Mental health counselor says eating disorders are far more common in the U.S. than most think
NEW YORK -- Millions of people with an eating disorder often find their struggles difficult to talk about.
Experts say nearly 10 percent of Americans will develop anorexia or bulimia, but there is help available.
"I struggled with eating disorder behaviors basically my whole life," said Lauren Larkin, a licensed mental health counselor.
Larkin was young and just starting out in New York City when she realized she suffered from anorexia.
"It's way, way, way more common than people think. And way more serious, I think, than people give it credit for. Some people are like 'Just eat, have a burger.' I was like, 'No, it doesn't work that way,'" said Larkin.
It's estimated 28.8 million Americans will experience an eating disorder. Anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder are most common.
Larkin said the subject is hard to talk about, but shouldn't be.
"I couldn't do it by myself. I was trying to fix the problem alone, and sometimes with eating disorders you can't do that. You need a full medical team to help you get back on track," said Larkin.
In 2018, she found help at the Renfrew Center of Manhattan.
"It's really important, again, to really talk about this and bring it to the table," said Rebecca Gonley, a team leader at the Renfrew Center.
Gonley said the number of people suffering from eating disorders spiked during the pandemic and has remained high since.
"When the quarantine came out and folks were isolating so much, that definitely leaves a lot of space for social media to be more prevalent and, going out can be harder," said Gonley.
Eating disorders are among the deadliest mental illnesses, second only to opioid overdose, according to ANAD, the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa.
Eating disorders are most common in teens or young adults. But in recent years they are increasing among children and older adults.
Larkin said the first step is asking for help.
"You would be shocked probably to know that you can heal from this," she said.
Experts with Columbia University's Eating Disorder Clinic said it's not just woman who are affected. Roughly 10 million men in the U.S. suffer from eating disorders.
Complications of eating disorders can be serious. They can include malnutrition, organ damage, emotional distress and death.