Causes of eating disorders
Like with all psychiatric illnesses, there is no single factor that causes someone to develop an eating disorder. A person’s experiences, personality and genetic make-up may all play a part in the development of an illness. Factors can include a person’s culture, family life, things that have happened to them or that they have seen, feelings that they need to act on impulse or that they need to achieve perfection and physical or genetic factors.
The effect of life events
Some events that can increase a person's likelihood of developing an eating disorder include:
- Family or personal relationship difficulties
- Problems at work/college/university
- Bereavement or other traumatic events
- Physical, sexual or emotional abuse
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