“My GP didn’t take my eating disorder seriously – it’s about time we invested in more training”

conditions, a reality which stems in part from myths and misunderstandings about what someone who is seriously ill with an eating disorder looks like.

“[Eating disorders] remain poorly understood with devastating consequences for thousands of patients and their families.” Here, she tells her story – and explains why the conversation about the need for professionals to have more training is so important. “I was definitely too thin – especially for my age and height – but the doctor told me he didn’t see a problem because I had a great figure”and I’d shut myself away in the evenings so I could be alone with my food. I even started eating the same thing every night in a really ritualistic way. Over time, the exercise got more and more and the food got less and less. Before I knew it, I found myself in a hole – and I decided to get help.

“After another year of struggling and moving to a different city, I decided to try again. This time, I got a referral to a psychiatric service for an initial meeting, but it didn’t go well. The appointment itself was held inside an eating disorders unit at a local hospital, and seeing all the people there made me feel like a fraud – especially after what I’d been told by the GP I saw initially. After one appointment, I fled – and didn’t end up seeking any more help for another two years.

“There are, of course, some primary care professionals who are really good. On my third attempt to seek help, the GP I saw took one look at me and sent me straight to the local eating disorder service at the hospital and they took me on from there. Since then, I’ve been on a very slow climb upwards – and now I’m happy to say I’m fully recovered.“While I was definitely grateful to receive help , it’s still upsetting to me that it took so long in the end.

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