"You’re Going to End Up in Hospital” — The Words No Parent Wants to Say (or Their Child to Hear)

When your child is in the grip of an eating disorder, it can feel like you’re living in a constant storm.Every meal becomes a battle, every snack a negotiation, and every day a reminder that something as simple as eating has become impossibly hard.

You might find yourself saying words you never thought you would:

“You’re going to end up in hospital.”“We do everything for you.”“You’re ruining the family.”

Not because you don’t love them — but because you’re scared, exhausted, and desperate for things to change.Watching your child fade, argue, or shut down is gut-wrenching. You just want them to eat and be okay again.

But it’s important to remember: they’re not choosing this.They’re fighting a relentless, internal battle that never switches off.Every bite comes with fear, guilt, and the voice of an eating disorder that’s 100 times louder than yours — a voice that convinces them they’re only safe if they obey its impossible rules.

While you see the chaos it brings to your home, they live that chaos inside their head all day, every day.

They’re not doing it to be difficult or to hurt you — they’re unwell. An eating disorder is a mental health illness, not a behaviour that can be reasoned with or punished away.

You both need and deserve deserve, this illness affects the whole family!

Recovery isn’t just about food; it’s about rebuilding trust, safety, and connection.

Reach out for help — for them, and for you. Whether it’s a dietitian, psychologist, or family therapist, having professional guidance can make the difference between feeling stuck in survival mode and starting to move forward together.

If every meal feels like a battlefield, please know: you’re not failing — you’re doing your best in an impossible situation. Help is out there. You don’t have to do this alone.