Stress of leaving for university can trigger eating disorders in young people
A national charity that helps those with eating disorders has today warned that the upheaval of leaving for university can often trigger anorexia and bulimia in young people.
With a new batch of students heading off to university in the next couple of weeks, Anorexia and Bulimia Care (ABC) warns that students living independently for the first time can become overwhelmed with their new responsibilities.
The charity is now encouraging parents, university staff and students themselves to be aware of the dangers.
ABC’s Jane Smith said: “Leaving home to attend university is a stressful time for any young person. It is a time of great change where students leave behind their family, friends, support network, home and comforts.
“For many it is the first time they have had the responsibility of cooking and food shopping for themselves and they just don’t know what to do. Add to this the insecurities of being around groups of new people and excessive alcohol use and we often see eating disorders and depression occurring.
“As with most mental health issues eating disorders are triggered by traumatic events and periods of change. Controlling food intake when the rest of their life feels chaotic, is one way people deal with stress.
“Leaving for university is one of the biggest events of a young person’s life so it is unsurprising that it can become overwhelming for some. It’s also a stressful time for parents especially those with children who have suffered from eating disorders previously.”
With hundreds of thousands of students heading off to universities across the UK Jane is keen to point out that it is not just girls who can be affected.
She said: “Boys are just as likely to be affected by the stress of a big move as girls. We have noticed a steep increase of male sufferers in the past few years and as with girls they are often afraid to ask for help.”
Anorexia and Bulimia Care operates a befriending scheme for those with eating disorders, which has been running since 1991.
Jane said: “We have helped a number of students in this situation and the reasons behind the development of a problem are always different. Some feel that the workload becomes too much for them and they don’t have time to prepare proper meals. For others they get caught up in the party lifestyle and would rather spend time and money on alcohol while for others again they have never cooked before and so an unhealthy and un-nutritious diet emerges.
“Whatever the reason we’d like to encourage students to keep an eye on their peers and ask us for help if they need it. If you as a student yourself are struggling, please talk to people around you or pick up the phone to an organisation like us, you are not alone.”
Information and help on eating disorders can be found at anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk.