More men are seeking help for eating disorders than ever before

September 26, 2017 10:10 PM

The number of guys seeking treatment has risen 70 percent between 2010 and 2016.

An estimated 10 million men in the United States will suffer from an eating disorder in their lifetime.

This staggering statistic goes to show that body image is something men struggle with just as much as women do, despite the fact that the conversation surrounding it doesn’t often include them.

“Males with an eating disorder feel more stigmatized,”Bethany Kassar, a licensed clinical social worker and executive director of Outpatient Services at Summit Behavioral Health, told The Daily Mail.

Kassar said the stigma stems from societal pressure for a man to always be the strong and fit protector. She also said she’s seen a rise in young boys with eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating so they can make weight in sports like wrestling.

But if there’s any good news here, it’s that more and more guys who are struggling are seeking treatment and getting the help they need. The National Eating Disorder Association reports that men admitted into hospitals for eating disorders has risen 70 percent between 2010 and 2016. And that’s in part thanks to male celebrities who have gone public with their stories.

People like Eminem, Dennis Quaid, Robert Pattinson, Aaron Carter, and Bam Margera have opened up about their struggles. In 2006, Quaid told People that he suffered from anorexia in the ‘90s and lost more than 40 pounds.

“For many years, I was obsessed about what I was eating, how many calories it had, and how much exercise I'd have to do,” he said.

And in 2007, Eminem talked about how his negative body image led to a running addiction in Men’s Journal.

“I got an addict's brain, and when it came to running, I think I got a little carried away,” he said. “I started getting OCD about the calories, making sure I burned 2,000 every day.”

Most recently, Bam Margera revealed his battle with bulimia in an episode of Viceland’s Epicly Later’d.

"We would go out to dinner and then he would immediately excuse himself and go to the bathroom,” his mom said. “I said, ‘Are you throwing up?’ He says, ‘Yeah, yeah, sometimes I throw up and that way I’m not gonna get fat.’”

But he eventually got help, and now lives in Spain with his wife Nicole Boyd. They're expecting their first child.

If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, we encourage you to get help immediately by texting or calling the National Eating Disorder Association's helpline.