'I was incredibly lonely': The soaring number of calls from Scottish students to an eating disorder helpline

Beat said it had received 1,416 contacts between in 2023/24, up from 723 in 2019/20. Meanwhile, an estimated 5,365 helpline sessions were held in Scotland in 2023/24, compared to 2,967 in 2019/20.

The figures have emerged as many students are starting or returning to university in the past few weeks.

Erin Butler, a second-year student, said: “I was diagnosed with anorexia when I was 15 and I’ve been in recovery ever since. Once my health got better, I leaped at the chance to discharge myself and I decided that university was going to be my fresh start and the beginning of my independence.

“Needless to say, it didn't really turn out that way. Contrary to what I believed, you can't just run away from your eating disorder.

“I was incredibly lonely at university. I hated how I looked and spent most of my time trying my best to fill my days with things to distract myself from how lost I felt.

“I worked at my part-time job as much as possible and I was obsessed with earning back every penny I had loaned before I finished my degree. My eating disorder felt worse this time than it had when I was first diagnosed.

“After I went home for a while, my family and friends reminded me of the world that I love. I signed up to every therapy going and today I'm living in a lovely house back at university with people who I love.”

To help university staff spot the early warning signs of eating disorders and support students, Beat has online and in-person spaces available for its “Bridging the Gap” training.

Alex Jones, Beat’s national lead for Scotland, said: “Eating disorders can affect people of all ages, but we know that university can be a particularly difficult time for people with or vulnerable to these serious mental illnesses.

“We often speak to young people who are worried about adjusting to living away from home, coping with a new routine and making new friends during this time of year.

“To help students across Scotland who are starting or returning to university, we’re encouraging universities to sign up to our Bridging the Gap training, to ensure that every member of staff feels confident spotting the early warning signs and helping students access the support they need.”

Mr Jones added: “Being unwell with an eating disorder can be very lonely and it can feel very difficult for those unwell to speak about how they're feeling.

“Kind words from flat mates and course mates can encourage students to start their recovery and reach out for the treatment they need. If anybody is worried about somebody they know, we’d encourage them to ask how they’re feeling, share some information about eating disorders and offer to help them make a GP appointment if they’re still concerned.

“At Beat, we’re also here to help with our online support groups, web chat and Helpline.”

Beat’s Scotland helpline is available on 0808 801 0432 and https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/