Let’s be real—most people don’t wake up and say, “I think I have an eating disorder.”

What’s more common is second-guessing your struggles because you don’t match the stereotype.

You’re eating in front of people.
You’re not underweight.
You’re just trying to be healthy, or fix your body, or feel in control.
You think: It’s not that bad. Other people have it worse. I just need more willpower.

But here’s the truth: these thoughts are the disorder talking and they’re shaped by some deeply ingrained myths that keep people from seeking help. Let’s walk through five of the most common ones.

Myth 1: “You have to be underweight to have an eating disorder.”

This is one of the most harmful (and persistent) myths out there.

Reality check: Most people with eating disorders are not underweight.
Eating disorders can exist in any body size, and restrictive behaviors are often praised when they show up in higher-weight bodies.

That praise makes it even harder to identify when something is disordered, and it delays the help someone may urgently need. Just because someone “looks fine” doesn’t mean they are.

Your weight doesn’t determine the seriousness of your struggle. Your symptoms do.

Myth 2: “If you’re eating, you must be fine.”

Many people assume that if you’re eating (especially around others), you can’t possibly be struggling with an eating disorder.

But EDs aren't just about if you're eating—they're about how you feel about eating, your body, and the control food holds over your day.

People with binge-restrict cycles, purging, compulsive movement, or orthorexia may still eat visibly “well.” And many people with eating disorders are highly skilled at masking.

Eating in public doesn’t mean it’s not a problem in private.

Myth 3: “You just need more willpower and discipline.”

Let’s be clear: eating disorders aren’t about willpower. They’re about coping, control, and shame and they’re rooted in real psychological distress.

This myth makes people feel like failures for struggling. It also glorifies disordered eating as “being good” or “sticking to it.”

But recovery isn’t about being stricter, it’s about building safety, flexibility, and trust with food and your body.

Discipline might feel like control. But healing starts with letting go of that grip.

Myth 4: “It’s not that serious—it’s just a phase.”

Maybe you’ve heard this one. Or maybe you’ve said it to yourself.

But eating disorders don’t always show up in crisis mode. They creep in gradually: obsessing over macros, skipping meals, guilt after eating, hiding snacks, overexercising to “make up for” food.

And the longer they go unaddressed, the harder they can be to untangle.

A “phase” that hurts your mind, body, or relationships is still worth taking seriously.

Myth 5: “Only young, thin, white women get eating disorders.”

This stereotype erases so many people from the conversation—men, trans and nonbinary folks, people in larger bodies, BIPOC individuals, people with disabilities.

Eating disorders affect people across all genders, races, ages, and body sizes. And the belief that they don’t is one of the biggest reasons people are misdiagnosed or ignored.

You don’t have to fit the stereotype to deserve support. You’re not invisible.

These myths aren’t just inaccurate. They’re dangerous. They keep people silent. They delay care. And they reinforce shame in people who are already struggling.

So let’s say it clearly:

You don’t have to be underweight.
You don’t have to be diagnosed.
You don’t have to be in crisis.
You don’t have to be “sure.”

If food, body thoughts, or eating patterns are interfering with your quality of life; you deserve support. And if someone you care about is struggling, trust that early help can change everything.