Anorexia survivor claims lockdown has been GOOD for some with the disease, because they don’t have to worry about a ‘summer body’ – despite charities arguing it’s heaped pressure on sufferers

• Marissa Pendlebury, 28, of Cheshire, founded the Nourishing Routes programme
• She battled anorexia from age of 13 at school and spent months in hospital  
• Says Covid-19 lockdown has been good for some people with eating disorders
• Warned it’s a double-edged sword and some will struggle with intrusive thoughts
• Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

An anorexia survivor has claimed social isolation as a result of Covid-19 has created ‘safe havens’ for some people battling eating disorders.  

Marissa Pendlebury, 28, from Warrington, Cheshire, founder of the Nourishing Routes programme, warned great care must to be taken to ease these individuals back into society when lockdown ends to avoid painful relapses.

Some eating disorder charities have argued that the pandemic has heaped pressure onto sufferers, with Beat reporting a 73 per cent rise in contact across all of their channels in May compared with February.  

But Marissa, a graduate and ambassador for Liverpool Hope University, said it’s important to remember that for a great many sufferers, lockdown could have come at the perfect time.

Marissa Pendlebury, 28, from Warrington, Cheshire, pictured, founder of the Nourishing Routes programme, says social isolation as a result of Covid-19 has created ‘safe havens’ for people battling eating disorders

The author and self-help expert told FEMAIL it’s now crucial that those individuals are given help when restrictions are fully lifted.

‘Covid-19 has created a really complex picture – and likely not what you might think,’ she said.

‘Many of those with an eating disorder are clearly struggling at this time. Isolation associated with Covid-19 might have forced them to face their eating disorder in a negative way. 

‘It’s hard to escape intrusive thoughts and they might cave in to using food as a coping mechanism, eating less or counting calories more because they’re physically moving less while stuck indoors.

‘But we’re also hearing how many are also benefiting from the lockdown. Covid-19 has given them permission to relax, to take a step back. For some people it feels like the world is slowing down – and that’s a good thing.

Marisa’s own struggles with anorexia began aged 13, as the pressure from choosing her school options mounted. She ultimately spent months in hospital, having used food control as a ‘coping mechanism’ for stress. Pictured now

Marissa said lockdown has given some anorexia sufferers permission to relax and to take a step back. For some people it feels like the world is slowing down – and that’s a good thing

‘When you can’t go to the gym, don’t have to go to work, don’t have to go to university, don’t have to go for a run you make yourself do every morning, you can put in a better schedule to make sure you have all your meals and snacks in place.

‘For students, predicted grades have alleviated a lot of the pressure of exams. If they’re living at home, they might be supported by their family.

‘They might also be thinking, “I don’t need to wear make-up every day, I don’t have to wear things that make me feel acceptable to others, I can be myself. I don’t have to have a summer body because I’m here in my garden.’

Marissa added that people are also starting to notice the beauty in the world, subconsciously taking the focus away from their own bodies. 

‘We need to remember that lockdown is a double-edged sword,’ she continued. ‘Many will be struggling, but social isolation could hopefully be a positive thing for others.’

Marisa’s own struggles with anorexia began aged 13, as the pressure from choosing her school options mounted. She ultimately spent months in hospital, having used food control as a ‘coping mechanism’ for stress.

According to Marissa, efforts should now be focused on supporting those with eating disorders when schools, workplaces and universities do open their doors

It was through studies at university that she was finally able to unpick the psychology behind her illness, considering herself recovered around the age of 24.

According to Marissa, efforts should now be focused on supporting those with eating disorders when schools, workplaces and universities do open their doors.

She argued: ‘Institutions need to be mindful about the risk of eating disorder relapse post-lockdown. People will have been tuned-in to a slower pace of life. 

‘But when things return to normal they might develop a fervour of motivation to get back to work, especially if they feel they’ve not done enough. It’s like a pendulum – if you swing it one way it’s always going to swing back the opposite way really fast. 

‘But you want the pendulum to move slowly back into the centre. There needs to be a gradual easing back into normal life, rather than, “Let’s get back to work – look at everything you’ve missed!”.’

Universities need an ‘open forum’ where students can express concerns about their mental health, either confidentially or as part of an awareness group that meets weekly or monthly, Marissa said.

Schools and universities should also implement teaching sessions on ‘self compassion and taking time to relax’.

According to the charity Beat, around 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder and 75 per cent of those affected are female.

Meanwhile anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder.

It’s a disease that Marissa is sadly all too familiar with. The former mental health worker and trained yoga teacher said she found her feet through studying more about psychology.

‘I realised that all my obsession with work, trying to get on the career ladder, was really not making me – or anyone else – happy,’ she said.

‘It’s not about creating structured meal plans for yourself or following a specific amount of calories to get well and put on weight.

What is anorexia?

Anorexia is an eating disorder and a mental health condition.

People diagnosed with it try to keep their weight as low as possible by eating little or excessive exercise.

Men and women can develop the illness, however it typically starts in the mid-teens.

Those with anorexia can have a distorted image of their bodies, thinking their fat when in fact they are severely underweight.

Causes of the condition are unknown, but those with it have either low self-esteem, have a family history of eating disorders or feel pressured from society or place of work.

Long term health complications can include muscle and bone problems, loss of sex drive, kidney or bowl problems or having a weakened immune system.

Treatment for anorexia can include cognitive behavioural therapy.

‘Ultimately it’s finding out who you are, what you enjoy, being able to laugh and cry and have a lot of different emotions, without trying to control the world at the same time.’

Marissa’s Nourishing Routes platform began life as a simple blog, but has grown to become a peer-to-peer support platform for anyone who’s developed an unhealthy relationship with food.

Crucially, it also represents somewhere else to turn for those faced with agonisingly-long waiting lists to see a specialist on the NHS.

When someone does present to their GP, they’re typically referred to a dietician, community mental health team or special community eating disorder service.

But some have to wait for as long as a year to get that appointment, depending on the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Marissa says: ‘I was able to see a dietician within seven weeks. That might sound a long time but other people can be waiting for months and months. I’ve heard of people waiting more than a year, or an average of six months, just for an initial assessment.

‘By that point this person could be extremely unwell. And remember that it’s hard for people to even ask for help. Usually by the point they end up at their GP they’re already in a critical condition.’

There’s also the issue of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on what constitutes the need for clinical intervention.

Marissa adds: ‘Sometimes people don’t actually meet the criteria for anorexia in terms of their weight. And the doctor will say, ‘Come back when you weigh six pounds less.

‘Others have told me that their doctors have recommended they still exercise, maybe they go for a jog, and they put the energy from food restriction into physical activity – but that potentially just creates another problem!

‘I don’t blame doctors or the NHS. The individuals who work there are extremely compassionate and understanding. It’s just the system as a whole, the way it functions in terms of who it prioritises, is quite flawed.

‘And unfortunately that’s led to people passing away because they’ve not had that support. Or because they feel neglected, they have maybe decided to make themselves more ill in order to get help.’

Marissa wants to see the NHS branch-out into more holistic treatments, too, including a form of occupational therapy in order to allow those with eating disorders to regain their independence.

She adds: ‘Recovery is not just about food – it’s just 10 per cent of the journey.

‘Recovery is all the other things they’ve missed out on, such as family life, relationships, social life, having a laugh, just being a teenager.

‘You can’t get these things back but you can rediscover yourself however old you are, and that’s really important.’

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