Eating disorders can be caused by both genetic and environmental factors. Societal expectations play a major role in shaping perceptions on one's own body, which leads to obsessive behaviour to either reduce or gain weight in harmful ways. Although not as visible as others, factors like low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, lack of healthy coping strategies, difficulty expressing emotions and a history of trauma and abuse can influence the development of eating disorders.
The onset of a disorder is not something that you can control. A series of life stressors and intrusive thoughts can warp one's opinions on food and eating, resulting in drastic measures like bingeing and purging, skipping meals and obsessive control of calorie intake.
It is never safe to presume that someone has control over the behaviour that they are displaying, and sometimes cognitive processes must be changed in order to stop the behaviour in question.

Myth: Eating Disorders are a Choice

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