Mental health conditions are very common.  About a quarter of the population experience some kind of mental health problem in any one year.  Anxiety and depression are the most common conditions, with around 1 in 10 people affected at any one time.  Anxiety and depression can be severe and long-lasting and have a big impact on people’s ability to get on with life.  Between one and two in every 100 people experience a severe mental illness, such as bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia, and have periods when they lose touch with reality (Mental Health Foundation, 2021).

Eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa are a serious mental health condition affecting people of all ages, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds.  People with eating disorders use disordered eating behaviour as a way to cope with difficult situations or feelings. The way a person treats food may make them feel in more control or able to cope with difficult feelings even though the person may not be aware of the purpose underlying their behaviour (BEAT Eating Disorders, 2020).