Causes of Eating Disorders and Related Myths

There is no known single cause for eating disorders. The causes of eating disorders are complex and multiple. No one is to blame for eating disorders. Many factors impact and interact with each other to cause and maintain eating disorders.

Parent Partner Program tm (Haltom and Travis, Eds., 2008)

Myths About Eating Disorders

1. Families are responsible for their daughter/son developing an eating disorder.
2. People with eating disorders choose to have their illness. They want to be ill/to die/or to not grow up.
3. People with eating disorders are trying to punish their parents, or whomever they live with.
4. People with eating disorders are just trying to get attention.
5. Families with an eating disorder in their midst need therapy.
6. Eating disorders have to do with vanity and wanting to be a model.
7. Eating disorders are just a phase and people grow out of them.
8. People with eating disorders are cured after inpatient treatment.
9. You need to do all you can to please and humor the person with the eating disorder.
10. The hospital and treatment team can always cure someone with an eating disorder.
11. Getting better is just a question of eating.
12. Most people with eating disorders are either too thin or too large.
13. If a person with an eating disorder stops eating and exercising in an unhealthy manner s/he will be cured.

Adapted from Treasure, J., Smith, G. and Crane, A. (2007) Skills-based Learning for Caring for a Loved One with an Eating Disorder. London and New York: Routledge. p. 18.

• Family, friends, and carers
• Resources for carers
• • What to do when you are concerned
  • Approaching Your Loved One with Concerns
  • Expressing Concerns: What to say
  • Pitfalls
• Causes and myths
• Recovery
• Reactions of carers
• • Seeking professional treatment
  • Levels of care
  • Treatment goals
  • Professional treatment standards
• For schools
• Patients and carers speak