"I want to say to people that everything is okay with you if you feel something. You don’t need to be scared to ask for help. If you feel it, it does not mean that you’re crazy. [...] If you feel uncomfortable, ask for help and someone will help you." - Olha Hrabovska

More and more people are struggling with disordered eating or eating disorders. To learn more about this topic, we conducted an interview with a psychologist in order to gain deeper insights. We spoke with Olha Hrabovska, originally from Ukraine, who currently works mostly with teenagers.

Overeating

Olha says that in her work, overeating is the most common problem. She explains, "It's more about stress. More about finding something in life when people feel uncomfortable and don't know what to do." In these cases, affected individuals describe feeling like they have a hole inside that they don't know how to fill it. This is why they start to eat excessively and uncontrollably. Olha explains, "Because they don't know what to do, they just start eating. They feel sad or start crying and then start eating. That's how I recognize overeating."

Bulimia and Anorexia

Bulimia and anorexia are opposite types of eating disorders compared to overeating. The first signs can be recognized when a person starts to worry excessively about their appearance and body shape. Olha notes, "People suffering from these disorders often spend most of their time thinking about how they look, especially about their weight. It feels like a problem you just can’t solve."

When Should I Start Therapy?

Olha says, "For me, if you want to change something in your life, or you just feel uncomfortable, you should go to someone who can help you. Sometimes, you don't understand what's going on with you, so a good start is to understand what you feel." A person might say something like, "I feel ugly. I eat a lot," etc. This is the first indication that one should consider therapy or seek help. Olha adds, "In most cases, it's when a person says that he or she feels bad and starts eating excessively or forgets to have dinner."

Treatment Methods

Olha believes that for successful treatment, it is necessary to understand where the disorder is coming from. She points out, "We can’t just start treatment with a diet or simply stop eating. We need to recognize where it's coming from. In most cases, overeating is provoked by some kind of depression or stress. That’s why we start working on this, and then we can go to the next step." Olha explains that in therapy, they try to find a solution to deal with sadness or stress without eating, replacing this with another activity or routine.

What to Do When You Notice Signs of an Eating Disorder

According to our expert, the first step is to recognize that you eat too much or worry excessively about your appearance. The next step should be looking for help. Olha suggests, "You can talk with someone, even if it's a teenager. You can also talk with parents or teachers and ask them for help. You just need someone who can talk with you."

Prevention

Our expert is not sure if eating disorders can be entirely prevented because they may stem from childhood or deeper issues. However, it helps to be aware of how much you eat and to identify what you usually do when you are sad. Olha says, "It’s the first call. If you feel sad or think, 'I don't know what to do. Maybe I need to grab some food,' it's something you need to recognize in yourself." This self-awareness can be the first warning sign of an eating disorder.