Eating disorders on the rise
A dramatic increase in the number of young people presenting to health services with serious eating disorders is one of the most concerning trends to come out of COVID-19, say mental health experts.
The rise in young people seeking support for eating disorders in Melbourne, which follows a phenomenon experienced worldwide, has resulted in a demand on services not seen before.
Dr Paul Denborough, Clinical Director of the Alfred Child and Youth Mental Health Service and Headspace, said the increase can be attributed to a number of factors.
“The stress and anxiety of living in a pandemic, and with the associated pressures that has placed on young people and the family unit, has seen more people develop eating disorders as a way of grabbing back some control in a time when very little seemed controllable.”
While control as a coping mechanism has long been linked to eating disorders, Dr Denborough said newer triggers had increased in prevalence over the last 18 months.
“Something we started seeing a lot of after the start of our first lockdown is that young people, who were previously highly engaged with team sports, experienced an increase in anxiety once their activity was put on hold.”
“As well as there being a gap in the sense of belonging and social outlet sports gave them, young people began reporting a lot more concern about lack of physical activity and the impact on their weight.”
“In some cases, this has led to disordered eating and behaviours, which have developed into the early stages of an eating disorder.”
Alfred Health’s Eating Disorder Program focuses on early intervention to support young people who are developing signs of unhelpful eating habits.
“We have a range of inpatient and outpatient services specifically tailored to understanding where the young person is at,” said Dr Denborough.
“We are focused on working with the young person at the centre of their care, with the support of a specialist team and their family or carer where appropriate, to design a pathway forward for them.”
If you are concerned about a young person you know, or would like more information, detail on our eating disorder program is available on our website.
