The silent majority — why most eating disorder sufferers are overlooked
A new approach to eating disorder recovery for independent women.
For many high-functioning women, the struggle with an eating disorder is a hidden battle. On the outside, they appear to be thriving—holding down successful careers, maintaining relationships, and juggling the demands of everyday life. Yet beneath the surface lies a world of distress, internal conflict, and emotional overwhelm.
When people think of eating disorders, they often imagine extreme cases—severe anorexia, hospitalisation, or visible frailty. But less than 1 in 10 sufferers are medically underweight. The vast majority don’t fit this stereotype, yet they struggle just as profoundly.
Most eating disorder sufferers are high-functioning. The most common eating disorder is binge eating disorder (47%), followed by bulimia (12%). These individuals are balancing careers, relationships, and responsibilities, all while carrying a hidden battle with food, body image, and self-worth. They may not need inpatient care or intensive outpatient treatment —but they do need structured, long-term recovery support.
At Ianthe House, we recognise that recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. Independent women deserve an approach that honours both their strengths and their challenges, offering support that fits into real life—not one that requires stepping away from it.
“It feels like I’ve been looking for something like this for a very long time.”
💡 Why is it so easy for these women to slip through the cracks of traditional treatment models?
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Many women feel ashamed to seek help, believing or even told that they aren’t "sick enough" to access treatment. They may fear judgment, minimising their struggles as a result, or whether they will fit in with others on traditional programs—being perhaps more mature, more impulsive in the nature of their disorder, or in a larger body.
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Inpatient and intensive outpatient programs require extended time away—something high-functioning women balancing careers, families, and responsibilities often simply can’t afford.
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The financial burden of traditional recovery programs is enormous. With inpatient care costing up to £30,000 per month and intensive outpatient programs £12,000 or more, many women are priced out of recovery before they even begin.
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Standard programs tend to focus on urgent, crisis cases, often using BMI as a gatekeeper for care. This leaves the majority of sufferers—who are not medically underweight—without tailored support.
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Programs tend to have a one-size-fits-all model that doesn’t address the unique needs of high-functioning women for flexible, tailored support. In addition, they often end up shorter term than needed due to cost and practicality, leaving sufferers without the long-term relapse prevention support needed to embed recovery.
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For many, their eating disorder has been deeply intertwined with their identity, self-sufficiency, and success. The fear of losing that independence—or being forced into a model of care not designed with them in mind—can be a major barrier to seeking help.
💡 At Ianthe House, we’re changing the narrative.
Recovery doesn’t have to mean stepping away from your life. Our approach is flexible, sustainable, and designed for real life—because independent women deserve support that meets them where they are.
The Research · Who Are High-Functioning Sufferers?
⤷ statistics
“These women are so incredible. They are high achieving, they are intelligent, they are beautiful, they are capable — they are so strong, because every day is a challenge most will never fully comprehend.”
How Traditional Treatment models Fail High-Functioning Sufferers
Traditional services tend to be designed to towards supporting the needs of younger, dependent girls and critical cases, as opposed to more mature, high-functioning women or cases that have become chronic. This focus on the minority who require high levels of support, leaves the majority without tailored options. Here, we explore why standard treatment models are not well suited to supporting independent women.
1. Eating Disorder Recovery While Working
⤷ time away isn’t always an option
Residential treatment and intensive outpatient programs often require months away from careers and families.
Many sufferers avoid care because they can’t afford to stop earning.
Waiting lists for NHS care can exceed 12 months, worsening symptoms before treatment even begins.
“On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is it for you to balance recovery with your personal and professional responsibilities?”
💡 The ability to maintain independence in recovery was rated an average 9.8 out of 10 in importance for Ianthe House clients.
2. Financial barriers
⤷ The Cost is Prohibitive, and not always needed
Inpatient care costs £30,000+ and intensive outpatient £12,000 per month, inclusive of medical care and stabilisation that sufferers don’t always need.
Insurance rarely covers non-emergency cases, making private care inaccessible.
Financial stress leads to treatment avoidance, creating a cycle of chronic illness.
“I was just desperate for help, but the idea of having to take 6 weeks off for outpatient treatment felt simply inconceivable to me. The consequences to my team and company would have been terminal. ”
3. Clinical Models Feel Misaligned for independent women
⤷ High-functioning sufferers don’t always need such a high level of care
High-functioning individuals often don’t need high levels of medical care or hospitalisation—they need structured, long-term, sustainable support that fits around their daily lives.
Many feel dismissed because they don’t fit the ‘sick enough’ stereotype, despite struggling profoundly day in, day out.
The rigid, time-bound approach of standard treatment do not address the reality that recovery requires long-term relapse prevention to become secure, particularly for more chronic cases.
Ianthe House A Model Built for Real Life
We created Ianthe House because high-functioning sufferers deserve a care option designed specifically for them. Our model is designed for those who don’t need inpatient or intensive outpatient care, but still require structured, long-term, professional support.
⤷ The Five Pillars of Recovery at Ianthe House
Recovery that fits your life –flexible, long-term care designed to work around careers and responsibilities.
The power of peer support – community-driven recovery that fosters deep, lasting connections.
A holistic, long-term approach – programs spanning 9 to 12 months, addressing mind, body, and spirit.
Affordability without compromise – remote Recovery Circles start at £550 per month, and Ianthe Houses offer peer-supported living from £1,500 - £3,000 per month.
Lived experience at the core – our team includes individuals who have walked this path, providing stigma-free, compassionate support.
“I’ve gained a completely different perspective on my eating disorder. It doesn’t feel like everything revolves around it anymore. It’s strongly linked to so many other issues, and by working on those, I feel like I’m directly addressing the ED itself. I feel a lot more in control when it comes to eating. There are definitely some difficult days, but it doesn’t take over my life anymore. It doesn’t feel like it consumes all my time, and that’s such a massive win for me”
You Deserve a Recovery Model That Works for You
💡 How to Begin Your Recovery Journey
Explore your options
⤷ Read about our remote Recovery Circles and Ianthe Houses to find the right support for you.Connect with our team
Book a free consultation to discuss your needs and see how Ianthe House can support your recovery.
⤷ Schedule a Call.Start your recovery journey
Join a structured, long-term support system that fits into your life, not the other way around.
⤷ Apply for a Recovery Circle.Stay engaged & supported
Engage with our community, attend group sessions, and use our evidence-based tools to maintain progress.
⤷ Explore your therapy marketplace.
