Eating disorders are not a choice, they are a disease – I wish more people knew how treatable they are

‘Emily learns to look at her anorexia nervosa as a treatable illness and develops healthy ways to think about eating.’ Photograph: Microgen Images/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

Emily* is a 24-year-old single female with anorexia nervosa and depression who was referred for an assessment due to restricting food intake, being underweight with some alcohol abuse. Emily had been living in a share house but has returned to living with her parents due to her worsening mental health.

Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric disease in which patients restrict their food intake (by extreme diets, purging and excessive exercise). Patients become severely underweight and do not realise it and have a distorted perception of weight. But eating disorders are treatable and can lead to good outcomes.