Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Eating disorders affect up to one in twenty people at some point in their lives. Andrei_R via Shutterstock

'More and more students are coping with anxiety through either restricting their eating or binge eating'

Dr Aoife O’Sullivan, a GP treating UCC students, writes about the impact of the pandemic on her patients.

WE KNEW AND expected that there would be a mental health crisis as a result of Covid-19. This has now arrived. 

While our minds instinctively think of anxiety, depression and loneliness as being the main causes of distress – another mental health issue that is perhaps not as visible is the rise in eating disorders.

But really it makes sense.

At their heart, a lot of eating disorders are not necessarily all about food or weight – they are also about control and coping.

Patients often use food as a way of taking control over a situation where they no longer feel that they have any control (Covid-19 anyone?). They can become dependent upon this coping mechanism which gives them security and a sense of control while also causing huge damage.

  • Read more here on how you can support a major Noteworthy project on the impact that lack of services, particularly in regions without specialist teams, is having on people with eating disorders.

Significant increase 

I am a GP working in Student Health in UCC and have been working with students with eating disorders for a few years now. 

In student health centres, we are seeing increasing numbers of students with mental health issues as the pandemic winds ever onwards. People are often surprised when I say that at least 20% of a GP’s time is spent on mental health and that figure is going up, not down.

A quick headcount one of the morning clinics this week revealed that 50% of the patients I saw or spoke to (we are blending in-person with remote consults) had mental health issues as part, or all, of their consultation.

The anxiety out there is huge and understandable. More and more students are coping with anxiety through either restricting their eating or binge eating. 

Eating disorders have always been more prevalent than you might realise. While those with severe anorexia are very visible, there are a lot of hidden people with bulimia, binge eating disorder and other types of eating disorders. 

The number of people presenting with eating disorders (or coming to their GPs with other symptoms that have their real origins in an eating disorder) has increased significantly since the Covid-19 lockdowns started.

Last week it was reported by Noteworthy that people with eating disorders are presenting “more unwell” to the HSE and mental health services with significant increases in referrals in 2020. This is causing huge distress for patients as well as their families and loved ones.

Prolonged waiting period not helpful

Those with binge eating disorder often feel really guilty and a failure because they can’t control what they are eating . The shame and isolation they feel is very distressing. Nobody has ever come into me complaining of binge eating – they blame themselves and are taken aback when we explore the possibility of binge eating disorder.

Often students who come in are worried they won’t be believed because their weight is (more or less) within the normal range and perhaps, they haven’t been taken seriously in the past because of this. It is absolutely possible to have an eating disorder and not show it and they need our help.

Students with anorexia often feel very conflicted about getting help. We are asking them to give up their (unhealthy) coping mechanism and to do the very thing that scares them most – put on weight.

If you are already uncertain about whether you even want to get better, a prolonged waiting period is not helpful. 

These are patients who unfortunately in the past have not been served well by the health services, although with the recent introduction of the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders this is (slowly) starting to improve. News of funding for eating disorders in 2021 is cause for hope.

As with all medical conditions, early diagnosis and treatment make all the difference and lead to a much higher chance of recovery. With only three out of 16 Eating Disorder Hubs operating, the need for ring fenced funding is clear.

Not a simple solution

Eating disorders are unusual in that they affect both mental health and physical health so intensely. They can cause huge conflict and misunderstanding – “why doesn’t s/he just eat?”

Unfortunately it is just not that simple. The internal voice driving the eating disorder can be so loud and dominant in the patient’s head that it drowns out the logical self. Yet at the end of the day, food is the medicine.

To get past this conflict, help is needed and often unfortunately hard to come by. Patients can report feeling abandoned or lost while awaiting specialist appointments that could be months down the line.

Bodywhys provide a support service via their website and email – I highly recommend their Pilar programme for parents and carers). The HSE have also developed a really useful app with support and advice from psychologists, dietitians and GPs on issues such as managing mealtimes, body image and tips on how to talk about eating disorders. 

Dr Aoife O’Sullivan is a GP at UCC Student Health, president of the Irish Student Health Association and GP clinical lead for the National Clinical Programme on Eating Disorders. 

If you need to speak to someone, contact:

SILENT TREATMENT Investigation

Do you want to know if people with eating disorders are being failed by the public health system?

The Noteworthy team want to do an in-depth investigation into the progress of the national clinical programme for eating disorders and what is causing delays in its implementation.

Here’s how to help support this proposed project>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
12 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damien Morris
    Favourite Damien Morris
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 11:00 AM

    Nightmare

    191
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ThomasFrancisMeagher
    Favourite ThomasFrancisMeagher
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 12:00 PM

    Brazilians are such friendly & welcoming people. Awful to hear of something so sad as this j
    Happening. RIP to all the victims.

    228
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute w7FX9NHY
    Favourite w7FX9NHY
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 9:07 PM

    Such a nice thing to read about us Thomas! Ireland is a great place because I think the same of the Irish people. It’s really hard to understand how come a end of summer night out turns out into a nightmare. Just feel deeply sorry for the families and friends living down there.

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Derek Byrne
    Favourite Derek Byrne
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 11:02 AM

    Oh sweet Jesus. Horrific. God bless them.

    139
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mike Clinton
    Favourite Mike Clinton
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 11:01 AM

    So sad,party atmosphere turned to horror..

    124
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Simon Blake
    Favourite Simon Blake
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 11:01 AM

    Stardust MKII. Hundreds of devastated people. Most likely needlessly.

    114
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Connell
    Favourite Paul Connell
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 11:39 AM

    Shocking news .(What’s with the red thumbs ??)

    97
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shane Walsh
    Favourite Shane Walsh
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 12:29 PM

    Bloody hell! I can’t even imagine the panic and horrifying scenes.

    79
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lucille Ball
    Favourite Lucille Ball
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 12:28 PM

    God almighty .. Terrible terrible news.. young people enjoying a nite out.. RIP…

    66
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Johnny Magory
    Favourite Johnny Magory
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 12:20 PM

    Yeah RTE says at least 200 dead, death toll will probably rise as they find more bodies today RIP

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute bignazza
    Favourite bignazza
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 12:07 PM

    I’m hearing figures of 200 dead from the bbc

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dr.fury
    Favourite Dr.fury
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 2:40 PM

    Every parents worst nightmare waiting up for your kids to come in and then hearing that dreaded knock,my heart goes out to them,terrible tragedy rip

    38
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute mart_n
    Favourite mart_n
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 2:28 PM

    I can’t imagine a more frightening ordeal. It’s not the first time that hundreds of lives have been claimed by the decision of some idiots to use pyrotechnics indoors either, despite there being no fire-safety plan. The Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island killed 100+… there’s a video of it on YouTube. Things can turn bad real fast in such scenarios.

    It’s often said, but people should really familiarise themselves with exits in nightclubs etc. You don’t have a lot of time to react if something does happen, and most people will instinctively head for the main exit.

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mags Horan
    Favourite Mags Horan
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 2:35 PM

    Memories of the Stardust tragedy come flooding back… So sad :-(

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Doreen Mc Allister
    Favourite Doreen Mc Allister
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 2:05 PM

    So sad rip

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute john stone
    Favourite john stone
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 2:28 PM

    My god

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Caitríona Bolger
    Favourite Caitríona Bolger
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 3:17 PM

    Absolutely heartbreaking. So many lives lost.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Prince Hector
    Favourite Prince Hector
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 2:41 PM

    God help them.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eileen Gabbett
    Favourite Eileen Gabbett
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 7:49 PM

    How awful. Shocking news . All young people out enjoying themselves. May they rest in peace.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liam Crowe
    Favourite Liam Crowe
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 4:13 PM

    Horrific story, such a Tragedy :(

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel R
    Favourite Daniel R
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 3:59 PM

    Shouldn’t there be a limit to how many can be let in at a given time? The more people you have the longer its going to take to physically get out of the building, even if it’s a big building.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe OShea
    Favourite Joe OShea
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 10:37 PM

    It’s not a problem once you have a sufficient number of fire exits. But in this case, it seems the venue was packed to over double it maximum capacity – an extra 1000 people. Also in Brazil, there is often no emergency lighting over fire exits, so it is difficult to see where the exits are. It seems from preliminary reports that security guards stopped people from leaving, and that crowds were stampeding towards a single exit which became blocked by dead bodies. All the cumbersome regulations we see here is not without good reason.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dick Fearful
    Favourite Dick Fearful
    Report
    Jan 27th 2013, 10:46 PM

    Why would God allow such a thing to happen? I think I know the answer.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mary Kavanagh
    Favourite Mary Kavanagh
    Report
    Jan 28th 2013, 4:02 PM

    Horrific thing to happen. My heart goes out to the families and friends of those poor young people just out for a night’s enjoyment and have either died (RIP)or been injured.
    This brings back memories of our own Stardust tragedy here in Dublin all those years ago.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds