We are delighted to share our latest paper – and one we are very proud of. In this position piece, we share our perspectives as a team of researchers, clinicians and individuals with lived experience.
Control has often been described as a central factor within EDs. Whilst control can play a role in ED experiences, we argue that overemphasis upon this factor can result in other important factors being overlooked. For many individuals, EDs are the consequence of life events and/or other environmental influences. With this in mind, discourse which overemphasises control (e.g., rather than coping) can inaccurately portray EDs as something ‘wrong’ with the individual. It is important to challenge this discourse to encourage more appropriate perceptions of EDs. In turn, this could improve understanding and treatment of EDs, reduce stigma, and promote recovery.
Please do read an our paper to find out more. It is available freely here: https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40337-023-00752-9