“It also taught me a lot about myself”: A qualitative exploration of how men understand eating disorder recovery

BACKGROUND: Eating Disorders (ED) are relatively common in the general population. However, perceived as “female disorders”, EDs in men are often overlooked. Although recovery is often seen as the ideal end goal of ED, there is no single universal definition of recovery. Recovery can be defined in terms of: physical changes, behavioural changes, psychological (cognitive and emotional) and improved quality of life. There is very little research exploring how people with ED define/ understand what recovery is and there is even less research involving men with ED. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore recovery from men’s perspectives. METHODS: In this qualitative study, eight men from Australia, New Zealand and the United States participated in a semi-structured interview. Data collected on the men’s experiences of recovery were analysed in detail to create a thematic map of their understanding of recovery. RESULTS: The thematic analysis generated two overarching themes. The first theme focused on psychological recovery in terms of diminished preoccupations with food and disordered eating behaviours, allowing them to eat more freely. They also experienced growth of self-confidence, insight and interpersonal relationships. The second theme viewed recovery as a recursive process without a definite endpoint. The men positioned themselves at different points of the recovery journey and emphasised the importance of support systems and improved resilience to deflect triggers that would otherwise cause relapse. CONCLUSIONS: Recovery was recognised as an improvement in the men’s psychosocial wellbeing from a previous level of functioning. It was a journey which was with no definite endpoint but one that provided benefits such as inner peace, confidence, greater empathy and stronger connections with others around them.