“Just eat” and 5 other things to not say to someone with an eating disorder

Eating disorders are rooted in shame, anxiety, and other uncomfortable emotions - and for a person to share the fact that they’re struggling with an eating disorder with another person is a huge act of vulnerability. The following phrases listed below are common responses that people have when they are told that someone has an eating disorder. While these responses typically are not said with poor intentions, they are actually very harmful.