How eating disorders impact the body and brain : Short Wave : NPR

Eating disorders are complicated illnesses. They impact almost every part of the body, including the heart, brain and even emotions.

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Eating disorders are complicated illnesses. They impact almost every part of the body, including the heart, brain and even emotions.

nicoletaionescu/Getty Images

Eating disorders among teenagers skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teens like Moorea Friedman were isolated, spending more time in front of their computers watching movies and TV, where characters often seemed… perfect.

“You see the protagonist and they’re all so beautiful,” Friedman says. “And you’re like, ‘Do I have to look like that to be worthy? To be lovable?'”

Friedman was already struggling with perfectionism and anxiety, and says she started to feel awful about herself.

“The world was spiraling out of control, and my body was spiraling out of control. And so what did I try to do? I tried to control it,” she says.

Eventually, Friedman says she stopped getting her period, a condition called amenorrhea that signals the body’s hormones aren’t functioning properly. A doctor told her that her heart wasn’t doing well, and Friedman realized she was stuck in patterns that were hurting her mind and body.

Eating disorders are complicated illnesses.

Pediatrician Eva Trujillo says they “literally rewire the brain,” decrease brain size, and make it harder to concentrate and to regulate emotions. Malnutrition can slow the metabolism, impact bone density and even lead to cardiac arrest.

Trujillo says that with the right treatment, people can also recover fully.

“But the brain needs time, food, therapy and compassion to heal,” she says.

Trujillo is the president of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. She is also a co-founder of Comenzar de Nuevo, a leading treatment facility in Latin America, where patients of all ages and walks of life can get support and skill-build as they recover.

For Friedman, recovery also includes advocating for other teens struggling with eating disorders and other mental health conditions. She started a mental health and wellness podcast called Balancing Act.

“As I was digging myself out of this hole, I realized that I wanted to help other people who felt like they had been battling with this alone,” she says. “Because I knew what it was like to struggle alone.”

For more resources and support, check out the National Eating Disorders Association.

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This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. Maggie Luthar was the audio engineer.