Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that involve extreme concerns about eating, weight, or shape. These concerns lead to distorted thoughts and unhealthy patterns around eating behaviours. They are not a lifestyle choice or “phase” and have the highest mortality rate of all mental health conditions. Eating disorders aren’t all about food. People with eating disorders often feel a lot of pain, sadness, shame and worry. The eating disorder can be a way to cope however it carries serious short- and long-term risks and can be extremely distressing for both the individual and their loved ones, but people can and do get better.
The All-Age Eating Disorder Specialist Service (EDSS) aims to bring hope and freedom from eating disorders through evidence-based interventions, advice and support. We are a friendly and developing team who work with people with a Powys GP. If appropriate, we engage with individuals and their families and deliver interventions for four main categories of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and “other specified feeding or eating disorder” (symptoms don’t exactly match criteria for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder).
You are welcome to contact us for further information. However, please be informed that our office phone is not monitored through all office hours, Monday to Friday 09:00-17:00hrs. If you require urgent/out of hours help, please call 111 and press 2 for mental health support or 999 in a life-threatening situation.
We advise that you do not refer yourself nor refer your significant others directly to us and firstly seek appointment, physical check-up and referral to us from your GP. Please be advised, that all under 18 referrals are currently forwarded to local CAMHS teams as well as ourselves.
Eating Disorders Specialist Service
Monnow Ward
Bronllys Hospital
LD3 0LU
Telephone number:
01874712512
Upon a receipt of a referral to us, pending on risks and age, we follow up within 7 days, with a telephone call offering initial screening. If appropriate, we offer full eating disorder assessment, either by ourselves or jointly with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) / Community Mental Health Team (CMHT).
You can take someone supportive with you to the appointment. The professional you see may ask to see you on your own for some of the appointment, and we encourage your support person to re-join you when discussing what the next steps will be.
We are also likely to recommend further follow up and physical health monitoring by your GP. Pending on risks, we may recommend you attend your nearest A&E.
The type of support offered will vary depending on the type and severity of the concern. All our direct support options aim for people to meet their own individual goals. These include:
To ensure we are all working safely and effectively together we share information and work jointly with other PTHB services, we liaise with education, social care, as well as out of area services for people under our care. We are based at Bronllys Hospital and offer outreach clinics from CAMHS, CMHTS, Bronllys Outpatients and depending on staff availability, can offer virtual and face to face assessment and follow ups.
Throughout assessment and treatment our clients (and families) will be involved in the decision-making regarding care, reflecting basic rights for privacy, confidentiality, dignity, and respect.
Myth: Eating disorders are a choice
Fact: Eating disorders are complex illnesses – there is no single cause. Instead they are thought to be caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. Eating disorders are mental health disorders and are never a personal choice.
Myth: Parents are to blame for their loved one’s eating disorder
Fact: There is often nothing a parent or other carer could have done to prevent the eating disorder, but they are often best placed to help to create an environment that promotes and supports recovery. Although treatment may involve families changing certain behaviours, because families have unintentionally fallen into routines that accommodate the behaviours that have come from the eating disorder, as opposed to them being at fault.
It is crucial for parents and carers to receive support during the illness due to the demanding nature of supporting someone with an eating disorder.
Myth: Eating disorders are someone being vain and seeking attention
Fact: Although there is often an association between body dissatisfaction and eating disorders, eating disorders are not someone being vain or just wanting to look a certain way. Eating disorders are serious diagnosable illnesses; they are not a lifestyle choice, a phase, or someone being attention seeking.
Often people diagnosed with eating disorders go to great lengths to hide the eating disorder and to keep it secret.
Myth: Someone must be underweight to have an eating disorder
Fact: Often when people think of someone with an eating disorder, they think of someone who is significantly underweight. However, although weight loss is typical in anorexia nervosa, most people with an eating disorder stay at an apparently “healthy” weight or are “overweight”.
If the person does need to restore their weight, this is only one aspect of treatment, and being weight restored does not mean that the person is recovered. The thoughts and behaviours that come alongside the eating disorder also need to be addressed.
Myth: Eating disorders only happen to young girls
Fact: Research shows that eating disorders do not discriminate – they affect people of all genders, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, weights, and socioeconomic statuses.
Eating disorders can be life threatening and can deprive you from being able to live your life well. They carry significant physical and mental health risks and can result in premature death.
Eating disorders are extremely opportunistic illnesses and may disguise as a solution to your problems initially. However, this does not only come at a very high cost to your health, life opportunities and relationships. Eating disorders thrive on shaming and isolating their sufferers; making them feel stuck and stigmatised about their struggles being their own fault.
Breaking free is possible even when you may be concerned about changes to weight and eating.
Think what the freedom from an eating disorder might look like for you and what the benefits could be? It is never too early or too late to ask for help, it is out there once you are ready.
Please see further advice and support through the links below:
Freed For All
Eating disorder help & support for young people & carers | FREED (freedfromed.co.uk)
Information about eating disorders as well as guides on social media and apps, bone health, brain and eating disorders, preparing for university or travel plus of plenty inspiring stories as well as “Full of Beans” free podcasts you can listen to.
F.E.A.S.T.
Global support and education community of and for parents of those with eating disorders. Of particular value is their ‘First 30 days’ programme, which aims to transform parents into empowered caregivers in 30 days.
Beat
The UK's Eating Disorder Charity - Beat
Beat’s national helpline exists to encourage and empower people to get help quickly. People can contact Beat online or by phone 365 days a year. They listen to them, help them to understand the illness, and support them to take positive steps towards recovery. They also support family and friends, equipping them with essential skills and advice, so they can help their loved ones recover whilst also looking after their own mental health.
ARFID Awareness UK
They are the UK’s only registered charity dedicated to raising awareness and furthering information about Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. As a not-for-profit organisation, they work to provide individuals, parents, carers and medical professionals with up-to-date relevant information, research and support.
Eva Musby: Helping You Free Your Child of an Eating Disorder
The practical advice here is gathered from parents and therapists all over the world and from Eva’s personal experience. It uses all is known from the top researchers from in the field. Eva also has free help sheets and videos.
NICE Guidance
Overview | Eating disorders: recognition and treatment | Guidance | NICE
This guideline from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellent covers assessment, treatment, monitoring and inpatient care for children, young people and adults with eating disorders. It aims to improve the care people receive by detailing the most effective, evidence-based treatment for anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa.
“Overcoming Binge Eating, Second Edition: The Proven Program to Learn Why You Binge and How You Can Stop (Christopher Fairburn, 2013)
For teenagers and adults with bulimia or binge eating disorder. This bestseller provides information to understand binge eating and bring it under control, whether you are working with a therapist or on your own. Clear, step-by-step guidelines show you how to: Overcome the urge to binge, gain control over what and when you eat, break free of strict dieting and other habits that may contribute to binges, establish stable, healthy eating patterns and improve your body image and reduce the risk of relapse.
Beating Your Eating Disorder: A Cognitive-Behavioural Self-Help Guide for Adult Sufferers and their Carers (Glenn Waller, Victoria Mountford, Rachel Lawson, Emma Gray, Helen Cordery, Hendrik Hinrichsen, 2010).
Getting Better Bite by Bite: A Survival Kit for Sufferers of Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorders (Ulrike Schmidt, Janet Treasure and June Alexander, 2015).
Overcoming Binge Eating, Second Edition: The Proven Program to Learn Why You Binge and How You Can Stop (Christopher Fairburn, 2013).