Heading off to college this fall? While college can be an exciting time full of changes and new experiences, it can also bring extra pressures and challenges, especially for those in eating disorder recovery. Here are three tips to help you maintain eating disorder (ED) recovery at college, plus a look at why college can be triggering for those in ED recovery.
The Connection Between College and Eating Disorders
Although anyone can develop an eating disorder at any age or stage of life, research shows that college-age individuals are most at risk, with the majority of full-blown EDs beginning between the ages of 18 and 21 years old, according to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA). One study found that between 8 and 17 percent of college students suffer from an eating disorder, compared to only 1.5 percent (males) and 3.8 percent (females) of teens. There are several reasons why college can challenge eating disorder recovery and be a triggering time for those susceptible to developing an ED.
Here are some other findings from the Multi-Service Eating Disorder Association (MEDA) on eating disorders among college students:
- 91% of women surveyed on a college campus had tried to control their weight by dieting
- 25% of college-aged women engage in bingeing and purging to manage their weight
- In a survey of female college students, 58% felt pressure to be a specific weight, and of the 83% who dieted for weight management, 44% were of normal weight.
PRESSURE AND STRESS
College life comes with a whole new set of pressures and stress, with many students living on their own for the first time ever, having to manage classes and long study hours, juggling part-time jobs, trying to decide what degree/career to pursue, and attempting to find and make new friends. These extra pressures can often lead to anxiety in college-age students, with 63 percent of college students in the US reporting that they felt overwhelming anxiety in the past year, according to a 2018 study by the American College Association. The same survey revealed 23 percent of college students were diagnosed or treated for anxiety in the past year.
What does this have to do with eating disorders?
Anxiety and eating disorders often go hand in hand, with over 50 percent of individuals with EDs being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Though anxiety does not cause eating disorders (EDs are caused by a mixture of genetic and environmental factors), it can be a trigger for those susceptible to EDs, with many turning to ED behaviors to help them cope with stress and anxiety. This means the added stress and anxiety of college can lead to relapse for those in recovery or put vulnerable students at risk of developing an ED.
THE NEED FOR CONTROL
In the late 1900s, Hilde Bruch, a prominent doctor, researcher, and professor uncovered one of the underlying motivators behind eating disorders: an attempt to control one aspect of life when everything else feels chaotic and out of control. Thanks to her work, ED specialists now recognize that many individuals with an ED feel a sense of powerlessness over their life, and turn to ED behaviors to bring a sense of control and accomplishment to at least one area of life.
With all the changes and disruptions that take place in the college years–from moving out and living on their own to facing the realities of student debt, career choices, relationship problems, and more–it’s no surprise that some students turn to EDs to help them control the chaos and confusion life is throwing their way.
DISRUPTED EATING HABITS
Another reason why individuals are more susceptible to develop an ED during the college years is due to disrupted eating habits. Managing all-you-can-eat dining halls, late-night pizza and beer with friends, and the constant access to certain foods available on many campuses can be a nightmare for those already struggling with eating issues or vulnerable to developing an ED. “The freedom to eat at different times, a range of eating options available whenever—it’s not a good environment for people who are at risk for ED,” states Dr. Douglas Bunnell, clinical director of Monte Nido treatment center in New York. He goes on to say that the eating options in college can be particularly tricky for those susceptible to bulimia.
SOCIAL PRESSURES
Finally, college often comes with an increase in social pressures. With many young men and women seeking to make friends, find romantic partners, and fit in with their peers, body image pressures can be high. These constant pressures to look thin or weigh X amount can lead some to fall back into ED behaviors or engage for the first time.
Plus, since many students live in close quarters with other students, they may be exposed to diet talk, bingeing and purging, over-exercising, and using laxatives. The exposure to these harmful behaviors can make it easy for some to follow suit.
“If you have a heavy dose of anxiety and you’re in a social environment, and you’re constantly exposed to the thin body ideal, that’s a perfect storm convergence of factors that can drive a vulnerable individual into an eating disorder.”
– Dr. Douglas Bunnell.
In short, the pressures and stress at college coupled with cultural messages about weight and eating can cause vulnerable individuals to develop eating disorders or trigger those in recovery to relapse back into old ED behaviors.
3 Tips to Maintain Eating Disorder Recovery in College
If you have an eating disorder, one of the most important things you can do for your future is to seek professional treatment. Eating disorders are serious (sometimes fatal) illnesses, but when detected and treated early, complete and lasting recovery is much more possible. This may mean taking a semester or even a year off school to pursue recovery. Talk to your eating disorder treatment team or contact us today to find out if you need to take time off school to pursue eating disorder recovery.
If, however, you are ready to go to school, here are three tips to pursue and maintain your eating disorder recovery at college.
STAY IN TREATMENT
One of the most important things you can do to maintain your recovery in college is to stay in treatment. With all the extra stress, disruptions, and potential triggers you’ll face at school, regularly going to treatment is more important than ever before. If you’re currently in a treatment program, talk to your team about treatment options while you’re away at school. They may be able to connect you with an ED specialist in your college area or come up with a virtual therapy plan while you’re away.
If you’re not currently in treatment, we strongly encourage you to start meeting with an ED specialist before school starts. You’ll be able to identify potential triggers and challenges, come up with an eating/nutrition plan, and prepare yourself for success for the coming school year. Prevention is the best way to safeguard against relapse, so don’t wait until you’re struggling to seek help.
HAVE AN EATING PLAN
As mentioned earlier, eating at college can be a challenge for students in eating disorder recovery. To prepare for these challenges and avoid falling into eating problems, work with your dietitian or ED specialist to come up with an eating plan. This does not mean you will follow a rigid schedule or only eat certain foods at specific times or places. Instead, you’ll establish a flexible plan that ensures you stay on track with meals, avoid triggers, and continue to get the nutrition you need.
PRACTICE SELF CARE
If you struggle with anxiety or stress, practicing self-care at college can be an important tool to keep you on track in recovery. Self-care at school could be something as simple as deep breathing during a stressful test or it might be meditating in the evening before bed. The important thing is to identify when you might be struggling with anxiety or ED thoughts and arm yourself with self-care tools to keep you from falling into ED behaviors.
Other ways to take care of your mental health at college include the following:
- Taking walks outside or doing a gentle yoga flow (if appropriate for your level of recovery)
- Reading
- Journaling
- Listening to music
- Calling family or friends back home
- Taking a bubble bath
- Watching a favorite movie/TV show
- Unplugging from social media
If you or someone you love is suffering from an eating disorder, take the first step today and talk to talk to someone about recovery or simply learn more about the eating disorder recovery programs we offer.
