Why Eating Disorder Treatment is Failing the Majority of Eating Disorder Sufferers
Only 6% of sufferers are medically underweight¹.
For many of us, reaching out for help is one of the hardest things we do. But when we finally do, the system isn’t always built to support us in the way we need. Only 30% of people with eating disorders receive specialised treatment², and even then, many find themselves on long waiting lists or in programs that don’t address the full complexity of long-term recovery, particularly for eating disorders that have become chronic. The average disease duration of an eating disorder is 10 years³, with a disease ranked worse than chronic kidney disease or severe heart failure⁴. Where are we going wrong?
Eating disorders are multifaceted, complex conditions requiring integrated, holistic and often long term support. They are expensive to treat. In the context of strained public health resources, care must by necessity focus on the most immediately vulnerable, crisis management & restrictive cases of dangerously low weight. However, only 6% of sufferers are medically underweight, leaving the majority without the long-term support needed for lasting recovery.
1. The Challenge of Diagnosis: Beyond BMI & Crisis Care
Much of the current system is designed around BMI and medical urgency as the primary criteria for care. While this ensures that those in immediate physical danger receive treatment quickly, it also means that many people struggling deeply with their eating disorder are turned away from public healthcare simply because they don’t fit a specific weight category.
But eating disorders are not defined by weight alone.
Suffering does not need to be visible to be valid.
People in larger bodies face a higher risk of being dismissed by healthcare providers, despite often experiencing severe medical complications⁵.
High-functioning eating disorder sufferers may appear “successful” on the outside, while privately battling a disorder that is psychologically all-consuming, with serious physical consequences over time.
With most private treatment being incredibly costly, many are left without options.
“I kidded myself it wasn’t bad enough to justify the cost of treatment and time away from work, even if I could have afforded it. Suddenly, a decade had passed. I couldn’t even remember what it was like to live without my ED.”
⤷ Where We Fit In
Whilst medical stabilisation is essential before psychological recovery can begin, the majority of sufferers who are higher functioning fall through the cracks of public health, without many accessible options available for specialised care that meets their needs.
At Ianthe House, we exist to fill this gap.
🔸 No maximum BMI requirements*
🔸 A focus on emotional and psychological healing
🔸 A sustainable, community-based alternative
🔸 Long-term support beyond the window of highest relapse risk
🔸 Practitioner led, peer-supported recovery
We are not a replacement for traditional recovery programs, but a complement designed for adult sufferers, or as transitional, step down care. We offer a path forward for those who have been left waiting for help, or as a bridge from higher levels of care.
*Our programs are designed to support those with more impulsive than restrictive ED. Where exclusively restrictive, these are long-term, high-functioning cases of stable weight within healthy range.
2. The Wait for Treatment Can Be Longer Than the Illness Itself
For those who do qualify for care, NHS wait times for adult sufferers can approach 6 months⁶. For a condition where early intervention is critical, these delays can make recovery harder. While we wait, behaviours become more ingrained, self-perception worsens, and the idea of getting better can feel further away than ever.
“I did get myself onto the waiting list for NHS care. By the time any options were available I had fallen back into denial. I wasn’t better. Not at all. I think I just started to normalise struggling so much after a while. ”
3. Private treatment remains out of reach for most
Meanwhile, private treatment is often inaccessible, with program durations at once too long, and too short for many sufferers.
Inpatient or residential programs can cost +£30,000–£40,000 per month.
Intensive outpatient programs cost £12k per month.
Requirements for time away from personal and professional responsibilities are often months not weeks
Relapse risk is as high as 40% in the first 12 months⁷, reducing significantly after 12 months⁸.
4. The Missing Piece — Why Recovery Needs More Than Just Intervention
Many treatment models interrupt the disorder—but they don’t always support us in becoming someone beyond it.
Recovery isn’t just about stopping behaviours—it’s about learning how to live without them.
Healing isn’t just about weight restoration—it’s about rebuilding trust in our bodies, our experiences, emotions, needs and choices.
Freedom isn’t just about leaving treatment—nor should leaving treatment have to feel like it.
💡 It’s not even just about learning how to exist in a world that once felt impossible to navigate without the disorder. Freedom is about building a deep sense of safety and trust in ourselves and others. It means having the capacity to experience life fully, to express ourselves authentically, and to share our unique gifts with the world.
“Our boundaries define our personal space – and we need to be sovereign there in order to be able to step into our full power and potential.”
Too often, recovery is treated like a destination, when in reality, it’s a developmental process.
Real recovery requires time, identity shifts and the social integration of these—not just symptom interruption.
Sustained change happens when we practice life differently over time—an iterative process of experiential learning and growth.
At Ianthe House, we believe recovery is about more than just survival—it’s about learning to truly live.
5. Why the System Prioritises Some—but Others are left Behind
That eating disorder treatment tends to be focused on younger, more critical cases is a reflection of limited resources and the reality that early intervention leads to better outcomes. Younger patients may also have parental support and financial stability, making them more likely to access higher levels of care.
But this means that many older sufferers, those in larger bodies, or those with chronic eating disorders are left behind, carrying what can feel like double burden of shame.
“A striking observation when we first meet women suffering at midlife or later is their severe shame and embarrassment for having a “teenager’s problem.” They apologise for needing our time and attention, repeatedly blaming themselves because they “should know better.””
Chronic eating disorders carry immense physical and psychological costs. Women, in particular, often prioritise caregiving roles and career, community or social responsibilities over their own recovery. This means that by the time many reach out for help, if they ever do, their disorder may have been entrenched for decades.
⤷ How Societal expectations impact Women at Critical Life Stages
Women’s relationships with themselves, with food and body image don’t exist in a vacuum—they are shaped by social expectations, life transitions, and hormonal changes.
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Body changes, the pressure to ‘bounce back,’ and a history of restriction can make this a high-risk time.
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The expectation to prioritise children and family over personal wellbeing leads many to put off seeking help.
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Weight gain, metabolic shifts, and changing roles in society can re-trigger disordered eating thoughts and behaviours.
Despite these clear risk factors, eating disorder care rarely considers the unique needs of women across life stages. The conversation still centres on adolescence, leaving many women without the care they need.
6. Ianthe House — A Recovery Model for those left behind
No one should have to face recovery alone. Yet, many eating disorder sufferers feel isolated, burdened by shame and a sense of not being understood. For women at every stage of life, particularly those in larger bodies or managing chronic conditions, the stigma can be compounded by societal expectations and misconceptions. This isolation not only intensifies the struggle but can also keep the disorder firmly in place.
⤷ healing possible when we break the cycle of silence.
Recovery isn’t just about fighting behaviours; it’s about reclaiming our place in the world. It’s about finding community—spaces where we are seen, heard, and understood without judgment. Peer support provides a powerful antidote to isolation, allowing individuals to share experiences, resonate with others, and witness their own stories reflected in the lives of those around them.
⤷ In community, we learn to challenge the distorted narratives that fuel the disorder.
We move from self-criticism and isolation to connection and belonging. It is in these supportive spaces that we find the courage to express our needs, embrace our emotions, and explore who we are beyond the disorder. Through shared understanding and mutual empathy, we begin to trust ourselves and others again.
⤷ No one heals in isolation.
Recovery flourishes in connection. By building a community where we belong, we create a foundation of safety, trust, and mutual support—one that empowers us to live fully, authentically, and unapologetically.
⤷ At Ianthe House, community is at the heart of our approach.
We believe in the transformative power of Recovery Circles—peer-support groups where members build genuine connections, share experiences, and support one another through every stage of recovery. This sense of belonging helps individuals rediscover their identity beyond the eating disorder and empowers them to build meaningful, purpose-driven lives.
“Trust the process and don’t be scared. The group is such a lovely, safe space. You will get an incredibly rare opportunity to connect with other (amazing) women who truly understand.”
Final Thought
We don’t have to wait for a crisis to deserve help.
We don’t have to lose everything to gain recovery.
We are not alone, and there is a way forward.
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