Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Worried about my teenager’s binge eating and feeling fobbed off by GP

19 replies

CelestialCandyfloss · 28/04/2026 11:24

I've just had a conversation with my GP about my 15-year-old daughter, and to be honest it's the second time I have tried and I'm feeling a bit upset and fobbed off. I'm really worried about her eating. She binges on cakes, sweets, cheese strings - all the processed crap. She buys it, sneaks it, hides it in her room. She's got all sorts of food in her room, all over the floor. It seems to have just escalated from normal teenage behaviour to hoarding and binging. She doesn't purge. I'm just really worried about her.

I've spoken to the doctor and kind of been fobbed off a little bit, really. They said to get in touch with some local teenage mental health services and that there must be an underlying problem if that she's unhappy about something. I don't know what because she seems quite a happy person, but she's recently been more angry, especially with me. But again, what's normal teenage behaviour and what isn't? Has anyone else gone through this? Because the doctor said there's a lot of support for children who have 'eating disorders', i.e. they don't eat, but there isn't much support for children who kind of overeat or binge eat. Surely this is also an eating disorder??

He's suggested that she speaks to the school nurse, so I'm going to talk to her about that. But has anyone got any ideas or suggestions or anything that they've gone through because it's not healthy to have this habit and she's put on about two stone. I try not to talk to her about weight, I talk to her about health. Can anyone give me any advice or help, or been through this? I don't want to overdramatise this, but I also don't want to minimise it! Thanks.

OP posts:
grapefruit100 · 03/05/2026 21:32

You could follow Roslyn Gray Nutrition on instagram
she is a binge eating dietician - https://www.instagram.com/roslyngraynutrition?igsh=ZTZ4eGphbXFjdXBx

1888est · 03/05/2026 22:16

what did you expect the GP to do?

CelestialCandyfloss · 03/05/2026 22:21

1888est · 03/05/2026 22:16

what did you expect the GP to do?

Well, not say that only children who don't eat get support?! 🙄

OP posts:
I'llBuyThatForADollar · 03/05/2026 22:25

Has she or is she being bullied? Any problems at home? These were the instigators for my eating disorder.

greensuitcase · 03/05/2026 22:29

Contact Beat helpline

Plasticdreams · 03/05/2026 22:32

ADHD and autism can be a factor. Medication helps.

1888est · 03/05/2026 22:56

CelestialCandyfloss · 03/05/2026 22:21

Well, not say that only children who don't eat get support?! 🙄

Why? do you think that was incorrect?

BreakingBroken · 03/05/2026 23:14

is she overweight?
all those food items are tasty and can be difficult to resist even if you know they are NOT the healthiest food choices.
is she getting enough food in general? teens go through growth spurts and are hungry especially if they are active.

TheEyesHaveHills · 04/05/2026 10:27

I was fobbed off three times by my DDs GP, as she was rapidly developing an eating disorder that almost killed her. In the end it was her school nurse that took us seriously and pursued an urgent referral. I am sorry you are going through this, as her mum you know her better than anyone. You are absolutely not over dramatising it. Stay strong and keep on pursuing this.

passaggoatlycarton · 04/05/2026 10:35

I have binge eating disorder. You need to self-refer to whatever your area’s IAPTS service is, and they can refer her on for treatment (it will be CBT usually). You can also find a psychotherapist that specialises in eating disorders.

Christopher Fairburn’s book Overcoming Binge Eating is excellent and what much treatment is based on. You can also use this CCI programme, it’s very good: https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Disordered-Eating
However it is really hard to do without professional support. The periods of recovery I’ve experienced have been when supported by a psychotherapist or CBT practitioner with weekly check-ins.

People I know who binge eat, including myself, do so as a self-soothing behaviour because we struggle to cope with emotions/due to being overstimulated or overwhelmed. I have ADHD and eating, specifically sweet and fatty foods, is extremely soothing. So maybe something to think about there.

Sorry she’s experiencing this. She is probably very ashamed, so probe gently.

Eating Disorders Self-Help Resources - Information Sheets & Workbooks

Self-help resources for addressing disordered eating, developed by clinical psychologists at the Centre for Clinical Interventions in Perth, Western Australia.

https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Disordered-Eating

AnnaMagnani · 04/05/2026 10:48

CelestialCandyfloss · 03/05/2026 22:21

Well, not say that only children who don't eat get support?! 🙄

Unfortunately the GP is probably completely accurate in what support there is available.

P00hsticks · 04/05/2026 10:55

CelestialCandyfloss · 03/05/2026 22:21

Well, not say that only children who don't eat get support?! 🙄

Surely 'eating disorders' covers not just those who don't eat but those who binge eat, purge etc as well ....none of those are normal

Poppingby · 04/05/2026 11:03

Plasticdreams · 03/05/2026 22:32

ADHD and autism can be a factor. Medication helps.

What medication? Genuine question.

Frustration247 · 04/05/2026 11:10

Contact BEAT, they have a helpline for family

Plasticdreams · 04/05/2026 11:53

Poppingby · 04/05/2026 11:03

What medication? Genuine question.

ADHD medication helps with binging by helping with impulse control and stabilising dopamine levels.

Poppingby · 04/05/2026 15:27

Thanks. That's interesting.

comoatoupeira · 04/05/2026 15:37

Yes. Eating disorder means disordered eating. Binge eating is disordered eating. I agree with calling the BEAT helpline and self referring to local orgs. You can literally say your daughter has an eating disorder, she does.

love from a recovered person like your daughter who received no help except being put on the pill (when not sexually active. Why? I’ll never understand). I had to recover all alone with no adult help and it took me 7 years (15-22). Saddest and hardest time of my life. I used books at the library and talking to friends at uni.

BillieWiper · 04/05/2026 15:40

P00hsticks · 04/05/2026 10:55

Surely 'eating disorders' covers not just those who don't eat but those who binge eat, purge etc as well ....none of those are normal

Yes but unfortunately the funding isn't really there for people unless their weight is dangerously low.
It's not fair of course.

waterrat · 04/05/2026 20:24

I think one problem OP is that there is a widespread crisis in paediatric mental health - my daughter has needed MH support for years and we were told in writing by our GP that our area (a reasonably sized city) had essentially no services for mentally unwell teens and children and we should look at going private. and my daughter was at this point not in school at all due to her MH (and was still primary age so very vulnerable) among other very serious issues -

We ultimately found ways to support her MH but its shocking and awful when you realise how little help there is

Your GP is probably just being honest with you that there isn't any help and waiting lists for CAHMS are multiple years long. Young people who don't eat are at risk of dying -- and often end up in hospital so they get the treatment on that pathway.

Could you research and find private help? Would your daughter benefit from any life changes/ is school helpful? (school nurse was helpful to us at one point if you haven't tried them)

it's very sad how little help there is for mental health in this country but the GP is probably right that you may need to find the underlying issue yourself via private help.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page