Causes of eating disorders

There is no single cause for eating disorders.  A number of factors play a part including psychological, social, cultural and family issues
 
The disorder has often developed as a way of ‘coping’ with problems and stress. Learning why someone initially ‘escaped’ into their eating disorder can be a vital part of recovery. To beat the illness, you need to learn new and positive ways of dealing with difficult issues in your life.
 
The illness can develop for many different reasons, including bullying, abuse, family issues, high pressure of academic success, and bereavement. It can be associated with a traumatic or challenging event and life changes. 
 
Negative body image and low self-esteem are strongly implicated as other causes of eating disorders.
It is possible that some people have a genetic predisposition for developing eating disorders, or that eating disorders are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. It has also been suggested that dieting is a slippery slope to an eating disorder.