Understanding Eating Disorders in Women: The Reality Across a Lifetime

This is an important and compassionate conversation about eating disorders, a topic that is often misunderstood, often hidden, and far more common than many of us may realise.*** Before listening, please note that this episode may be sensitive for some, so if you feel at any point that it is difficult for you, we encourage you to step away and be gentle with yourself.In this episode, I am joined by Laura Casey, Director of Services at Lois Bridges, Ireland’s only dedicated eating disorder treatment centre. Laura is an enhanced psychiatric nurse with extensive experience supporting individuals through eating disorders and complex mental health challenges. In this conversation, she shares what they are seeing on the ground in Ireland today. We explore how eating disorders are rarely just about food, but are often deeply connected to emotional wellbeing, coping mechanisms, control, identity and self-worth. Laura speaks about the signs that are often missed, the quieter behaviours that can go unnoticed, and why many women may not recognise their own experiences as disordered eating.Importantly, this episode opens up a conversation around how eating disorders can evolve across a woman’s life. This is not a conversation just about extremes; it is about understanding the nuance, recognising the signs, and creating space for more open, compassionate conversations around eating disorders.IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.