The second week of university can be when things start to feel a little more real.
The excitement of the first week begins to fade. Classes are getting busier, assignments are appearing, sleep schedules are changing, and you may be trying to balance school, friends, work, exercise, and everything else that comes with university life.
For some students, food and body image can become another source of stress.
If you're a student at Western University, King's, Huron, Brescia, Fanshawe, or another Ontario university, you may notice that you're thinking more about food, calories, weight, exercise, or your body than you were before September.
You may be experiencing:
- Skipping meals because you're busy or don't feel comfortable eating
- Restricting certain foods or trying to eat as little as possible
- Feeling out of control around food or binge eating
- Feeling guilty after eating
- Exercising to compensate for eating
- Constantly thinking about your weight or appearance
- Comparing your body to other students
- Feeling anxious about eating in social situations
- Promising yourself you'll "start over" tomorrow
These can all be signs that your relationship with food is becoming difficult.
Disordered eating doesn't always look obvious
You don't have to be underweight or have a diagnosed eating disorder to deserve help.
Disordered eating can affect people of all body sizes. You may be doing well academically, attending classes, socializing with friends, and appearing to have everything under control while privately spending a significant amount of your mental energy thinking about food and your body.
University can also make existing patterns harder to manage.
Less structure, irregular meals, academic pressure, social comparison, and the desire to feel in control can all contribute to disordered eating.
The restrict-binge cycle
A common pattern looks like this:
Restrict → become increasingly hungry or preoccupied with food → overeat or binge → feel guilty → restrict again.
It can be difficult to break this cycle when you're relying on food rules, exercise, or restriction to manage anxiety or feelings about your body.
Therapy can help you understand what's underneath these patterns rather than simply trying to "eat better" or have more willpower.
You don't have to wait until things get worse
Maybe you've been struggling with food for a while.
Maybe things changed when you moved away for university.
Or maybe you're only beginning to notice that food and body image are taking up more space in your thoughts.
You don't need to wait until your eating is severely disrupted before asking for help.
Psychotherapy can provide a confidential, non-judgmental space to work on disordered eating, binge eating, body image, anxiety, perfectionism, academic stress, and the transition to university life.
Does your student benefits plan cover counselling?
It may.
Many university and college student benefit plans provide coverage for counselling or psychotherapy with a Registered Social Worker (RSW). Coverage varies between schools, plans, and individual students, so it's important to check the details of your specific student benefits plan.
Look for coverage under terms such as:
- Registered Social Worker (RSW)
- Social Worker
- Psychotherapy
- Mental health counselling
- Professional services
You may also want to check whether your plan has a maximum amount per year, a per-session limit, or any requirements for submitting receipts.
If you're a Western University student, check your current student benefits plan to see whether services provided by a Registered Social Worker are eligible for reimbursement. The same applies if you're attending another Ontario university or college.
I provide receipts for eligible services that you can submit to your insurance or student benefits plan.
Support for Ontario university students
I provide virtual psychotherapy for students across Ontario, including students at Western University and other Ontario universities and colleges.
If you're struggling with disordered eating, binge eating, body image, anxiety, perfectionism, or university stress, you don't have to figure it out alone.
You can reach out even if you're not sure whether what you're experiencing is "serious enough."
Book a free 20-minute consultation to talk about whether therapy might be a good fit.
Lisa M
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