We Often Miss Eating disorders are often misunderstood and oversimplified. Common misconceptions paint them as a vanity issue or the result of a desire to be thin. But beneath the surface, eating disorders are complex mental health conditions deeply connected to sensory processing and emotional regulation—not simply body image.
Misconception 1: “It’s all about looks”
While body dissatisfaction can be a factor, it’s far from the whole story. Many individuals with eating disorders report struggling more with feelings than appearance. Restricting food, bingeing, or purging often become coping mechanisms for managing overwhelming emotions, anxiety, or a need for control in a chaotic world. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), eating disorders are rooted in a mix of biological, psychological, and social factors. This includes emotional distress, perfectionism, trauma history, and in many cases, sensory sensitivity.
Misconception 2: “You can tell by looking at someone”
Not all eating disorders result in visible weight loss. A person can be in a larger body and still suffer from bulimia, binge eating disorder, or atypical anorexia—where they experience all the emotional and physical symptoms of anorexia, but don’t meet the traditional weight criteria. This belief delays diagnosis and support, particularly for those in marginalised bodies.
Misconception 3: “It’s just picky eating or a phase”
Especially in children and neurodivergent individuals, eating disorders are often dismissed as a passing phase. But food avoidance, fear of certain textures, or emotional meltdowns around meals can signal something deeper. Sensory sensitivities—to taste, smell, texture, or even the sound of chewing—can cause extreme distress and fuel restrictive patterns, often seen in Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). A study by Kinnaird et al. (2019) published in Appetite highlighted that individuals with anorexia nervosa reported heightened sensory sensitivity, particularly to taste and texture. These findings suggest that interventions need to address not only eating behaviors but also underlying sensory discomfort and emotional overwhelm.
A Different Way to Understand
Understanding eating disorders through a sensory-emotional lens helps shift the focus from appearance to experience. It validates the distress many feel when eating becomes emotionally or physically intolerable—not out of choice, but because their system is overloaded. Therapeutic approaches should be trauma-informed, gentle, and attuned to both emotional needs and sensory profiles. This might mean adjusting meal textures, working with safe foods, and building emotional tolerance slowly and compassionately.
Final Thought
Eating disorders are not about vanity, control, or willpower—they are about unmet needs, unspoken emotions, and often, unacknowledged sensory distress. To truly support healing, we must replace misconceptions with empathy, science, and a deeper understanding of the body-mind connection.
