How to Ask for Help for an Eating Disorder When You are Estranged From Friends and Family Members

Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC, Director of Content and Social Media at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope

Eating disorders are isolating diseases that impact a person in multiple ways. Many individuals who struggle with an eating disorder, such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, often have a difficult time maintaining relationships in their own lives. This is often because the eating disorder changes a person in multiple ways that make it challenging to engage with family and loved ones.

Unfortunately, many eating disorder behaviors can cause a person to become estranged from those closest to them. This could be for multiple reasons: seclusion, secrecy, deception and many other behaviors associated with an eating disorder.

Working Through Broken Relationships with Friends and Family

Individuals who struggle with eating disorders are often sorely misunderstood or are not able to communicate what they are struggling with. Added to this, there is a sense of shame with eating disorders, perpetuated by the stigma of mental health that is ongoing in our culture and society. This can make it even more challenging for a person with an eating disorder to ask for help or even to share their struggles with the people closest to them.

Broken relationships that become more complicated by an eating disorder can be healed and repaired, and this comes slowly through recovery. Though in the process of feeling alone and misunderstood by family and loved ones, it can be hard to reach out for the help that is needed to begin the recovery process. It is essential to find someone to connect to, even if you feel unable to communicate with those closest to you.

Connecting Through Resources

Thankfully today, there are many resources available for those who might be struggling with an eating disorder. You can begin your path toward recovery, even if you feel estranged from family or friends. You can begin your recovery journey from an eating disorder and connect to someone who can help you move forward, even without the support of loved ones.

Working with an eating disorder specialist is an essential component of recovery and can be pivotal in changing your course with an eating disorder.

Many eating disorder organizations, like the National Eating Disorder Association, offer many ways to connect to a someone who cares and understands, even if you feel alone and misunderstood. Know that there is hope for you to begin your recovery today.

Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!

What resources have helped support your recovery from an eating disorder?

About the Author: Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Special Projects Coordinator for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.

As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.

The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on October 11, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com