, I experienced bouts of depression. And they were scary. I was grieving the loss of my cousin, while also juggling a significant injury to my femur that forced me to drop out of a marathon three days before the race, and still battling my eating disorder. Furthermore, I didn’t just have depression; these thoughts about harming myself were obsessive in nature, and I felt anxiety about having them, further perpetuating their power.

Fast forward to April 2022. My dietitian and therapist suspect that my anxiety is the result of not eating enough, so I try to eat more to alleviate it. But when I stop using my eating disorder to cope, the thoughts that remain are quite grim. I am sitting in my room, fighting back tears as I confess to my therapist over Zoom the thoughts I’ve been having. When I take my antidepressants, I think about taking the whole bottle. When I’m driving, I’m afraid I might drive my car off the road. Questioning my purpose in this world overwhelms me with sadness and confusion. My therapist reassures me: it’s okay, I can get help for this. I can? It doesn’t have to be this way? Later that day, I make the call to McCallum Place Eating Disorder Center and schedule an intake assessment. They can and will help me with my eating disorder, depression, OCD, and anxiety.

At the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical school, there is ongoing construction of a new research building. Excitement has been circulating about this project; as a student, I receive updates at least monthly on the building’s progress. I was even invited to sign the ultimate beam that was placed as part of the scaffolding. I chose not to sign it, as this project serves as a reminder to me of my good friend’s suicide involving a school construction site in college. He was just one of so many people whose life could have been saved if he knew it was okay to get help when he needed it. Each day, as I walk past the building, I make a promise to my friend to see its completion, and make sure that others do, too. Depression and suicide are common among medical providers, even more so in the last decade. It was important that I sought out treatment when I did, even if it meant taking a medical leave with only a month left in my first year of medical school. I am so grateful that my therapist recognized the signs that I needed more support and helped me take the steps to pause my school obligations and put my life first. Treatment helped me immensely to develop coping skills outside of my eating disorder to manage my depression, anxiety, and OCD. It also helped me pharmacologically to experiment with medications in a safe setting to begin to find what works best for me. I met so many people of all different backgrounds who struggled in similar ways that I did, and this helped me feel so much less alone.

I hope that by sharing my story, I can help others recognize when they themselves or their loved ones are struggling. And that no matter who you are, it is more than okay to ask for help. Getting help for mental health should be no different than seeing a doctor for a physical ailment. Let’s keep having these conversations, destigmatize mental illness, and start saving lives.

Ms Cursor is a pseudonym for the author, who chose to use such to prevent future prejudice. She is a medical student, anticipating graduation with the class of 2026.

A Forensic Psychiatrist Takes the Stand

From the Pages of Psychiatric Times: February 2024

Medical Euthanasia in Canada: Current Issues and Potential Future Expansion

Eating Disorders and OTC Weight-Loss Product Consumption in Adolescents

Eating Disorders in BIPOC Communities

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Tips for Writing a Captivating Eating Disorders Essay

If you want to write a perfect essay on eating disorders, you need to focus on what to write for the three sections: introduction, body, and conclusion.

How to Write an Eating Disorders Essay

• Narrow down the essay topic
• Provide statistics on eating disorders in your background
• Write the hook and thesis statements
• Proceed to body paragraphs
• Support your claims with reputable evidence
• Make a scientific and insightful conclusion
• Add your citations in the reference page.

Eating disorders essay can take many forms. Your essay prompts could focus on one of the following plus other areas:

• Essay on meaning of eating disorders
• Essay on types of eating disorders.
• Essay on the causes of eating disorders.
• An essay on the impacts of eating disorders.
• Essay on the strategies to treat eating disorders.

Step 1: The first step is to narrow down your topic to make it as concise as possible. Eating disorders is a really large topic and there is just too much to write about it.

When the Essay is About the Impacts of Eating Disorders

With prompts on this topic, you can focus on a particular group such as adolescents.

People in their adolescence are among those who are most impacted, because at this period there is typically a greater prevalence of insecurity, which motivates the appearance of negative ideas.

Young people are under intense pressure to conform to beauty standards that are far removed from reality and that do not take into account the physical traits that are unique to them.

In order to create a better essay about eating disorders, it is necessary to grasp how the problems manifest themselves.

It is also important to take into consideration a variety of psychological, genetic, and social variables.

The family plays an important role as well, either by supporting the view that the affected person has or by assisting them in finding a solution through the involvement of health-care professionals.

Step 2: Write a relevant introduction

Introduction to eating disorder essay

No essays will score the highest marks without an introduction. In the introduction, you can provide:

• Statistics on eating disorders
• Surprising facts about the condition
• An interesting intervention that worked for certain groups
• Any other background information
• A thesis statement at the end of the introduction.

Examples of introduction of Eating Disorders Essay

Example 1: Anorexia is one of the most prevalent disorders in today’s society. The majority of instances involve girls and young women between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, although recent research have indicated that the minimum age is being lowered. A mental disease in which the person develops a neurotic fixation with weight growth, distorting his perception of reality in the mirror and always feeling obese, is what it is at its most basic level. Eating disorders have significant repercussions for the individual and, if not treated promptly, can result in death without prompt intervention.

Example 2: An eating disorder is described as a set of illnesses characterized by irregular eating patterns as well as extreme discomfort or anxiety over one’s weight or physical appearance. It is frequently characterized by an insufficient or excessive food consumption, which can result in long-term harm to one’s health and well-being if left untreated. Eating disorders may affect both males and girls, and they often begin during a person’s adolescent years, although they can manifest themselves at any point in one’s life. Typically, the most prevalent and most spoken about eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa is by far the most frequent and most talked discussed eating disorder because it has the most negative impact on people’s health.

Remember that introductions need working hooks. Essay hooks should set you apart from other writers and show that you know what you’re talking about.

The hook also sets the reader for what is to come next in the entire essay.

We prepared a few hooks that you can use as guidelines.

Hook sentences for eating disorder essay

• Have you ever imagined how recovery from eating disorder is like?
• You’ve undoubtedly heard a lot about eating disorders and how life-threatening they can be, but what exactly do we mean by eating disorders?
• Spending one dollar on preventing eating disorders equals saving $100 that would be spent on treatment. This is an alarming statistic that requires urgent action.
• It is unfortunate that eating disorders affect between 5 and10 million people in the United States and 70 million people globally.

Example 3: Every little girl has a desire of being a model at some time in her life; she wants to be as thin and as beautiful as the ladies she sees in magazines. Often, these young girls have an increasing desire to appear like the models, to the point where it becomes an obsession, and they begin to believe that looking like the models is a must. Once females reach the age of adolescence, they begin to make radical alterations in order to get the appearance they have always desired. The preoccupation of these teens with their beauty and weight have resulted in a rise in the number of persons who have developed an eating problem in an attempt to reach that “perfect” appearance. The definition of an eating disorder, the varieties of eating disorders that exist, and the treatment options available for eating disorders are all critical to properly comprehending the situation these people are in.

Step 3: Write the Body

Body of Essay on Eating Disorder

The next important area for your essay on eating disorders is the body. Here is where you make your arguments.

You cannot have a good essay body without a good topic for eating disorders. We compiled some titles for you to use as guidelines.

Here are a few good titles for your next eating disorder essay.

Eating disorder essay topics

• Examine the psychological factors that contribute to eating problems in children. The preventative and corrective strategies are described in detail.
• Discuss the unique characteristics of diagnosing anorexia nervosa in children and adolescents.
• What type of diagnostic treatment is more successful for pediatric patients? 4.
• What role do eating disorders have in the physical and mental development of children and adolescents?  What are the long-term ramifications of this decision?
• Investigate the impact of the family and culture on children who suffer from anorexia nervosa.
• Describe the significance of awareness-raising classes on eating problems among adolescents.
• Adolescents and youngsters are included. What impact will it have on their social life, emotions, mindset, and overall well-being?
• Identify and analyze the effects of anorexia nervosa in teenagers.
• Describe how television shows have an impact on eating problems in children and teenagers.
• Discuss the unique challenges of treating eating disorders in children and adolescents.
• Do children from private schools have a higher risk of developing eating disorders than students from public schools?
• Examine the prevalence of self-injurious conduct among females who suffer from an eating disorder.
• In what ways can bullying contribute to the spread of eating disorders? 

The various types of eating disorders and their repercussions are an issue that mostly affects young people in the most developed nations, where they are more concerned with their appearance. It is critical for parents to report on and discuss the issue with their children, and schools and other educational institutions are required to conduct preventative efforts as a matter of course. Likewise, the mass media must renounce the employment of models that only serve to instill a false sense of reality in the public mind.

So, you might want to explore the topic from that perspective.

Step 4: Writing the Conclusion

You essay is not complete without a resounding conclusion. This section is meant to wrap up your entire arguments.

Eating disorders essay conclusion

Writing the conclusion for eating disorders also requires a meticulous approach just like the rest of the paper.

Here are the items to include in the eating disorders essay conclusion:

• Restating your thesis (argument).
• Mentioning the supporting claims you used in the essay.
• Adding your personal reflection.
• Indicating the significance of discussing that topic in general.

161 Eating Disorders Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best eating disorders topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on eating disorders, 💡 most interesting eating disorders topics to write about, 📃 simple & easy eating disorders essay titles, ⭐ good research topics about eating disorders, ❓ research questions about eating disorders.

• Anorexia as Eating Disorder However, due to limitation in scope, the rest of the chapter will explore anorexia nervosa by tracing the historical background of the condition, reviewing prevalence of the disorder in terms of gender, culture and geographical […]
• Eating Disorders: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention An eating disorder is a mental illness that is primarily characterized by unhealthy eating habits. An individual either eats too much or too little.
• Influence of Modelling in Teenager’s Eating Disorders The body types required for the models to have demand of them to maintain their body shape and sizes. The models influence on the teenagers is considered too great to cause eating disorders in them.
• Anorexia Nervosa in Psychological Point of View Anorexia nervosa is more common in the industrialized countries, where being thin is considered to be more attractive, and is more frequent in Whites than the nonwhite populations. In the age group of 10-14 years, […]
• The Problem of Anorexia: “There Was a Girl” by Katy Waldman In her essay, the writer strives to embrace the concept of anorexia and explore the mindset that encourages the development of the specified disorder.
• Minuchin Family Therapy of Eating Disorders It is for this reason that the family-based treatment was conceived and implemented to involve the family in the recovery of adolescents.
• Humanistic Therapy: Mental Disorder in Patient With Anorexia As the narration unravels, it becomes clear that the girl also shows signs of anorexia nervosa – a mental disorder distinguished by an unhealthy low weight and destructive dietary patterns. DSM-5 serves as the principal […]
• Eating Disorders in Adolescent Girls This will involve making them appreciate their body the way they are and dispelling the idea that only thinness is a sign of beauty.
• Emotional Eating in Eating Disorders: A Comprehensive Study Eating concerning adverse emotions and ED psychopathology. Analysis of emotional eating concerning under- and overeating is important.
• Eating Disorders in Male Adolescents: Understanding and Intervention The research indicates that the prevalence of eating disorders in the male population has increased in the recent years. This paper aims at reviewing available scientific literature on eating disorders in the male adolescent population […]
• Impact of Advertising on Eating Disorders among University Students The study aimed at measured the self-image and the ideal self-image of the participants and correlated them with the participant’s tendency in associating with eating disorders, the exposure to media, and the desire of the […]
• Eating Disorders & Cancer Screening: Comprehensive Approach In this scenario, I would analyze the patient’s family history of breast cancer and past biopsies, as well as evaluate the level of breast density before deciding on the screening method.
• Understanding Eating Disorders: Impact of Social and Cultural Factors Assessing the role of social and cultural factors in the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders involves the same processes as those used with other population disorders.
• Addressing Eating Disorders: Urgent Measures Needed for Public Health The initiators made a petition to the representatives of the Senate and also appealed to the former head of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Eating Disorders in the Military Exposure to trauma is frequently linked to the emergence of eating disorders. As a result, soldiers develop an eating disorder due to external factors, which affect their mental and physical health, but it remains one […]
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders Thus, first of all, to assess John’s current condition, several questions were asked to form an appropriate image of the problem, such as: When and why did you first start thinking about your weight and […]
• Bulimia Nervosa: The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Subsequently, the research hypothesis is the following: CBT is a more effective treatment intervention in terms of patient outcomes than psychoanalysis, DBT, and integrative therapy.
• Treatment Interventions for Bulimia Nervosa: Case Analysis The essence of the approach is to combat the lack of self-care of the patient, where the responsibility for progress lies with Rita.
• Anorexia as Social and Psychological Disease Many who were used to his weight knew, though Bob is not the most handsome, but a charming person, kind and friendly.
• Bulimia Nervosa: Treatment and Safety Measures It is important to know about related safety measures, considerations and medications and therefore outcomes of bulimic patients are more likely to be optimistic.
• Bulimia: A Severe Eating Disorder The main symptoms of bulimia include intermittent eating of enormous amounts of food to the point of stomach discomfort, abdominal pain, flatulence, constipation, and blood in the vomit due to irritation of the esophagus.
• Eating Disorders Among Medical Students Ehab and Walaa point out that for one-third of medical students, there is a risk of developing ED. Consequently, the problem of ED among medical students is urgent and requires attention.
• Adherence to Medical Advice in Patients With Bulimia Patients’ non-adherence to medical advice presents a common problem in the health care system. The use of health apps allows patients to overcome shame or guilt in eating disorder treatment, increasing adherence.
• Eating Disorders: Diagnosis and Treatment The idealization of an extremely skinny body in the fashion world, television, press, and social media resulted in the rise in the number of individuals with eating disorders.
• Bulimia in Teenagers: How to Make a Change This paper hypothesizes that to make a change a complex of psychological measures should be taken that includes the use of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, formation of the right attitude to food and body weight, and building […]
• Binge-Eating Disorder: Diagnosis and Treatment The second part of the case focuses on the empirically tested treatments for the diagnosed problem, justifying the choice of treatment for Alice with available clinical data.
• Eating Disorder Among Youth and Its Aspects It is due to the fact that often the above sociological factors cause the development of psychological issues, especially among young people.
• Anorexia Nervosa and Its Treatment Anorexia nervosa is a treatable eating disorder when people significantly limit the number of calories and types of foods they eat, which leads to excessive weight loss. The objectives of anorexia treatment include weight recovery, […]
• Predictors and Long-Term Health Outcomes of Eating Disorders The authors of the article Predictors and long-term health outcomes of eating disorders aimed to study this topic and bring new information into existing research.
• Mental Health Project: Binge-Eating Disorder The result was the start of the Binge-Eating Disorder Association, a non-profit organization. The main role of the organization was to advocate, support, and help the binge-eating disorder society.
• Genetic Disorder: “A Genetic Link to Anorexia” The author effectively proves that the development of anorexia nervosa may occur not only due to the exposure to the social pressure of beauty standards, but also the presence of a genetic predisposition.
• Eating Disorders in Adolescents Thus, the purpose of the present paper is to dwell on the specifics of external factors causing the disorder as well as the ways to deal with this issue.
• Anorexia and Bulimia: Effects of Eating Disorders Anorexia is an eating disorder that is characterized by: an extreme fear of weight gain, and distorted view of one’s body weight.
• Eating Disorders: Types, Signs and Treatments Eating disorders encompass a wide variety of illnesses that are characterized by abnormal eating habits, obsession with body image, and sudden weight fluctuations.
• Lifestyle Impact on Eating Disorders In contemporary societies men have been socialized to believe they should have certain physical body structures that describe their masculinity; the fact is reinforced in the television and video programs, music, and the general societal.men […]
• Acculturation and Eating Disorders in Western Countries In one of the studies, the relationship between acculturation and eating disorders was found to be non-existent. As evident in the table, most of the researchers have noted that acculturation and eating disorders are strongly […]
• Bulimia: Causes and Treatment Bulimia is an eating disorder which is portrayed by binging on food and subsequently vomiting in several attempts of purging.”removal of nutrients in form of purging entails forced vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting […]
• Controlling the Problem and the Treatment Anorexia Nervosa Finally, the paper will be looking at the possible measures of controlling the problem and the treatment of the victims. When female are in their teenage, most of them are affected by the problem of […]
• Regulation of Metabolism and Eating Disorders When a person feels full, hormones, such as cholecystokinin and peptide YY3 36, are released to promote the feeling of satiety and suppress the appetite.
• American Girls’ Eating Disorders and Change Action They will be also offered encouraging interviews with those who managed to overcome the problem of eating disorders including my sister.
• Daily Patterns of Anxiety in Anorexia Nervosa The researchers failed to indicate the distinct and important sections such as the study objectives and the significance of the study.
• Anorexia Nervosa and Life-Sustaining Treatment Therefore, the primary care for patients with anorexia nervosa requires administration of various dietary and mental medical interventions and a clear understanding of different concepts and ethical issues related to the treatment of the disorder.
• Media’s Role in Influencing Eating Disorders The media has distorted the issue of beauty to a point where beauty is no longer “in the eyes of the beholder” but on people’s body size.
• Anorexia Studies. “Thin” Documentary The nutrition of a single person has a strong cultural aspect, being influenced by traditions of a family circle and the whole nation.
• Concepts of Eating Disorders On the other hand, the quantity of food consumed does not determine satiety; rather, it is the quantities of nutrient consumed. In addition, the moving of lipid components into the duodenum helps individuals to reduce […]
• Eating Disorders: Anorexia and Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa is the disease in which the patient avoids eating because of the fear of getting fat. Bulimia Nervosa refers to the pattern of binge eating.
• The Anorexia Nervosa as a Mental Illness While tracing the history of the disease, many authors have come to the conclusion that the disease is to some extent due to the living styles that people have adopted over the years and also […]
• Anorexia Nervosa: Medical Issues In response to this, the writer wishes to state that the purpose of this paper is to present a brief outline of anorexia and its causes to the millions of Americans out there without knowledge […]
• The Portrayal of Women With Anorexia Body image distortion, wherein the individual has an inaccurate perception of body shape and size is considered to be the cause of the intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat witnessed in individuals with […]
• The Relationship Between Compulsive Binge Eating Disorder and Long Term Health The adult population of Afro-Americans was compared with that of children and it was found out that the disorder occurred in both of the extremes. Binge eating is a disorder that emerges due to the […]
• Issue of Personal Concern: Eating Disorders Moreover, the lack of sufficient funding, insurance coverage, and outlets for people with eating disorders contribute to progressive development of anorexia, bulimia, and other health-related problems.
• Binge Eating Disorder Treatment: A Grounded Theory This disorder can be a chronic problem and is associated with negative consequences that may reduce the quality of life for the individuals who struggle with it.
• The Role of Family in Developing and Treating Anorexia The rest of the poem confused and inspired me as a reader because Smith, as well as millions of people around the globe, proved the impossibility to have one particular definition of anorexia in modern […]
• Eating Disorders: Public Service Announcement Thus, seeking help and battling the disorder is a way to accept that all people were created by God and loved by Him regardless of how thin they are.
• Visual Body Perception in Anorexia Nervosa by Urgesi et al. Because of this, in their research article, Urgesi et al.explored the issue of visual body perception as related to the manifestation of anorexia nervosa.
• “Skinny Boy: A Young Man’s Battle and Triumph Over Anorexia” by Gary A. Grahl Grahl suffered from anorexia in his youth, and the book is a memoir-like account of the event, serving to open the door to the psychology of the disease in the male populace a vulnerable population […]
• Anorexia Nervosa and Its Perception by Patients In the control group, 80 laymen and women were selected randomly to participate in the study and they completed a modified IPQ-R questionnaire to elicit their perceptions towards AN.
• Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and LGBTQ Suicide Awareness Concerning the format, the design of the poster is good and the words are readable. The colors and contrasts enhance the readability of the content and stress the key points, such as AN indicators, risk […]
• Eating Disorder Patient’s Assessment and Treatment I should explain to the patient the severity of eating disorders and their possible adverse influence on the patient’s health and life.
• Bulimia Nervosa and Antisocial Personality Disorder The patient said that his head is constantly aching, but the man avoids going to his doctor because he does not want to hear bad news about his health and does not want to cope […]
• Social Media Impact on Depression and Eating Disorder When they turn to the social media, they are bombarded with a lot of information that they cannot properly comprehend. In the social media, they get to understand that beauty is associated with one’s body […]
• Eating Disorder Screening and Treatment Plan The strong point of this article is the combination of the eating disorders and behavioral aspects of the problem as the mixture of the possible reasons for the psychological problem.
• Differential Diagnosis in a Patient: Anorexia Nervosa The first step is to avoid malingering and make sure that a patient is not pretending to be sick. Julia’s and the roommate’s stories are not contradictory; hence, it is safe to say that Julia […]
• Eating Disorders in Traditional and Social Media One can argue that traditional media, through the depiction of ED stories, started the discussion about mental health, introducing concepts of anorexia, bulimia, and other conditions, often described in a negative light due to the […]
• Anthropology: Anorexia and Idiopathic Seizures Considering the relation between this disease and cultural issues, it is possible to refer to life of people in society. It is essential to consider anorexia and idiopathic epilepsy from the point of view of […]
• Eating Disorders, Insomnia, and Schizophrenia Of course, this readiness does not exclude the necessity to identify such people and provide the necessary treatment to them, which is proved to be effective.
• Anorexia Nervosa: Diagnosis and Treatment in Psychotherapy In the meantime, it is, likewise, vital to determine the cause of the condition’s appearance and point out the necessary alterations.
• Controlling Eating Disorders It is important to manage these problems as they compromise the physical health of the individual. The individuals are usually disturbed by the size and shape of their body.
• Influence of Media on Anorexia As the children grow, they disregard big-bodied people, and try as much as possible to maintain a slim figure, as they see from the magazines and televisions.
• Psychological Factors Underlying Anorexia Nervosa The condition also occurs where individuals deny hunger as well as restrict energy and nutrients to levels that are minimal and inadequate to maintain the functioning of the normal body health and mass. In addition, […]
• The Problem of Anorexia in Modern American Society However, in spite of frightening statistics, nowadays many sufferers have a good chance to recover due to increasing number of programs and campaigns aimed at overcoming this disease. 7% – Hispanic people, and the rest […]
• Eating Disorder Prevention Programs Through the article, Stice and Shaw evaluated the current information on eating disorders based on risks and maintenance aspects rather than on a particular analysis.
• Gender and Demographic Aspects of Eating Disorders In the situation involving African American women, body image is much more of several factors that include how others react to them, comparisons of their bodies with those of the others in the same environment, […]
• Eating Disorders Among Teenage Girls According to recent research conducted, mass media has affected most teens negatively in the following ways: Media Version of physical beauty The teens are not mindful of the fact that the messages that they are […]
• The Eating Disorder – Anorexia Nervosa It is noted that majority of the people that suffer from anorexia disorder are those that suffer from low-self esteem. The eating disorder makes bodies of people suffering from Anorexia nervosa struggle to manage insufficient […]
• The Concept of Normality In Relation To Eating Disorders Among the dominant sociological understanding of normality that will be used to argue through the concept of eating disorders in this paper are the views such as; what is considered normal can be differentiated from […]
• Healthy Lifestyles in the Context of Anorexia and Obesity In addition, a thorough evaluation of one’s lifestyle is imperative so as to rectify that which is causing the anorexia. As discussed in this paper, it is clear that physical activity and a healthy balanced […]
• Mental Health & Culture on Weight and Eating Disorders The depressed and anxious mind sabotages one’s efforts to loosing weight thus leading to the weird feeling of hopelessness and the good efforts or intentions capsizes leaving one to the option of the detrimental food […]
• Anorexia Nervosa: Signs, Effects and Therapies Nurses in the labor and delivery units need to be trained on the proper way of diagnosing and handling anorexia patients to reduce cases of infant mortality. A combination of medical attention and accommodating psychotherapy […]
• Treatments of Anorexia Nervosa Because the mortality rates and co-morbidity incidence of aneroxia nervosa remains critically high despite the array of various intervention strategies that are currently available to health professionals, it is justifiable to have a reassessment of […]
• Diagnosis and Reasons of the Bulimia Nervosa Bulimia is also evident in African countries even with the general notion that African women ought to be fat as a sign of beauty and fertility.
• Eating Disorders: Assessment & Misconceptions The DSM-IV-TR criteria for Bulimia nervosa, according to Berg et al, “…include binge eating, defined as the consumption of an unusually large amount of food coupled with a subjective sense of loss of control, and […]
• Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper The only way of making this meat safe for consumption would be to cook it all the way through to kill the bacteria on the surface and inside the meat.
• Anorexia in Teens: Media Impact This research focuses on the impact of the media as the ultimate key player for the development of the dangerous disorder among the contemporary young girls in the society.
• The Prevalence of Eating Disorders According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the main types of eating disorders. The trend of anorexia nervosa reached its peak in the 1980s and that is why […]
• The Media’s Influence on Eating Disorders This gives people the impression that by eating the food they will be as beautiful as the model in the advert is. This shows that the media is capable of influencing our eating habits.
• Body Image Issues and Eating Disorders in Sport and Exercise This is very crucial to the sports people as effects in their functionality leads to an automatic decline in performance of the sport.
• Eating Disorders: Anorexia, Bulimia and Compulsive Overeating Anorexia is a both eating and psychological disorder that is initiated as a person begins to diet in order to lose weight.
• Psychological Disorders: Bulimia Nervosa vs. Anorexia Nervosa Although people with the condition are able to recover if the disorder is properly managed, Eysenck states that the near starvation state that most anorexics live with during the period of the disorder can be […]
• Eating Disorders: A Session With Sufferers of Obesity and Anorexia One of the myths that surrounds anorexia is that the only cause of this disorder is the wish to lose weight; some people even refer to the condition as the ‘slimmer’s disease’.
• Eating Disorders: How the Media Have Influenced Their Development in Adolescent Girls
• Eating Disorders and Mental Disorders
• Addiction and Recovery Eating Disorders
• Eating Disorders and the Influences of Culture
• Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia: Common Eating Disorders in American Women
• The Physical and Emotional Effects of Eating Disorders
• Stress and Eating Disorders in Teenagers
• Eating Disorders and Personality Disorders
• Eating Disorders and Beauty Ideals in American Society
• Eating Disorders and Ballet – Anorexia Nervosa Is Eating the Soul of Young Dancers
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Eating Disorders; A Transdignostic Theory and Treatment
• Association Between Depression and Eating Disorders
• The Rising and Dangerous Trend of Eating Disorders: The Types and Causes
• Eating Disorders and Reproduction
• Behavioral Feeding and Eating Disorders
• Eating Disorders: Genetics and Environmental Influences
• Childhood Factors and Eating Disorders Symptoms
• Various Eating Disorders – Compulsive Overeating
• Hunger, Obesity, and Eating Disorders
• Adolescent and Parent Experience of Care at a Family-Based Treatment Service for Eating Disorders
• Childhood Sexual Abuse and Eating Disorders
• Eating Disorders and Its Impact on Society
• Anorexia, Bulimia, and Related Eating Disorders Treatment
• Differences Between Anorexia, Bulimia, and Eating Disorders
• Anxiety and Depression Profile and Eating Disorders in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Psychological Treatment for Eating Disorders
• Quantifying the Psychopathology of Eating Disorders From the Autonomic Nervous System Perspective: A Methodological Approach
• Children With Eating Disorders – Therapy Issues
• Eating Disorders Among Different Cultures
• Causes, Treatment, and the Role of Media on the Battle Against Eating Disorders in the United States
• Eating Disorders and Emotional Eating
• Cognitive and Affective Empathy in Eating Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• When Parenting Fails: Alexithymia and Attachment States of Mind in Mothers of Female Patients With Eating Disorders
• Parental Mental Illness and Eating Disorders
• Structural and Functional Brain Connectivity Changes Between People With Abdominal and Non-abdominal Obesity and Their Association With Behaviors of Eating Disorders
• Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Disorders
• The Three Major Eating Disorders in the United States
• Eating Disorders Among Children and Teens
• Women, Weight and Eating Disorders a Socio-Cultural and Political-Economic Analysis
• Eating Disorders and the Fashion Industry
• Why Are Eating Disorders So Common?
• Why Are Teens Plagued With Eating Disorders?
• Why Do Binge Eating Disorders Affect More?
• Whether the Fashion World Causes Eating Disorders?
• Which Symptoms of the Gastrointestinal Tract Occur in Patients With Eating Disorders?
• What Are Eating Disorders?
• What Are the Challenges That Face a Psychotherapist Working With Self-Harm or Eating Disorders?
• What Are the Major Causes of Eating Disorders in Young Women?
• What Causes Eating Disorders?
• What Role Does the Family Play in Developing, Maintaining, and Treating Eating Disorders?
• How do American Society and Culture Influence Eating Disorders?
• How Are Eating Disorders Affecting Our Health?
• How Does Food Taste in Eating Disorders: Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa?
• How Does the Perception of Beauty Impact the Development of Eating Disorders?
• How do Eating Disorders Begin and What They Leave Behind?
• How Can Eating Disorders Be Viewed as Multi-Determined Disorders?
• How Do People Deal With Eating Disorders?
• How Does Society Affect the Development of Eating Disorders?
• How Has the Advertising Industry Caused an Increase in Eating Disorders?
• How Does the Media Influence Eating Disorders?
• How Can Widely Available Social Media Cause the Development of Eating Disorders?
• Does Adolescent Media Use Cause Obesity and Eating Disorders?
• Does Our Country Support Eating Disorders?
• Does Social Media Contribute to the Development of Eating Disorders in Young Adults?
• Does Social Pressure Influence Eating Disorders Among Adolescents?
• Does the Media Influence the Development of Eating Disorders in Adolescents?
• Does Depression Assist Eating Disorders?
• Are Eating Disorders More Common Among Women Than Men?
• Are Eating Disorders Psychological or Cultural Problems?
• Are Eating Disorders Really about Food?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Essay Samples on Eating Disorders

College students face various challenges, and one of the most critical ones is eating disorders. As a result, essays on this topic have become quite popular among students. Writing a college essay about eating disorders can be challenging, especially if you have not experienced it before. However, it is a critical topic that requires attention.

An eating disorder essay typically addresses the psychological, emotional, and physical impacts of eating disorders. It also covers factors that can cause an eating disorder, such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Additionally, the essay provides information about the types of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

When choosing among eating disorder essay topics, it is crucial to choose the one you are interested in, as it will make the writing process more manageable. You could choose to write about how eating disorders affect mental health or explore the relationship between social media and eating disorders. Furthermore, you can also provide tips on how to prevent or overcome an eating disorder.

To write an effective essay, ensure that you research extensively to gather relevant information about the topic. Also, maintain a clear structure, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Finally, proofread and edit your work to eliminate any errors.

A college essay about eating disorders is an an opportunity to raise awareness about the harmful impacts of eating disorders and provide tips on prevention and management. Use this section to get inspiration and find essay samples on this topic.

Causes and Treatment of Childhood Obesity

'He is just a kid, give him what he wants'. This is the phase that is mostly used by the parents in order to encourage their children from eating what they want as long as it will make them happy. However, the statistic has shown...

• Child Behavior
• Childhood Obesity
• Eating Disorders

Lactose Intolerance: Main Topics About Disorder

Lactase persistence is something that we covered in class briefly, though it is something I found to be interesting. Even though most people are lactose intolerant, they still consume dairy anyways. The reason for that is because the consequences, such as bloating or diarrhea, are...

• Lactose Intolerance

Why Teenagers Are Developing Eating Disorders

Nowaday, Teenager have feeling that their body isn’t perfect.It decreases their confidence and giving them an eating disorder this is called Teenage Anorexia . Even though this eating disorder is very dangerous but people continue doing it. It can harm themselves and may cause to...

Anorexia As An Eating Disorder

Anorexia Nervosa, commonly called anorexia, is one of the most dangerous eating disorders. It is where individuals relentlessly starve themselves to pursue their ideal body image, which is to be thin. In doing so they starve their body from obtaining vital nutrients. There are a...

Anorexia: Psychiatric Illness Or Not

Anorexia Nervosa is a serious psychiatric illness that deeply affects the lives of both the victim and the victim’s close friends and family in that those afflicted with anorexia have an overwhelming desire to remain thin where they obsess over calories, the fat content of...

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Coping Methods To Get Through Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving can be a wonderful day filled with family togetherness and traditional foods. It can also be very stressful, due to the very same things: family togetherness and traditional foods. Several Thanksgiving dishes, such as pie or mashed potatoes, may be experienced as 'trigger' foods...

• Psychotherapy
• Thanksgiving

Eating Disorder: Types, Causes, and Treatment Options

Malaysia is a nation that has been recognized as a developing country and is one of the most competitive economists among developing countries in Asia. However, we as Malaysian are not immune to the mental illness disorder because of many common factors such as social,...

Taking Care of Eating Disorders During Holidays

Thanksgiving, while typically viewed as a holiday where people are free to stuff their faces, can be a difficult experience for others. It is impossible to know the details of another person’s relationship with food, and the way we talk about food can have a...

The Link Between Memories, Emotions and Motivation

Memory is the capability to learn, retain, and also remember information from our previous experiences. Memories are accumulated from prior experiences and recollected, which can influence a change of behavior or thought. This ability can help us with learning and adapting to new experiences. I...

• Flashbulb Memory

Bulimia Affects More Women than Men

The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, or DSM, is a classification of mental disorders with associated criteria designed to facilitate more reliable diagnoses of these disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). DSM started in America but is now widely used by...

The Study of Neuroscientifical Approach to Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa (AN), usually referred to as merely anorexia is a predominant eating disorder that is more commonly in but not restricted to females in comparison to their male counterparts. Anorexia is split into two separate types within the disorder, restrictive and binge/purging. Restrictive Anorexia...

• Mental Illness

The Role of Social Environmental Issues in Anorexia and Eating Disorder

Having better knowledge about what lies at the roots of an eating disorder, the world could improve in order to make the environmental triggers as small as possible. This is already happening slowly in the fashion industry, as mentioned earlier, but things could go a...

Recovery from Eating Disorder Fueled by Compassion

Compassion is the ability to show empathy, love, and concern for other people with a desire to help reduce their suffering. It is often confused with empathy, and although the two share similar qualities, empathy refers to our ability to feel the emotions another person...

Stop Eating Fast Food: The Link Between Fast Food And Health Disorders

Almost everyone has had fast food at some point during their lives, whether it is because it’s a quick and easy option or due to just laziness. Whatever the reason, there is no doubt about the link between fast food consumption and overall health deterioration....

Overview Of Eating And Feeding Disorders

Introduction Feeding and Eating Disorder recently have become a very common phenomena and subject to study. This is related to psychological disorder and emerged from any psychological stress disorder, trauma or any other by born physical health problem that is diagnosed in this paper reviewing...

The Impact Of Social Media On The Prevalence Of Eating Disorders

While searching the internet for advertisements and music videos that I could use for this assignment, I came across an alarming number of advertisements and music videos that subconsciously promoted disordered eating or an unhealthy mindset. I then did a little bit more research into...

• Effects of Social Media
• Western Culture

Best topics on Eating Disorders

1. Causes and Treatment of Childhood Obesity

2. Lactose Intolerance: Main Topics About Disorder

3. Why Teenagers Are Developing Eating Disorders

4. Anorexia As An Eating Disorder

5. Anorexia: Psychiatric Illness Or Not

6. Coping Methods To Get Through Thanksgiving

7. Eating Disorder: Types, Causes, and Treatment Options

8. Taking Care of Eating Disorders During Holidays

9. The Link Between Memories, Emotions and Motivation

10. Bulimia Affects More Women than Men

11. The Study of Neuroscientifical Approach to Anorexia Nervosa

12. The Role of Social Environmental Issues in Anorexia and Eating Disorder

13. Recovery from Eating Disorder Fueled by Compassion

14. Stop Eating Fast Food: The Link Between Fast Food And Health Disorders

15. Overview Of Eating And Feeding Disorders

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• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Alternative Medicine
• Alcohol Abuse

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Essay about eating disorder?

I had a long post written out before, but I decided to delete it because the post was VERY detailed. That said, I was thinking about making my CA essay about my eating disorder and how I turned this weakness (poor self-confidence, basically) into a strength (setting my mind to achieving anything). Thoughts? Also, if you want to read my academic profile to see how it would go along with this topic idea, you can read that here: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1894117-is-nyu-or-usc-a-dream-or-a-possibility.html#latest

You should not post your essay online, it opens you up to plagiarism risk. You have time to edit.

@intparent this is not my essay AT ALL. I was just elaborating on what my essay would be about. I would not be using any of the text I have posted here.

@intparent are you saying I should still take it down?

In general, I would not write on this. Don’t take the prompts too literally – remember that the college admissions office didn’t make up these prompts, they are from the Common App. You want topics that make them want you on campus. Anything about any kind of mental health disorder is a risk. If you feel a need to write about it, do it in a diary or talk with a therapist (and I genuinely mean that) – but don’t do it in your college essays. There is more to you than your eating disorder – show them that.

This type of question comes up every year. The consensus is the same: why write about something that would give a college a reason to be concerned about admitting you? I’ll grant you that writing about overcoming a problem seems like a strong response. I would not go there.

First off, congratulations on overcoming an eating disorder! They are nasty, nasty things that ruin lives. Never being hospitalized or officially diagnosed doesn’t make it less hard on you. Kudos, for real.

That being said, I don’t see this as a particularly compelling college essay. At least the way you describe it, you overcame your eating disorder by “setting your mind to it”-- while I’m glad you’ve recovered, this description seems to kind of blame a lot of people who continue to suffer with eating disorders. It doesn’t leave a great taste in my mouth, and I can’t imagine it would for the adcom reading either, especially if they had a close family member/friend with an ED. The background about middle school seems important when explaining how it started, but seems really out of place in a college essay-- if the thoughts of high schoolers are rarely organized into interesting thoughts/essays, thoughts of middle schoolers are probably more trivial.

Being vegan could be done if done right; I would leave out how it stemmed from an eating disorder, and avoid any harsh language against the typical diet with meat and dairy. At best, it comes off as “just another one of those preachy vegans…”, which may turn off an adcom. If you can spin it like it’s what you believe in morally and you don’t care if you get flak for it, and then show other examples of how your resistance to following the crowd has helped you in life (again, being careful to avoid “other kids partied, i studied, now i’m valedictorian and they work at mcdonald’s!” shaming language) then I think it could be a cool read.

@intparent Thank you for your honest opinion. I definitely agree with what you’re saying, but my idea was to show how I overcame the eating disorder and how it made me a stronger person mentally, physically, and academically. By overcoming it (with no treatment or therapy, FYI), I also proved to myself that I am capable of anything I set my mind to. Similarly, my “defining characteristic” would be about how I’m now vegan and how that has shaped my world view, too. If you still feel like this is too risky/too personal/doesn’t really showcase all I have, I would love some more advice. I’m really coming at this openly.

It is, bluntly, not a good topic. Pick something completely different.

@novafan1225 thank you for your genuine feedback! I figured I’d be getting some responses like the ones I have been getting, and I truthfully think it’s healthy for me to get this upfront advice. Yeah, I’m strongly leaning towards the vegan topic (and no, I am definitely not a “preachy” vegan, and people I know would tell you that, but I know a few who are haha). I also have never been one to “follow the crowd,” like growing up making YouTube videos despite people making fun of me, so I’m thinking of taking that spin (not necessarily the videos part, but the part about not following the crowd). Thanks again!

Let me +1 on the “don’t write about xxxxxx mental health problem”. Colleges might fail to admit you because they’re worried about something happening to you because you might fall into relapse. Suppose someone decided to write about overcoming depression. If that student relapses and commits suicide on campus or something (like in a dorm), it won’t look very good on the school.

Don’t pick a topic that can give the impression that you are mentally unstable, preachy, or just plain annoying.

This is very close to home for my family. Our daughter overcame an eating disorder. Her struggle concluded near the end of the tenth grade. Her overall profile as a High School student was extremely strong. The list of schools she was applying to was quite reach heavy. We had the discussion about how risky it was to write her primary essay about her experience with an eating disorder. As her parent I was troubled by the thought of an admissions person thinking less of our wonderful daughter, the thought of her entire High School experience being dismissed because of she being perceived as a risky admit. Our daughter understood the risk, I was so intent on protecting her that I encouraged her to not to write about her eating disorder. She decided to, she felt she had to no matter the consequences. I supported her decision because it was her decision to make. I was very concerned though. It worked out for her. I do believe she was extremely fortunate! Best Wishes for your continued good health, and good luck to you!

GOOD LUCK!!!

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Home — Application Essay — Liberal Arts Schools — My Struggle with an Eating Disorder

My Struggle with an Eating Disorder

• University: Cornell University

About this sample

Words: 498 |

Updated: Nov 30, 2023

Words: 498 | Pages: 1 | 3 min read

In this personal essay, I share a humorous yet poignant story of my quest for immunization records to attend a summer program at Brown University. Along the way, I inadvertently confront concerns about my eating disorder. The essay touches on medical mishaps, literary discussions, and my journey to obtain essential documents.

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Last summer, I was accepted to attend Brown University for a four-week creative writing program. However, there were a few more bureaucratic hoops I had to jump through before I could get on a plane to Providence. For starters, I needed to provide evidence of immunization.

I went straight to the source on this one: my parents.

- "Mom, have I been immunized?"

- "May I have the records to this? Preferably notarized. And mailed to this address by four p.m. today. Oh, and here's 37 cents. Thanks in advance."

Unfortunately, my mother had no such records. But perhaps my doctor did.

So, I called up the only clinic in the Sunbelt covered by my HMO and asked for my records. They informed me that only a doctor could access my records, because they apparently require Level 50 Pentagon clearance.

Unluckily for me, my HMO doesn't cover medical expenses incurred as a result of "injury" or "disease." Furthermore, the operations that they do cover (currently limited to animalist rituals and blood donation) requires co-payments most third party campaigns couldn't afford. However, these records were vital, so I asked my parents for money, and drove down to the clinic.

After a brief wait during which I read an outdated "Newsweek" highly critical of the McKinley administration, I met with Dr. Franklin, whose first words were "You've lost weight."

I realized then that in my fervor to obtain the records, I had overlooked the fact that my doctor had the silly notion that I was anorexic. Whoops. And I thought it was a bit suspicious that they weighed me before going in.

So, we got into an argument. She pounced on me for being "anorexic," and I sort of sat there and acquiesced. Then she wrote down on a little pad "Anorexia Nervosa" very patronizingly and slid it over. Again, acquiescence.

Fortunately, the mood changed, and we got into a discussion about literature. (The flow was: eating disorder --> repression --> social norms --> iconoclasm --> 20th century authors) Apparently, she personally knew Kurt Vonnegut many years back, which I thought was pretty interesting, since I loved Cat's Cradle.

In the end, she suggested I read Siddhartha (which I would find interesting, but not astounding) and said the Brown trip would be "therapeutic" for me. And she didn't have the immunization records.

That left me out a $20,000 co-payment and several hours of my time, all for a sticky note. In a final show of defiance, I placed the anorexia note on my breast and drove to my school, which would certainly have those useless records.

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The dramatic irony of this final scene exists in that I did not know I was still wearing the note. But it all worked out, as I would go on to successfully attend Brown without spreading my horrible infections to very many people.

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