Technology company Chief Commercial Officer, Liam 27, Newcastle, first experienced symptoms of anorexia nervosa (AN) – a type of eating disorder – at 12 years of age.
An eating disorder is a complex mental illness that for some can lead to severe and permanent physical complications, and even death.1
During his youth, Liam experienced anxiety from a young age and faced ‘relentless’ bullying about his weight at both school and family occasions. He began to experience a progressive decline in his health, during which time he developed obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and regularly over-exercised.
Liam, his family, friends and medical professionals collectively struggled to understand that he was living an eating disorder, or that men could develop this condition. At school he was referred to as, “manorexic”.
In 2015, Liam sought medical help from a psychologist who formally diagnosed him with anorexia nervosa – a serious and complex mental disease with psychiatric and physical symptoms.2,3 It is characterised by the severe restriction of food intake, and generally results in significant (and dangerous) weight loss.4
Liam battled this illness for the next eight years. He was admitted to hospital twice and saw numerous psychologists throughout his journey to recovery.
Eventually, with his partner and family’s support, Liam started to get better. He has found a treatment plan that works for him, and has managed to overcome his battle with disordered eating. While he has no diagnosed family history of an eating disorder, Liam suspects there are generational eating disorder behaviours within his family.
Liam has chosen to participate in the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative 2 (EDGI 2) – the world’s largest genetic investigation of eating disorders ever performed, that aims to identify the hundreds of genes that influence a person’s risk of developing the complex, devastating illnesses of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), to improve treatment, and ultimately, save lives.
EDGI2 follows the ground-breaking advances made in the initial EDGI investigation and collaborative Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative (ANGI), in which researchers, including the EDGI team, identified the first eight genes for anorexia nervosa that implicate both psychiatric and metabolic causes for the condition. This was a total surprise and a finding that urgently needs replication and expansion to fully understand the pathways that lead to this debilitating condition – hence the need for a much larger sample size, which is the aim of EDGI2.
Today, Liam has chosen to share his story to raise community awareness and understanding of living with an eating disorder, and to urge those who are currently afflicted, to seek help and support.
This is Liam’s story.
At the age of 12, Liam began to show signs of disordered eating.
“I was an anxious child, and with combined bullying at school and comments from family members,
I developed obsessive tendencies. I was aggressively exercising and developed obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which took a hold on my life.
“I started fainting at school, and had an abnormally low heart rate, at times below 40 bpm. I saw a GP who told me I could have a heart attack at any moment,” said Liam.
During a consultation with a psychologist in 2015, Liam was formally diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, which came as a shock for himself, and those close to him. Over the next eight years Liam was admitted to hospital on two occasions.
“I couldn’t believe my diagnosis. I felt total rejection. It took me a lot of time to accept it.
“Even in hospital I would tell the nurses, ‘You’ve got it wrong.’ I had no idea what an eating disorder was or what it meant,” Liam said.
Struggling to accept his situation, Liam fell back into old habits, long, gruelling runs and obsessive behaviours outside of hospital.
“I had another relapse when I was 16 years old. I lost motivation to live life, and ended up back in hospital,” said Liam.
Liam reflects on the significant impact of his eating disorder on his life.
“You live life in years, but you don’t have life in your years.
“Physically, I believe my eating disorder stunted my growth. Mentally it remains very scarring, and it can chase me around. My illness affected every part of my relationships with those around me,” Liam said.
“I harbour a lot of guilt for how my illness affected my family. Nowadays, I never want to worry them.”
Flanked with appropriate support, Liam has reached a point at which he can intuitively eat, and his life feels more manageable.
“I have a great partner who recognises what I have been through, and supports me. I had to re-teach myself that I am valuable, and my weight is not as important as I used to believe,” said Liam.
Today, Liam is determined to make a difference. He is sharing his story to reach other men living with eating disorders.
“I never saw a man with an eating disorder. It took me a long time to accept this.
“It would be great if I could extend that impact to other people out there,” Liam said.
Liam shares an important message for those who may be experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder.
“Speak to professionals and trust the people around you, such as family and friends. You are not alone.”
“Today, Liam enjoys learning German and Spanish, is focused on advancing his career, and hopes that by sharing his story, he can help others recognise they are not alone.”
To volunteer for, or learn more about the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative 2, head to edgi2.org.au or email edgi2@qimrb.edu.au.
Should you suspect you, or a loved one, may be living with an eating disorder, speak to your local healthcare practitioner without delay, or head to insideoutinstitute.org.au to complete their online screener and assessment, and to access more information and professional support.
Australian professional patient support services offering 24/7 helpline services include:
- Butterfly National Helpline: 1800 334 673
- Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
- LifeLine: 13 11 14
- Men’s Line Australia: 1300 78 99 78
- Kids Help Line: 1800 55 1800
References
1. National Eating Disorders Collaboration. What is an Eating Disorder? [Website]. 2024 [Available from: https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/whats-an-eating-disorder].
2. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth ed 2013.
3. Eating Disorders Victoria. Classifying Eating Disorders 2024 [Available from: https://eatingdisorders.org.au/eating-disorders/what-is-an-eating-disorder/classifying-eating-disorders/].
4. Bulik CM, Tozzi F, Anderson C, Mazzeo SE, Aggen S, Sullivan PF. The relation between eating disorders and components of perfectionism. Am J Psychiatry. 2003;160(2):366-8.
