Can men have eating disorders too?

Yes. Eating disorders also affect men, more often than people think, but in men they are recognised and diagnosed less often, partly because of the stereotype that they are “a women’s problem”. The suffering and the risks are just as real.

Is it just a phase that will pass on its own?

Eating disorders tend to sustain themselves and, if untreated, can get worse and seriously affect physical health. The earlier help comes, the better, but treatment is worthwhile at any age and at any stage.

Someone I love eats very little or hides what they eat. How can I support them?

Talk to them gently about your concern, without comments on their body or weight. Tell them a specialist can help; the booking can only be made with their agreement.

Can eating disorders be treated?

Yes. With the right support, many people feel much better over time and gradually rebuild a calm relationship with food and with their own body. Treatment is usually a team approach (psychiatric, psychotherapeutic and, when needed, medical), adapted to each person.

Eating disorders | Acord Med

In an emergency: 112 · Romanian Green Anti-Suicide Line 0800 801 200 (free; Friday–Sunday, 19:00–07:00)

What are eating disorders

Eating disorders are mental health conditions in which the relationship with food, with one’s own body and with control becomes a source of suffering. Although they are expressed through eating, at heart they are not about food, vanity or willpower.

Underneath there are usually emotions that are hard to bear: anxiety, the need for control in a life that seems to have slipped out of control, perfectionism, shame or a pain that has not found other words. Food (restriction, excess, the rituals around it) becomes the way a person tries to manage all of this.

Signs and symptoms

Eating disorders take different forms, and sometimes they overlap. They show in how you eat, but also in your emotions and the way you think. Perhaps you have noticed:

In the relationship with food

rigid rules and a lot of anxiety around food
skipping meals, restricting or, on the contrary, episodes of eating that feel out of control
rituals, secrecy or avoiding eating in front of others
thoughts about food that won’t leave you alone

In the relationship with your body and yourself

an intense preoccupation with your own body, which strongly influences your mood
harsh self-criticism, the feeling that it is never “enough”
tying your personal worth to appearance or control

Emotionally and socially

shame and isolation, hiding what is happening
anxiety, sadness, irritability
withdrawing from social situations that involve food

The suffering deserves help even if the picture is not “complete”.

A myth that delays help

A harmful myth about eating disorders is that they have a “look”: that a person has to look a certain way for their suffering to be real.

The truth is different: most people with an eating disorder are not recognisable from the outside. These disorders occur at all ages, in all genders and in all body types. Waiting for things to become “serious enough” or “visible enough” only delays help which, when offered early, is much more effective.

If your relationship with food occupies your thoughts and affects your life, that is enough for you to deserve support.

When to see a specialist

It is worth talking to a specialist if:

thoughts about food, your body or control take up a large part of your day
food has become a constant source of anxiety, shame or secrecy
you avoid social situations because of food
your mood depends strongly on your appearance or on a sense of control
those close to you have expressed concern, even if you are not sure
you feel you no longer have control over this aspect of your life

With a team that understands you, meals can become ordinary moments again, and thoughts about your body can take up less and less space.

Important: eating disorders can seriously affect physical health, sometimes without obvious signs. If you or someone close to you has worrying physical symptoms (fainting, palpitations, marked weakness) or thoughts of self-harm, assessment is urgent: contact a doctor, call 112 or the Romanian Green Anti-Suicide Line 0800 801 200 (free; Friday–Sunday, 19:00–07:00), or go to the nearest emergency department.

The first step

If you recognise yourself in what you’ve read, or you’re worried about someone close to you, book a conversation with one of our specialists. Together, we’ll look at what’s going on and what your options are.

Services: Psychiatry · Psychotherapy · Psychological assessment
See our team and pricing.

This information is for educational purposes and does not replace a specialist consultation.

Eating disorders