Key Takeaways

• Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that can affect people of all ages, backgrounds, body sizes, and identities.
• Eating disorders frequently co-occur with other mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders.
• Mental health and eating disorder treatment should address both psychological and physical health.
• Stigma and misconceptions can prevent people from recognizing symptoms or seeking care.
• Early, compassionate support can help people access treatment and move toward recovery.

The Importance of World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day is a reminder that mental health deserves our attention every single day. It’s a time to come together, to listen, to show compassion, and to take care of ourselves and each other. Like most awareness days, it puts a spotlight on a topic of great importance. Everyone has mental health – it matters every day of the year, but the 10^th of October is a chance for us to share the common humanity of mental health struggles. On this day, Monte Nido encourages everyone to value their own mental health and that of others through greater understanding and empathy.

The 2026 theme, Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change". highlights how disasters, conflicts, and crises amplify the need for accessible, compassionate mental health care. During such times, individuals often experience heightened anxiety, trauma, or disordered coping behaviors — including eating disorders.

At Monte Nido, we believe that no one should face mental health challenges alone. This year’s theme reminds us that mental well-being must remain a priority, even — and especially — in times of crisis. By expanding access to evidence-based, trauma-informed care, we can ensure recovery and resilience remain within reach for all.

What is World Mental Health Day and When Is It?

World Mental Health Day is observed globally every year on October 10, led by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) and recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). The first observance took place in 1992, with the goal of promoting open dialogue about mental health and improving access to services worldwide.

Since then, WMHD has evolved into a global movement. Governments, mental health organizations, and advocacy groups use this day to spark conversations, share education, and highlight both progress and ongoing barriers to care.

Every year, a new theme addresses a critical mental health issue — from stigma reduction to workplace wellness, from youth mental health to post-pandemic recovery. In 2025, the focus turns toward mental health during catastrophes and emergencies, calling attention to how natural disasters, conflict, and instability disrupt access to essential care.

For individuals with eating disorders, these challenges can make recovery even more difficult — underscoring the importance of specialized, integrated support.

WMHD 2026 Theme: Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change

The 2026 World Mental Health Day theme, “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change,” emphasizes the importance of listening to people who have firsthand experience with mental health challenges. Lived experience can provide valuable insight into what support feels helpful, where barriers to care exist, and how mental health services can better meet people's needs.

For people with eating disorders, being heard is particularly important. Stigma and misconceptions can make it difficult for individuals to recognize their symptoms, feel understood, or believe they are “sick enough” to deserve support.

Listening to lived experiences can help challenge assumptions about who develops an eating disorder and what recovery looks like. It can also highlight gaps in care experienced by people whose identities, bodies, backgrounds, or circumstances have historically been underrepresented in conversations about eating disorders.

Centering individual voices means:

• Listening without judgment
• Taking people's concerns seriously
• Recognizing that mental health experiences vary widely
• Avoiding assumptions based on appearance or identity
• Including lived experience in conversations about improving care
• Making mental health resources more accessible and inclusive

Every recovery journey is different. By listening to the people directly affected by mental health conditions, we can build greater understanding, reduce stigma, and work toward care that better reflects what individuals and communities actually need.

Eating Disorders and Mental Health

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions, not lifestyle choices. They affect emotions, behaviors, and physical health — often developing as ways to manage pain, anxiety, or trauma.

These illnesses thrive in silence, which is why continued education and awareness are critical. Like other mental health challenges, eating disorders require specialized, compassionate care to address both the psychological and physical components of recovery.

Why eating disorders are mental health issues:

• They stem from emotional distress, not vanity or willpower.

• They’re often linked to perfectionism, low self-esteem, or control needs.

• They coexist with other disorders, such as depression or anxiety.

• They respond best to integrated, evidence-based mental health treatment.

At Monte Nido, our multidisciplinary teams focus on the whole person — exploring underlying emotions and teaching new ways to cope, connect, and care for oneself. Healing begins when we treat the mind, body, and spirit together.

Are Eating Disorders a Mental Illness?

Yes — eating disorders are classified as mental health disorders by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR). They are not choices or phases, but serious conditions that can affect physical and emotional well-being.

Common misconceptions — such as the belief that eating disorders are “only about food” or “only affect a certain body type” — can delay diagnosis and treatment. In reality, these disorders are rooted in complex psychological, social, and biological factors.

Recognizing eating disorders as mental illnesses helps reduce stigma and reinforces the importance of professional treatment. Recovery requires addressing both the emotional and behavioral dimensions — and with the right support, full healing is possible.

Conditions Often Co-occurring with Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are just one form of mental health illness. It is common for the people we help to experience other psychiatric illnesses on top of their eating disorder    

On WMHD, we notice and appreciate how poor mental health negatively impact life functioning and goals. The longer that people struggle in silence, the more severe and impairing symptoms can become, and the farther that people move away from the lives they want to lead.  

Common co-occurring conditions include:

• Depression: Persistent sadness, guilt, or hopelessness

• Anxiety disorders: Worry, panic, or obsessive thoughts related to food or body image

• Bipolar disorder: Mood fluctuations that affect appetite and self-regulation

• Substance use disorders: Using drugs or alcohol as a form of coping

Research shows that over 85% of individuals with eating disorders have at least one additional mental health diagnosis.

Monte Nido utilizes several evidence-based treatment approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to address these overlapping concerns. By treating the root causes alongside symptoms, clients develop healthier relationships with themselves — and with recovery.

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Eating Disorders and PTSD

How trauma influences disordered eating:

• Eating behaviors may become coping mechanisms to manage distress or regain control.

• Body image can become distorted as a result of trauma or dissociation.

• Triggers can reignite symptoms long after the event has passed.

At Monte Nido, we know from our own research (link) that clients with trauma and PTSD come to treatment with more severe eating disorders than those clients who do not have PTSD. We work hard to provide trauma-informed care across all programs.  

Healing from trauma takes time — but with safety, understanding, and skilled support, recovery is not only possible, it’s sustainable.

Breaking the Stigma Around Eating Disorders and Mental Health

Stigma can make it harder for people to recognize mental health symptoms, talk openly about what they are experiencing, or seek professional support. Eating disorders are particularly vulnerable to misconceptions about what they look like, who develops them, and why they occur.

Challenging those misconceptions is an important part of improving access to care.

Eating disorders are not choices. They are complex mental health conditions influenced by biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors.

They are not limited to one demographic. Eating disorders can affect people across ages, genders, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic backgrounds, and body sizes.

Someone does not need to “look sick” to need treatment. You cannot determine whether someone has an eating disorder or how medically or psychologically unwell they are based on appearance.

Mental health symptoms are not character flaws. Struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorder behaviors, or another mental health concern is not evidence of weakness or a lack of willpower.

Asking for help is not weakness. Reaching out can be an important step toward understanding what is happening and accessing appropriate care.

Reducing stigma creates more opportunities for honest conversations. When people feel safe discussing their symptoms without fear of judgment, they may be more likely to seek support before those symptoms become increasingly disruptive.

Mental Health and Eating Disorder Issues Can Affect Anyone

Eating disorders do not have one “look,” and they are not limited to any particular type of person. Stereotypes about who experiences an eating disorder can contribute to missed symptoms, delayed diagnoses, and barriers to treatment.

Eating disorders and other mental health conditions can affect:

• Adolescents and adults: Mental health concerns can emerge at any stage of life.
• Men and boys: Gender stereotypes can make eating disorder symptoms less likely to be recognized or discussed.
• LGBTQIA+ individuals: Discrimination, minority stress, gender dysphoria, and other identity-related experiences may intersect with mental health and eating disorder symptoms.
• BIPOC communities: Cultural stigma, disparities in diagnosis, and limited access to culturally responsive care can create additional barriers to support.
• People across body sizes: A person's body size cannot determine whether they have an eating disorder or how serious their symptoms may be.
• People with disabilities: Physical, developmental, or intellectual disabilities can intersect with mental health needs in unique ways.
• People from different socioeconomic backgrounds: Financial circumstances, insurance coverage, transportation, geography, and other factors can influence access to treatment.

Recognizing this diversity is essential to reducing stigma. Mental health care should respond to each person's individual symptoms, identity, circumstances, and needs rather than relying on stereotypes about who is expected to struggle.

How to Support Mental Health Awareness on WMHD

World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for everyone — individuals, families, and organizations — to help normalize conversations about mental health and advocate for better access to care.

On this World Mental Health Day, we fight against the eating disorder’s tendency to push people toward isolation and disconnection. Through an emphasis on self-awareness and communication we support our clients and alumni to acknowledge their mental health struggles. Communicating one’s needs in the midst of mental health struggles is difficult, requiring courage and vulnerability. Some important skills that align with the values of WMHD (increased awareness, decreased stigma, and mobilizing efforts) include:

• Taking the time and space for mindful self-reflection to identify your own needs in the moment,  

• Communicating specifically what would be helpful from the supportive people in your life who care for you

• Practice being kind, compassionate, and non-judgmental in your reactions toward yourself and others.

Here are a few ways to get involved:

• Educate yourself and others: Share facts and resources about mental health and eating disorders.

• Start conversations: Ask loved ones how they’re doing — and listen without judgment.

• Advocate for access: Support policies and organizations working to make treatment affordable and inclusive.

• Show support: Small gestures of empathy can help someone feel less alone.

At Monte Nido, we see awareness as the first step toward change. Every conversation helps dismantle stigma and creates space for compassion and understanding — two of the most powerful tools for healing.

When Should You Seek Help for Your Mental Health?

Mental health symptoms do not need to reach a crisis point before you seek support. Changes that persist, become increasingly difficult to manage, or begin interfering with everyday life may indicate that it is time to talk with a mental health professional.

Signs that additional support may be helpful include:

• Persistent changes in eating patterns or appetite
• Increasing anxiety around food, eating, exercise, or body image
• Withdrawing from friends, family, or activities you previously enjoyed
• Difficulty concentrating or functioning at school or work
• Compulsive or increasingly rigid behaviors
• Significant or persistent changes in mood
• Trauma-related symptoms, including intrusive memories, avoidance, or feeling constantly on alert
• Feeling unable to manage symptoms independently
• Mental health concerns that interfere with relationships or daily responsibilities

You do not need to know exactly what is wrong before asking for help. A qualified professional can assess your symptoms, answer questions, and help determine what type of support may be appropriate.

If eating disorder symptoms are present, seeking specialized care is particularly important. Eating disorders can affect both physical and psychological health, and early intervention can help address concerns before they become more entrenched.

If you or someone else is experiencing an immediate mental health crisis or is in danger, seek emergency assistance or contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for support in the United States.

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Resources for Eating Disorders & Mental Health Support

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or an eating disorder, help is available.

National and Global Resources:

• The Trevor Project – Crisis and suicide prevention support for LGBTQIA+ youth

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – Free, 24/7 mental health support in the U.S.

Monte Nido Resources:

• Monte Nido Blog – Articles on eating disorders, trauma, and mental health

• Eating Disorder Treatment Programs – Inclusive, evidence-based treatment options

• Trauma-Informed Care at Monte Nido – Learn more about our approach

If you’re facing challenges accessing treatment, we encourage you to reach out — our team can help you explore care options and discuss what support might be available.  

Monte Nido also partners with organizations like Project HEAL, which offers assistance and advocacy for individuals experiencing barriers to eating disorder care. You don’t have to navigate this alone — help and resources are here for you.

What Does Integrated Eating Disorder Treatment Look Like?

Because eating disorders affect both mental and physical health and frequently occur alongside other mental health conditions, effective treatment often involves multiple types of support working together.

An integrated treatment plan may include:

• Medical care: Monitoring physical health, medical complications, medications, and overall stability.
• Nutritional support: Working with registered dietitians to support nutritional rehabilitation and develop a more sustainable relationship with food.
• Individual therapy: Exploring thoughts, emotions, behaviors, coping strategies, and underlying factors contributing to the eating disorder.
• Group therapy: Building skills and connecting with others navigating similar aspects of recovery.
• Family involvement: Helping family members and other support people better understand the eating disorder and learn how to support recovery when appropriate.
• Treatment for co-occurring conditions: Addressing anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, or other mental health concerns alongside the eating disorder.
• Trauma-informed approaches: Recognizing how trauma may affect symptoms while prioritizing safety and avoiding retraumatization.
• Different levels of care: Matching treatment intensity to each person's medical, nutritional, and psychological needs.

At Monte Nido, multidisciplinary teams work together to understand the whole person rather than treating symptoms in isolation. Depending on individual needs, treatment may occur through inpatient, residential, day, or virtual programming.

Integrated care also recognizes that treatment plans may change throughout recovery. As individuals become more medically and psychologically stable, they can transition to different levels of support while continuing to strengthen the skills, relationships, and resources that support long-term recovery.

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Taking the Next Step: Reach Out for Help

This World Mental Health Day, remember that mental health is health — and everyone deserves access to care that is compassionate, evidence-based, and affirming.

This year’s theme aligns with Monte Nido’s mission to constantly expand our insurance contracts and design financial agreements with other insurance companies when we can. We focus on maintaining or acquiring access to support services at all levels of care through comprehensive discharge and relapse prevention planning.  

Our clients and alumni often describe the challenges they face in identifying and seeking support for mental health struggles; it is such a common experience. At Monte Nido, we prioritize the development of self-advocacy to increase our client’s access to people, organizations, and resources that support ongoing recovery.  

Monte Nido is here for people at every stage of their recovery and mental health journey.  Whether you’re asking for help, waiting for mental health support, supporting someone close to you, or feeling unseen or unheard, you’re not alone.

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