EDAW 2023: Eating Disorders in Boys & Men

In this weeks episode, Han is joined by Dewald Louw. Dewald is a Counselling Psychologist based in Cape Town, South Africa, and currently works as a remote therapist at Orri, a private eating disorder clinic in London. Dewald has extensive experience working with adolescents and adults in inpatient and private settings and has observed the unique mental health challenges that often go unnoticed in boys and men which make it difficult for them to embrace therapeutic environments.

This year, Eating Disorder Awareness Week (2023) focuses on eating disorders in boys and men. In this weeks podcast, we discuss:

• The prevalence of eating disorders in men and why this may be higher than expected.

• The signs and symptoms in boys & men compared with girls & women.

• Muscle dysmorphia and its presence in men, and how to distinguish a disorder from a healthy relationship with exercise.

• The idea that, similar to women and girls, eating disorders are a form of protection and ability to survive, not just a food and body issue.

• How masculinity impacts the development of eating disorders.

• The role of group therapy in male eating disorder recovery.

• How to make eating disorder treatment centres more accessible for boys and men, allowing them to access the treatment they require.

• The need for male-appropriate screening tools and assessments.

• How ORRI are supporting boys and men with eating disorders and what's behind their #RememberYourBROS.

To find out more about ORRI you can visit www.orri-uk.com, or find @ORRI_UK on Instagram or Twitter.

Please note that this podcast discusses eating disorder behaviours that some individuals may find triggering. Please check in with yourself along the way, and remember that this is not a replacement for therapeutic support.