Understanding the Hidden Roots and Lasting Impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences

Eating disorders are often seen through the lens of food, weight, and control. But for many individuals, especially those with persistent or severe symptoms, the roots run deeper — often back to early life experiences that shaped how they relate to their bodies, emotions, and safety in the world.

Early Life Stress (ELS) refers to significant stressors or adversities experienced during childhood, including neglect, abuse, household dysfunction, and other forms of trauma. Research increasingly shows that ELS is not only linked to mental health concerns in general — it is a major risk factor in the development and maintenance of eating disorders.

How Malnutrition Affects the Developing Brain — and What Recovery Makes Possible

Eating disorders affect every system in the body — but perhaps none more profoundly than the brain. Especially during childhood and adolescence, when the brain is rapidly developing, the effects of malnutrition, stress, and disordered eating behaviors can interfere with the structure and function of critical neural pathways.

In eating disorder treatment, we often focus on therapy, nutrition, and medical care — and rightly so. But alongside these clinical pillars, a growing body of research supports the therapeutic role of nature-based practices, including gardening, in promoting emotional regulation, body reconnection, and mental health recovery.

Gardening is more than a hobby. It can be a gentle, grounding, sensory-rich experience that supports healing from eating disorders in ways that traditional treatments cannot always reach. Whether it’s planting herbs on a balcony, working in a community plot, or simply repotting houseplants, interacting with nature through gardening can be a meaningful tool in the recovery process.

When emotions come on fast and strong — panic, shame, flashbacks, or the urge to engage in harmful behaviors — it can feel like you're spinning out of control. In these moments, it's hard to think clearly, and harder still to remember what helps.

That's where grounding techniques come in.

Grounding is the practice of bringing your mind and body back to the present moment. It helps interrupt intense emotional or sensory states, especially during anxiety, dissociation, or urges tied to trauma, self-harm, or eating disorders.

This post offers emergency grounding strategies you can use anytime, anywhere to help your nervous system settle. These aren’t meant to replace deeper therapeutic work — but they can be a powerful part of a safety toolkit.

Bullying is a form of emotional, verbal, or physical harm that can leave lasting psychological effects—especially when experienced during childhood or adolescence. One of the less visible, but highly significant, outcomes of bullying is its connection to the development of eating disorders.

While eating disorders are complex, multifaceted illnesses, the role of peer victimization, body-based teasing, and chronic social stress is well-documented in the pathways leading to disordered eating. Understanding this link is essential for prevention, early intervention, and compassionate care.

Triggers are situations, emotions, thoughts, or experiences that activate disordered eating behaviors or negative self-talk. Recognizing your personal triggers can help you create a plan to manage them effectively and protect your recovery.

It’s completely valid to feel like your eating disorder is not the real problem—because in many ways, it isn’t. Eating disorders are not just about food, weight, or body image; they are often a symptom of something deeper—unresolved emotions, trauma, anxiety, perfectionism, or the need for control.

If you’re feeling this way, let’s explore what’s underneath your eating disorder and how to navigate recovery with this understanding.

Meal planning in eating disorder recovery can help reduce anxiety around food, build consistency, and ensure balanced nutrition while supporting a healthy relationship with eating. However, it’s important to approach meal planning in a flexible, non-restrictive way that aligns with recovery goals.

Eating disorder recovery can be emotionally exhausting, overwhelming, and frustrating—but humor can be a powerful coping tool that makes the journey a little lighter. While eating disorders are serious, finding moments of laughter can ease anxiety, reduce stress, and help reframe difficult situations.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and eating disorders (EDs) often co-occur, creating a complex and emotionally intense cycle of impulsivity, fear of abandonment, self-destructive behaviors, and difficulties with emotional regulation. Individuals with both conditions may struggle with extreme emotions, unstable self-image, and disordered eating as a way to cope with distress.

Stress is a major trigger for eating disorder behaviors, whether it leads to restriction, bingeing, purging, or compulsive exercise. Learning healthy stress management techniques is crucial in recovery to prevent relapse, improve emotional regulation, and rebuild a positive relationship with food and body image.

Purging—whether through vomiting, laxative use, excessive exercise, or fasting—is a serious and dangerous behavior associated with bulimia nervosa, binge-purge subtype anorexia, and other eating disorders. Helping a teen overcome purging requires compassion, medical and psychological intervention, and a structured recovery plan.

Transgender individuals face a significantly higher risk of developing eating disorders (EDs) compared to their cisgender peers. This increased vulnerability is linked to body dysphoria, societal pressures, discrimination, and mental health struggles.

Eating disorders are often complex conditions arising from a blend of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. Anxiety, depression, and eating disorders in children often intertwine in a complex relationship, with each condition potentially influencing the onset and progression of the others.  Research suggests that children with heightened anxiety or depressive symptoms may develop disordered eating behaviors as a form of coping

Family support plays a critical role in the recovery process from pediatric eating disorders. The dynamics within a family and the strength of its support system can significantly influence the child’s ability to recover both physically and emotionally. A nurturing and understanding environment can reinforce positive habits, reduce emotional distress, and encourage effective coping strategies. When family members actively participate in the treatment process, young people struggling with an eating disorder benefit from consistent reinforcement of healthy behaviors and ongoing emotional support (Lock & Le Grange, 2019). By working together, parents, siblings, and other caregivers can play a significant role in facilitating recovery and preventing relapses.

Eating disorders in children and adolescents can be challenging to detect early because some behaviors may be mistaken for “typical” teenage moodiness or picky eating. However, certain warning signs and changes in behavior or physical health can indicate that an eating disorder may be developing. It’s important to remember that no single sign confirms an eating disorder, but a pattern of behaviors or symptoms may warrant a closer look and professional evaluation.

One of the lesser talked-about — but emotionally painful — side effects of eating disorders is hair loss or noticeable changes in hair texture, thickness, or growth. For many teens and young adults, especially, these physical signs can increase distress or shame.