Supporting Loved Ones with Eating Disorders

How can carers support people with eating disorders?

Eating disorders are complex and are a coping mechanism that arise out of multiple circumstantial pressures as well as a genetic predisposition. Therefore, compassionate support is integral part of recovery for those experiencing an eating disorder alongside having education, resources and access to treatment.  Eating disorders can not only affect the individual but also their support team. Carers and supports can involve parents, siblings, partners, extended family to friends. In light of this, it’s important that the support team is educated about eating disorders and understand that recovery is different for each person and that it’s not a linear process. During the recovery process there can be periods of thriving as well as many challenges not only for those living with an eating disorder but also for those carers and supports. That said, its vital that carers and supports practice self-care whilst supporting those with an eating disorder to ensure that you keep your own mental health in check.

Some tips for cares, families and supports

‍Education:

• Learn as much as you can about eating disorders this will enable you to enhance your understanding so that you can best support those living with an eating disorder. Further numerous myths and preconceived ideas exist about eating disorders and therefore it is important to educate yourself that eating disorders are merely more than just about food weight and shape, they are about pain and discomfort. In addition, eating disorders have a genetic component and therefore, we need to challenge the idea that parents are to blame or at fault for their child having an eating disorder. Numerous factors contribute to the development of an eating disorder such as Biological, Psychological/personality and Social/environmental.  
• Please see the below link for more eating disorder education information from the insideoutinstitute: https://insideoutinstitute.org.au/resource-library/resources-for-families-carers

Eating Disorders Carers Help kit from Eating Disorders Queensland (EDQ):
https://eatingdisorderscarerhelpkit.com.au/

Communication:

• Communication plays a key role in supporting those living with an eating disorder. It’s important to identify for those experiencing an eating disorder what is helpful and unhelpful support during the recovery process. Boundaries need to be established and this is tricky navigating this space as some with eating disorders struggle with accountability and therefore require more support at meal times and others prefer to have autonomy and reach out for support as needed. To better understand your loved ones needs ensure that you maintain open communication without judgment.

Support for carers:

• Recovery from an eating disorder can often be a long process and given this it’s imperative that carers and supports have access to their own support system including their own therapist. This will provide a safe space to reflect, process own experiences and debrief about any challenges or triumphs that have occurred whilst supporting those with an eating disorder. In addition, taking time out or a break may be required for the carer or support person as well as engaging in self-care activities to ensure prevention of burnout.  

Support groups:

• Also many carers and supports have benefited from support groups as they have been able to identify that they are not alone in their experiences. Common experiences shared in this group encompass feelings of responsibility for you loved ones eating disorder, struggles at meal times often resulting in conflict, self-doubt about your ability to be a carer and support your loved one during the long term nature of recovery, wanting a short term fix for your loved one and coping with the eating disorder consuming your life.

Support groups

There are several support groups that are available, please see below the links to these groups:

Eating Disorders Queensland (EDQ): They provide for carers and key supports services such as carer peer mentoring, coaching session and family coaching sessions and one day workshops. For further information please see:  https://eatingdisordersqueensland.org.au/carers-and-key-supports/#carer-connect

Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA): A national Organisation that provides education, support and advocacy services for carers and families impacted by and eating disorder. https://edfa.org.au/

Butterfly foundation: This organisation provides virtual carer support groups and anyone over the age of 18 can join. The facilitators of these groups are those with lived experience of caring for someone with an eating disorder and can understand and relate to what you are going through. The foundation also provide webchat carer support groups and are facilitated by specialist counsellors. https://butterfly.org.au/get-support/support-groups/carersupportgroups/

Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV): Provide carer coaching programs and courses for carers. The coaching program is an 8 week 1:1 online course. In addition there are two courses that EDV provide the first is a 6 week upskill course and the second is a renew course of 4 weeks for those loved ones that have had an eating disorder for longer then 2 years.  https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/for-family-and-friends/edv-services-for-carers/

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