Black Women with Eating Disorders by Charlynn Small & Paula Edwards-Gayfield

Author:Charlynn Small & Paula Edwards-Gayfield [Small, Charlynn & Edwards-Gayfield, Paula]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 2025-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

Ensuring Emotional Health

Eating Disorders Are Not About Food

Eating disorders are emotional disorders characterized by unhealthy eating behaviors that stem from emotional distress. They often arise as a way for individuals to cope with intense feelings, manage internal conflicts, and regain a sense of control.

Consider the complex predicament often experienced by Black women, (referred to as the “Strong Black Woman” in Chapter 5), which entails feeling obligated to conceal emotions while prioritizing the care of others. This identity may be complicated for some. As Tracy Hopkins (2021) writes, “Black women have a complicated relationship with our superpowers . . . odes to Black girl magic make us feel seen and heard” (p. 90). Recognition and acknowledgment can empower Black women and girls who often feel overlooked, disregarded, or invisible. The desire to be seen as strong and resilient is often admired by others, but what is the impact on your Black client? Maintaining identities like this becomes unmanageable for anyone and often results in emotional suppression, prioritizing others over oneself, increased stress, and engaging in eating-related behaviors or exercise to address the conflict.

Black women are consistently mindful of how they are perceived, carefully considering their tone, choice of words, and pronunciation, as well as the oversexualization or underrepresentation of their bodies. They worry about maintaining healthy relationships, both romantic and peer—striving to be a supportive friend, managing their professional growth as they mature, and balancing the needs of their parents, children, and siblings (Hopkins, 2021; Burke et al., 2023).

One of my clients demonstrated a recurring narrative, experiencing a sense of obligation and inner turmoil, as she processed and grappled with the passing of her aunt, who died of an illness that she concealed from the family for a decade. Feeling accountable and torn, she believed she had betrayed her aunt by “choosing sides,” and essentially ending their relationship. Overwhelmed with guilt, she took on the task of planning the funeral, despite others who were also capable. The relentless narrative in her mind only intensified her distress.

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