Why community is the heart of eating disorder recovery
Eating disorders have profound impacts on people’s lives. They steal time, they steal health, and perhaps most cruelly, they steal connection. They thrive on secrecy and the silence of isolation.
This is why the theme for this year’s Eating Disorder Awareness Week ‘community’ is so vital.
Whether it is an individual struggling in silence or the family member feeling helpless on the sidelines, the sense of being "alone" is a significant barrier to healing. However, as this year's theme highlights, community is the antidote. It is the bridge between clinical intervention and recovery.
At least 1.25 million people in the UK are living with an eating disorder. Hospital admissions have risen by 84% over the past decade. Referrals to children and young people's services have exploded post pandemic despite increased funding.
The government's investment in this area has grown: planned spending on children and young people's eating disorder services reached £106 million in 2024/25, and commitments under the NHS Long Term Plan have expanded community mental health provision.
These are welcome steps. But the Royal College of Psychiatrists' analysis found that 24 of the 42 Integrated Care Boards planned real-terms spending cuts to eating disorder services, even as referrals surged. Without a national plan for eating disorders uncertainty remains on the future of eating disorder treatments.
For too long, the standard for adult eating disorder care has relied on extended, often isolated hospital stays. While medical stabilisation is crucial, a "vacuum" environment can sometimes make the transition back to the real world feel insurmountable.
Bramacare was founded on the vision of filling this gap. We believe that recovery shouldn’t just happen in a clinical setting; it must also occur within the context of community that prioritises rehabilitation-first pathways. By focusing on functional recovery and independence rather than just weight restoration in a vacuum, we see individuals rebuild their social functioning and confidence supported by expert staff.
Community, in our view, is the active ingredient in treatment. It’s about structured reintegration and supporting someone as they navigate the complexities of everyday life, while still under the safety net of specialist-led care from experts.
This Eating Disorder Awareness Week, let’s commit to breaking the silence. Whether you are seeking help, undergoing treatment, or supporting a loved one, remember that you are not a burden, and you are certainly not alone. Recovery is a journey, but it is one we take together.
By fostering a culture of understanding and investing in community-led rehabilitation, we can ensure that "going home" isn't just a discharge date, it’s a return to a life of connection.
Laetitia Beaujard-Ramoo is the CEO of Bramacare, a specialist eating disorder rehabilitation service.
