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Not every difficulty with food or eating comes with a clear diagnosis, and that doesn’t make the experience any less real or any less deserving of support. At ABBI Clinic, we provide specialist care for people living with disordered eating, with treatment that is built around your individual experience and needs.
Disordered eating describes a range of irregular or harmful eating behaviours that cause significant distress or have an impact on daily life, but that may not meet the full diagnostic criteria for a specific eating disorder.
This can include persistent restriction, binge eating, purging, or a complicated and distressing relationship with food and the body that does not fall neatly into one category.
The fact that it does not carry a formal diagnostic label does not reduce the impact it has, and it does not mean specialist support is not appropriate. The fact that it does not carry a formal diagnostic label does not reduce the impact it has, and it does not mean specialist support is not appropriate.
If your relationship with food is causing you distress, affecting your daily life, or feels out of control, you deserve support. You do not need to wait until things become more serious before reaching out.
The signs of disordered eating vary significantly depending on the individual. Some may be more visible, others more internal. What they share is an impact on how you feel and how you live.
You may find that food takes up a lot of mental space, that eating feels loaded with anxiety or guilt, or that your rules around food feel rigid and difficult to move away from.
Eating behaviours that feel compulsive, secretive, or difficult to stop, whether they involve eating very little, eating large amounts in a short period, or purging afterwards, are worth taking seriously.
Spending a significant amount of time thinking about food, calories, your weight, or your body, particularly when those thoughts feel distressing or intrusive, can be a sign that something more than ordinary concern about eating is present.
Withdrawing from meals with others, finding excuses to avoid social eating, or experiencing significant anxiety around eating in front of other people can indicate that a relationship with food is becoming seriously difficult.
Fatigue, dizziness, changes in weight, or other physical symptoms that are not explained by another cause may sometimes be connected to disordered eating patterns.
You may not be able to name exactly what is happening, but if something about your relationship with food feels wrong or feels like it is getting in the way of your life, that matters.
One of the things that can hold people back from seeking support for disordered eating is uncertainty about whether what they are experiencing is serious enough. If your relationship with food is causing you distress or affecting your daily life, it is serious enough. You do not need to reach a particular weight, receive a formal diagnosis, or have been struggling for a long time before specialist support is appropriate.
At ABBI Clinic, we believe that early intervention leads to better outcomes. The sooner you access specialist support, the more options are available to you and the better your chances of a full and lasting recovery.
Our approach is responsive, compassionate, and built around your individual experience, wherever you are in your journey.
Disordered eating can take many different forms, and the right support looks different for everyone. Your treatment plan will be built around your specific patterns and goals, and may include:
Individual therapy sessions offer you dedicated one-to-one time with a specialist psychological therapist. Sessions provide a private space to explore the thoughts, feelings, and experiences that are driving disordered patterns around food, and to develop more helpful ways of relating to eating and your body.
Group therapy brings you together with others in a structured, safe, and facilitated setting. Sessions create space for honest conversation, shared skill-building, and mutual support, helping to reduce the shame that often accompanies disordered eating.
Family therapy involves you and those closest to you in understanding how relationships and home dynamics may be influencing your relationship with food. Sessions focus on building frameworks that better support your recovery within the context of everyday life.
Working one-to-one with a specialist eating disorder dietitian, you will explore your current eating patterns, identify areas of concern, and develop practical, sustainable changes that support your physical health and your broader recovery goals.
For those on a Day Care programme, supported mealtimes provide a structured and calm environment to practise eating in a more settled way, with clinical support present throughout. This can be particularly helpful when anxiety or avoidance around mealtimes is part of your experience.
A Consultant Psychiatrist will be involved in your initial assessment and will provide clinical oversight throughout your treatment, including any consideration of co-occurring conditions or medication.
Our mental health nursing team carries out regular health monitoring and provides practical support throughout your treatment. Nurses are present throughout the day, ensuring your care remains clinically safe and responsive to your needs.
Looking to learn more about disordered eating? Find answers to our most commonly asked questions here, or get in touch to speak with a member of our team.
Disordered eating describes harmful or distressing eating patterns that may not meet the full criteria for a specific eating disorder diagnosis. An eating disorder is a clinical diagnosis given when those patterns meet defined criteria and are causing significant distress or impairment. In practice, the boundary between the two is not always clear, and both deserve attention and support.
Absolutely. Many people who come to ABBI Clinic are not sure exactly what they are experiencing, or whether it is serious enough to warrant support. An assessment with our team will give you a clear, honest picture of what is happening and what, if anything, we would recommend. You do not need to arrive with a diagnosis or certainty about your situation.
No. You can contact ABBI Clinic directly without a GP referral. If you are worried about your relationship with food, getting in touch is the right first step. We will have an initial conversation and, if a full assessment is appropriate, we can arrange that quickly.
For some people, disordered eating patterns can become more entrenched over time if they are not addressed. This is one of the reasons early intervention matters. Accessing specialist support when you first notice something is wrong gives you the best chance of preventing further progression and supporting lasting recovery.
Taking the first step is often the hardest part. Whether you have questions about our treatment programmes, want to understand your funding options, or are ready to arrange an assessment, we are here to help.
Fill in the form below, or call us, and we’ll guide you through the next steps.
