Anorexia after 40: ‘I felt so embarrassed and such a poor role model for my daughter’
A 61-year-old woman shares her personal struggle with anorexia nervosa, detailing the hidden anxiety and shame she experiences despite her successful professional and family life. The article highlights the persistent nature of eating disorders that can affect individuals well into middle age.
Why it matters
It challenges the misconception that eating disorders are exclusively a condition affecting young people, emphasizing the need for better awareness and support for older adults.
T he day Mary* booked to go on a group golfing holiday, she was excited. But in the weeks leading up to the trip, she became anxious and preoccupied. She knew she would have to eat more than usual to be inconspicuous, even if there were self-serve buffet options and she could push salad around on a plate. She wouldn’t be able to weigh herself. She wouldn’t be able to eat only her “safe” foods. “I was thinking: how can I get a feasible excuse so I can get out of it?”
When the group arrived at the hotel, she slipped out to reception to ask whether there was a weighing scale for luggage. Her relief at locating one, where she could weigh herself surreptitiously, was enormous. So was her shame.
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