Eating Disorders
An eating disorder changes your attitude towards food and your body in a way that influences your eating habits and behaviours. People affected by an eating disorder often spend a lot of time thinking about their weight, body shape, and food intake. This may result in avoiding certain foods or food in general, exercising excessively, binging, purging and other behaviours associated with eating disorders.
While studying at university you may experience disordered eating habits. It is important to speak to your GP service if you think you are experiencing an eating disorder, as they will discuss treatment and support options with you.
What support is available?
Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that result in poor physical and psychological health. When eating disorders go untreated, they can be associated with concerning and life-threatening health complications. The NHS and private medical providers can offer appropriate support because they have the facilities to monitor both physical health and have the specialist training to treat eating disorders.
Student Services is not a medical provider and does not have the specialised facilities to monitor and manage any physical health complications that result from an eating disorder. As such, we cannot provide safe treatment that follows national guidelines (NICE). In consultation with local experts, we have established that the role of Student Services is to work alongside the NHS and local agencies to support students with eating disorders. This includes facilitating referrals, being a touch point at the University and supporting students with any academic adjustments that they may need.
In addition, Student Services provides psychoeducational workshops and events throughout the academic year that may be useful to you. For further information on workshops or informative events that Student Services provide please contact theasc@s-andrews.ac.uk.
Additional Support
We always advise you to seek support from your GP. In addition, if you would like to access some self-help materials here are a list of alternative support resources.
- ShelfHelp, which has an eBooks that can help you manage your eating disorder.
- SilverCloud, which provides various modules to work through at your own pace to help understand and manage disordered eating with cognitive behavioural therapy techniques.
- TogetherAll - a safe, online community where people support each other anonymously to improve mental health and wellbeing. (This service will only be available until February 2023, after this time, we recommend students use SHOUT).
- Centre for Clinical Interventions – Eating Disorders
- NHS Leaflet – Eating Disorders
- Mind – Eating Problems
- Beat – Eating Disorder Charity
- Beat – Seeking Treatment