Male eating disorders are viewed by some as a myth, but the truth is that there is a silent epidemic. Many men do not ever seek help for eating disorders, suffering silently and going undiagnosed. There is a biased view that male eating disorders are rare while the truth may be that these are simply not properly diagnosed because of a gender bias when it comes to these conditions. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and body dysmorphic disorder can affect males as well as females. Many suspect that male eating disorders are substantially under reported and under diagnosed, leaving males with few treatment options and support sources to help them recover. Men who have an eating disorder will have the same symptoms that females experience, but these symptoms are less likely to result in an eating disorder diagnosis when the patient is male rather than female.
The solution if there is a silent epidemic of male eating disorders is to start with the symptoms experienced rather than the gender of the patient. Any eating disorder symptom set should be viewed as a possible issue, and further testing and evaluation should be performed to either rule out male eating disorders or properly diagnose the specific condition. There are treatment facilities for male eating disorders which can be very beneficial, offering hope of a full and permanent recovery. These programs offer individual one on one counseling sessions which help uncover the real root of the problem and then resolve any conflict to start the healing and recovery process.
