Understanding Excessive Exercise as part of an Eating Disorder

18. How can you help: Starting a conversation

When trying to start these conversations, you may face some difficulties. It is important to recognise this so that you are not disheartened or discouraged and remain professional.

For some people, exercise can feel like the only thing ’keeping them together’ so to have someone question it may feel scary, frustrating, or even dangerous.

Sometimes people are just not ready to talk or get help. Remembering that your job is to reduce stressors and offer support, you may have to accept that at the time.

If you want to know more about three possible negative reactions and how you may deal with them. Click opposite, (or below if viewing on smaller screen).

Examples are:

Denial
Frustration
Rejection

Task: Select all three buttons below to access information.

Denial:

It is very common that people going through an eating disorder & excessive exercise will give plenty of reasons why it is healthy for them. Understand that this person may genuinely believe these claims and calling them out (confrontational) is not the way to approach them. If someone denies any problems, it is likely because they don’t feel comfortable coming forward or they don’t realise there is a problem at all. Breaking down these barriers may be done through creating a non-judgemental environment (as described previously) and through education. Try making information about eating disorders available in your gym/sport centre for them to access when they feel ready.

Frustration:

You may occasionally encounter anger from an individual. With exercise and food being such important emotional regulators, it can feel like being attacked if someone starts to question it, especially if multiple people have done so in the past. If someone acts in a frustrated manner, assess how you approached them: Were you confrontational at all? Did you make an accusation? Were you singling them out? If so, reflect on this and try to improve next time. As for the person, you may try to resolve the problem by explaining that you like to check on and offer help to clients/athletes you are concerned about in your professional role.

Rejection:

People who respond with rejection may ignore you or remain distant. They may feel awkward or maybe ashamed to speak to you. In this situation you could show your professional interest in other areas of their life and move away from the topic of excessive exercise for the time being to maintain communication. Here, mental health check-ins for all athletes/clients can be useful as a way of not singling someone out.