At Seventy4 we recognise how difficult it is to live with an eating disorder and how hard it may be to start the journey towards getting help and support. However by starting to seek help, you have taken an important and difficult step.

Seventy4 supports individuals who suffer from a range of eating disorders. Please select from the list below for information on each of the main types that exist:

Types of eating disorder

Anorexia Nervosa


Commonly known as Anorexia, this eating disorder can be characterised through a need to control and lose weight through severe restriction of eating. Individuals will be very fearful of weight gain and will starve themselves of food in order to lose weight but will never find they are thin enough.

The following are intended as questions to ask yourself if you are worried that you are suffering Anorexia:

1. Have you lost more than 20% of your body weight?
2. Do other people say you are too thin, but you feel too large?
3. Are you obsessed by what you eat?
4. Do you weigh yourself more than once a day?
5. Have you stopped menstruating?


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Bulimia Nervosa


Bulimia can be characterised by periods of excessive eating, followed by induced vomiting or excessive laxative use or over-exercising. Periods of starvation may also then follow.

The following are intended as questions to ask yourself if you are worried that you are suffering Bulimia:

1. Do you induce vomiting after eating?
2. Do you use laxatives regularly as a form of weight control?
3. Do you starve yourself following overeating?
4. Do you spend a large amount of time exercising?
5. Do you cover up evidence of any of the above?


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Compulsive overeating


Compulsive overeating can be characterised by uncontrollable eating and consequent weight gain, which can lead to obesity. Food is used to help cope with feelings of stress and to get through day to day problems.

The following are intended as questions to ask yourself if you are worried that you suffer from compulsive overeating:

1. Are you overweight and dislike yourself for it?
2. Does eating or not eating obsess you?
3. Do you promise yourself that you will diet but never get started?
4. Do you ‘spoil’ your diet and promise to start again tomorrow?
5. Do you eat continuously throughout the day despite not being hungry?


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Binge eating


Binge eating can be characterised by periods of excessive over-eating but not followed by any purging. Binge eating can occur as a disorder on its own or in response to another medical condition.

The following are intended as questions to ask yourself if you are worried that you suffer from binge eating:

1. Are you overweight and dislike yourself for it?
2. Do you start a diet in the morning and then find yourself overeating?
3. Do you eat large quantities of food at any one time?
4. Are you obsessed by eating / not eating?
5. Do you find ways to eat alone?

If you identify with any of the definitions above you may need support to overcome an eating disorder.


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If you have been affected by someone else’s eating disorder and would like to access support for yourself, please click here.

Seventy4 Eating Disorder Programme
Seventy4 established a new Eating Disorder Programme in 2008 that people can access during the day whilst still maintaining a work and home life.

The programme offers a combination of group work and individual counselling. Group sessions run on Mondays and Thursdays, with an individual session provided on an alternative weekday.

For answers to common questions about the programme please click here.

If you do not feel ready to commit to a complete programme but are looking for support, Seventy4 also provides individual counselling sessions. For more information on how to access counselling, please click here.

If you wish to speak to a specialist counsellor regarding our eating disorder programme please contact Hayley at hayley@seventy4.org.uk or call 020 7233 0400.

Who is the eating disorder programme for?
The Seventy4 Eating Disorder Service is run by counsellors with specialist knowledge of eating disorders and an understanding of the difficulties that people face with food on a daily basis.

The programme is aimed at:

  • Individuals aged 18 years or over
  • Individuals aged 18 - 24 with a Body Mass Index* (BMI) of at least 16
  • Individuals aged 25 or above with a BMI of at least 14
  • Individuals that are physically able to move around the Seventy4 building
* If you are uncertain of your BMI it is advisable to talk to your General Practitioner.

What does the eating disorder programme include?
  • Twice weekly group therapy sessions with facilitators
  • Weekly individual counselling
  • A Family/significant other session where appropriate
  • Assignments, both practical and written
  • Recording of food/exercise/feelings
  • Weighing and recording
The Seventy4 Eating Disorder Service follows an individual plan for each client but has a strong Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) component.

The eating disorder programme runs for a course of 12 weeks during which an assessment of the need for further support will be undertaken.

How is this programme different to other treatment that is available?
The Seventy4 Foundation has been working with addiction for over 35 years. As such our programmes have been developed based on our experience and understanding of client need. Our eating disorder counsellors have many years of experience, specific to eating disorders, and possess a detailed understanding of this area of treatment.

Unlike other eating disorder services that are available, the Seventy4 programme is an outpatient service that allows clients to access the programme without having to move away from their homes or other commitments.

Also, unlike many private clinics, the Seventy4 programme is available at a much more affordable cost.

What is Expected of me?
On entering the service, you will be weighed, BMI calculated and an agreed treatment plan will be started and added to over the next two individual counselling sessions. These take place before you join the group to initiate a trusting relationship between yourself and the counsellor. Group boundaries are also explained and explored during these two counselling sessions and you are given a date to start the first group.

You will be asked to keep a food and exercise diary along with a 'feelings' record. This continues throughout treatment.

The clinical approach is delivered through both individual and group work and the method of delivery recognises the difficulties encountered in the recovery process. The emphasis will be on collaboration and honesty with both self and others.

How do I refer myself/someone else to the programme?
Referrals will be taken from both professional sources and individuals.

For anyone who wishes to join the programme, the first stage is to ring the Seventy4 office and make an appointment for a thorough assessment. This will take approximately 1.5 hours with a skilled eating disorder counsellor.

As the eating disorder service is a rolling programme, you will be able to join at any stage throughout the year.

For an informal discussion about the service, please feel free to call Seventy4's eating disorder counsellor, Hayley on 0207 233 0400.

How much does the programme cost?
Associated costs for attending the eating disorder programme are as follows:

Initial Assessment fee (approx. 1.5 hours) £40.00
Weekly fee £165.00
(twice weekly group therapy, plus one individual counselling session)

Individual counselling session only £50.00 per session

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