Not just exclusive to body-conscious teenagers, eating disorders are increasingly developing for women in midlife. Sharon Hendry investigates why it could be linked to changes due to menopause.
Millions of menopausal women have a better understanding of their bodies thanks to an open public dialogue that has gathered pace over the past decade. Celebrities including Davina McCall, Gabby Logan, Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie have joined forces with women every where to open up conversations about symptoms such as hot flushes, headaches, sleep problems, mood changes, thinning hair, dry skin and night sweats.
However, to date, one symptom of perimenopause – the transitional period before menopause – and menopause remains dangerously in the dark: eating disorders.
Kerrie Jones is a leading psychotherapist in the treatment of eating disorders and the CEO and founder of Orri (orri-uk.com), a specialist eating disorder clinic in London that prov ides intensive day treatment and outpatient services, including online treatment, for those aged 16 and over. Kerrie has seen an increase in older people seeking treatment over the past 15 years, including middle-aged women struggling with menopause. ‘Eating disorders develop due to a variety of different reasons, but we often see them triggered during transitional phases. This can be anything that symbolises a critical junction in someone’s life and might include becoming a new parent, being made redundant, going through a divorce, or saying goodbye to children leaving for university. Menopause also represents a transitional phase in someone’s life. It can be welcomed by some but cause enormous difficulty for others,’ says Kerrie.
‘Perimenopause often lasts from age 45-55 and can cause many body and hormonal changes, including fluctuating weight and mood. As a result, women can become more critical of their bodies and uncertain about the changes taking place.’
According to Kerrie, who also lectures on Attachment Studies at Roehampton University, eating disorders develop as a way of coping with anxiety. ‘Whilst we might recognise that it is not healthy or sustainable as a long-term solution, the function of the eating disorder can be to provide distraction from difficult thoughts and divert attention away from overwhelming emotions or emotional experiences.
‘Strangely, it can provide a sanctuary, a sense of safety when all around the person feels out of control or uncertain, as it manages the fear that accompanies feelings of uncertainty, powerlessness and inconsistency,’ says Kerrie.
BECOMING OBSESSIVE
‘Often, people with an eating disorder describe the need to have a sense of order, or safety, and food management can provide the scaffolding for this. Becoming heavily preoccupied with food is both mentally and practica
