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Eating disorders
What can cause an eating disorder?

It’s unlikely that one single thing will lead to an eating disorder. There is often a combination of risk factors, including genetics, emotional factors and cultural influences.

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Who gets eating disorders?

No matter your size, shape, age, abilities, gender identity, sexuality, cultural or linguistic background, economic status or location, anyone can experience an eating disorder.

Do you know someone at risk?

Approximately 9% of Australians will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime but it’s not possible to tell if a person has an eating disorder simply by their appearance.
Body image
What is body image?

Body image is the thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs we have about our bodies and how we look, including our shape, size, weight, and the way our body functions for us.

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Body image issues don’t discriminate.

There are many factors that can contribute to poor body image and body dissatisfaction. Body image issues affect people of all ages, genders and across all cultures.

Body image programs

Butterfly’s programs for young people, professionals and parents are evidence based and designed to provide practical strategies, skills and resources to support positive body image and healthy behaviours in young Australians.
Get support
Butterfly provides support, care, referrals and resources

Whether for you, a friend, a family member, a client, or anyone else that you care about, Butterfly is here to offer support.

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Screening Tool

Use our simple and anonymous screening tool to help you know if you are experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder.

Search Butterfly's Referral Database

Find eating disorder professionals, services and treatment nearest to you, through our Referral Database, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Health Professionals
Information, resources and referrals for your clients

Our Helpline and support services are not only for people impacted by eating disorders and body image issues, but also for clinicians and other health and education professionals.

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Butterfly referral database

Butterfly's Referral Database provides a directory of professionals, screened for an understanding of eating disorders, so people Australia-wide can find appropriate care..

Medicare items for eating disorders

Patients with a clinical diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other eating disorders may be eligible for new Medicare rebates under the Eating Disorder Medicare Plan.
School & Youth Professionals
Programs for people working with young people

Butterfly offers presentations, resources and workshops to teachers, professionals, young people and parents on the risk and protective factors for body dissatisfaction, disordered eating and eating disorders.

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Body Kind Schools

Support young people’s body image by joining Butterfly’s annual free schools awareness initiative. Finding ways to feel positive about your body can be challenging but we can all try to be kinder.

Butterfly Body Bright

A new whole of school program to promote positive body image and healthy attitudes and behaviours towards the body, eating, and physical activity in primary school-aged children.
Who we are
About Butterfly

Butterfly changes lives by providing support services, treatment and resources, delivering prevention and early intervention programs and advocating for the needs of those with eating disorders and body image issues.

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A Voice for Change

As the voice of lived experience, Butterfly advocates on behalf of people impacted by negative body image, eating disorders, and those who support and care for them.

Our Partners and Supporters

Butterfly is extremely grateful for the passion and commitment of our dedicated corporate and community partners.
Get involved
Ways to get involved

There are many different ways you can get involved and help bring about positive change for those experiencing eating disorders and negative body image. You are a vital part of the solution.

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Donate now

You can help prevent eating disorders and negative body image today and provide support to those who are affected.

Donate Monthly

Make an even bigger impact by donating monthly to help us plan ahead for our programs, treatment facility, support groups, and more.

Talk to someone now. Call our National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

Need help?

Home
Blog

Blog

A space for sharing all things body image and eating disorders related. All blog entries are written by our staff, those with a lived experience and professionals.

Tag: eating disorder lived experience

06 Aug 2024

Experience

How to overcome loneliness while experiencing an eating disorder

For Loneliness Awareness Week (5-11 August 2024), we asked our lived experience community to share how loneliness impacted them and their advice on how to overcome these feelings while living with an eating disorder and moving through recovery.

20 Jun 2024

Experience

Sharing your lived experience safely

Sharing lived experience of eating disorders and body image concerns is key in reducing stigma and encouraging help-seeking. But it's imperative this is done safely while taking a 'do no harm' approach. We asked our lived experience network, the Butterfly Collective, how people can ensure they are safely sharing their stories.

Butterfly acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work as the first people of this country.

We commit to embracing diversity and eliminating discrimination in health care. We welcome all help-seekers and strive to create a safe place for all people, irrespective of their size, shape, age, abilities, gender, sexuality, cultural background, language, economic status, profession or location.

Butterfly acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work as the first people of this country.

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What can cause an eating disorder?

Who gets eating disorders?

Do you know someone at risk?

What is body image?

Body image issues don’t discriminate.

Body image programs

Butterfly provides support, care, referrals and resources

Screening Tool

Search Butterfly's Referral Database

Information, resources and referrals for your clients

Butterfly referral database

Medicare items for eating disorders

Programs for people working with young people

Body Kind Schools

Butterfly Body Bright

About Butterfly

A Voice for Change

Our Partners and Supporters

Ways to get involved

Donate now

Donate Monthly

Blog

Tag: eating disorder lived experience

How to overcome loneliness while experiencing an eating disorder

Sharing your lived experience safely

On the fly Newsletter

On the fly Newsletter