• Mental Health
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • ADHD
    • Addiction
      • What is Addiction?
      • What Are Behavioral Addictions?
      • Addiction vs Dependence
      • Addiction Myths vs Facts
      • Addiction Statistics
      • How to Help a Friend
      • Find an Addiction Specialist
    • Eating Disorders
    • Personality Disorders
      • Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder
        • OCD vs. OCPD
    • Trauma
      • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
        • PTSD & COVID-19
      • Childhood Trauma
    • Sexual Disorders
      • Anorgasmia
      • Female Sexual Arousal Disorder (FSAD)
      • Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)
      • Premature Ejaculation (PE)
      • Delayed Ejaculation
    • Schizophrenia
  • Therapy Techniques
    • Online Therapy
      • Best Online Therapy
      • Online Therapy for Teens
      • Best LGBTQ Online Therapy
      • Best Online Therapy for Insurance
    • Psychotherapy
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
      • CBT for Anxiety
      • CBT for Social Anxiety
      • CBT for Panic Disorder
      • CBT for Insomnia
      • CBT Online
    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
      • DBT for Teens
    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
    • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
      • EMDR for PTSD
      • EMDR for Anxiety
      • EMDR Online
    • Art Therapy
    • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
    • Exposure and Response Prevention
    • Group Therapy
    • Hypnotherapy
    • Motivational Interviewing
    • Person Centered Therapy
    • Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
    • Sex Therapy
  • Types of Therapists
    • Faith-Based & Christian Counselors
    • Life Coaching
    • Family Therapist
      • Child & Teen Counseling
    • Marriage & Couples Counselors
      • Premarital Counseling
    • Psychiatrist
      • Psychology vs. Psychiatry
    • Psychotherapist
    • Grief Counselors
    • Online Therapists
  • Starting Therapy FAQ
    • Does Therapy Work?
      • How to Find a Therapist
      • Helping a Friend or Loved One
    • How to Choose a Therapist
      • Finding a Black Therapist
      • Finding a Latinx Therapist
      • Finding an LGBTQ-Friendly Therapist
      • Finding a Therapist as a Young Adult
      • Finding an Online Therapist
    • Preparing for Your First Session
    • Types of Mental Health Professionals
    • Mental Health Insurance
      • HSAs for Therapy
      • Sliding Scale Therapy Fees
    • Mental Health in the Workplace
      • Asking for a Mental Health Day
      • Taking Time Off for Mental Health
    • Top Mental Health Organizations
      • Mental Health Resources Outside the U.S.
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Policy
    • Advertising Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Write for Us
    • Join the Directory
    • Careers
  • Therapist Directory
    • Find a Therapist
    • Join the Directory
    • Directory Login
  • Mental Health
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • ADHD
    • Addiction
      • What is Addiction?
      • What Are Behavioral Addictions?
      • Addiction vs Dependence
      • Addiction Myths vs Facts
      • Addiction Statistics
      • How to Help a Friend
      • Find an Addiction Specialist
    • Eating Disorders
    • Personality Disorders
      • Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder
        • OCD vs. OCPD
    • Trauma
      • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
        • PTSD & COVID-19
      • Childhood Trauma
    • Sexual Disorders
      • Anorgasmia
      • Female Sexual Arousal Disorder (FSAD)
      • Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)
      • Premature Ejaculation (PE)
      • Delayed Ejaculation
    • Schizophrenia
  • Therapy Techniques
    • Online Therapy
      • Best Online Therapy
      • Online Therapy for Teens
      • Best LGBTQ Online Therapy
      • Best Online Therapy for Insurance
    • Psychotherapy
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
      • CBT for Anxiety
      • CBT for Social Anxiety
      • CBT for Panic Disorder
      • CBT for Insomnia
      • CBT Online
    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
      • DBT for Teens
    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
    • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
      • EMDR for PTSD
      • EMDR for Anxiety
      • EMDR Online
    • Art Therapy
    • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
    • Exposure and Response Prevention
    • Group Therapy
    • Hypnotherapy
    • Motivational Interviewing
    • Person Centered Therapy
    • Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
    • Sex Therapy
  • Types of Therapists
    • Faith-Based & Christian Counselors
    • Life Coaching
    • Family Therapist
      • Child & Teen Counseling
    • Marriage & Couples Counselors
      • Premarital Counseling
    • Psychiatrist
      • Psychology vs. Psychiatry
    • Psychotherapist
    • Grief Counselors
    • Online Therapists
  • Starting Therapy FAQ
    • Does Therapy Work?
      • How to Find a Therapist
      • Helping a Friend or Loved One
    • How to Choose a Therapist
      • Finding a Black Therapist
      • Finding a Latinx Therapist
      • Finding an LGBTQ-Friendly Therapist
      • Finding a Therapist as a Young Adult
      • Finding an Online Therapist
    • Preparing for Your First Session
    • Types of Mental Health Professionals
    • Mental Health Insurance
      • HSAs for Therapy
      • Sliding Scale Therapy Fees
    • Mental Health in the Workplace
      • Asking for a Mental Health Day
      • Taking Time Off for Mental Health
    • Top Mental Health Organizations
      • Mental Health Resources Outside the U.S.
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Policy
    • Advertising Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Write for Us
    • Join the Directory
    • Careers
  • Therapist Directory
    • Find a Therapist
    • Join the Directory
    • Directory Login
Skip to content

10 Best Eating Disorder Movies for 2022

Published: December 7, 2021 Updated: March 23, 2023
Published: 12/07/2021 Updated: 03/23/2023
Headshot of Melissa Boudin, PsyD
Written by:

Melissa Boudin

PsyD
Dena Westphalen, PharmD
Reviewed by:

Dena Westphalen

PharmD
  • Starving in Suburbia (2014)1.
  • Feed (2017)2.
  • To The Bone (2017)3.
  • Thin (2006)4.
  • I Am Maris (2018)5.
  • Behind the Before and After (2021)6.
  • Anorexia: A Boy in a Girl’s World (2016)7.
  • Hunger Point (2003)8.
  • Dumplin’ (2018)9.
  • Sharing the Secret (2000)10.
  • Additional ResourcesResources
Headshot of Melissa Boudin, PsyD
Written by:

Melissa Boudin

PsyD
Dena Westphalen, PharmD
Reviewed by:

Dena Westphalen

PharmD

Restricting eating, or cycling through periods of bingeing and purging, may be signs of an eating disorder. If left untreated, eating disorders can have devastating effects on someone’s mental and physical health. These films, whether about someone witnessing the painful effects of a loved one’s eating disorder or focused on one character’s personal battle with one, illustrate just how dangerous eating disorders are.

Some films included on this list are heavily criticized: It can be difficult to make films about eating disorders without running the risk of glorifying them or triggering those with eating disorders even further. As with all mental health concerns, if you struggle with an eating disorder, carefully consider whether these films are for you.

Starving in Suburbia1. Starving in Suburbia (2014)

This Lifetime made-for-TV film follows 17-year-old Hannah as she joins a dangerous ”thinspiration” online community where users treat anorexia as a lifestyle rather than a disorder. She loses a substantial amount of weight only to continue obsessing on losing more, ignoring concerned loved ones, including her own brother who struggles with his weight.

The film culminates in a tragedy, forcing Hannah to finally realize how dangerous her eating disorder really is.

Feed2. Feed (2017)

Teenager Olivia is haunted by her twin brother’s death and begins seeing visions of him when she’s distressed. Matt tells her what to do and when to eat, and Olive begins thinking that she’s saving food for her brother so he can live again.

This film not only touches on eating disorders, and the chaos they can wreak on someone’s life, but how profound grief can make us think it was our fault to begin with.

 To The Bone3. To The Bone (2017)

Most critics recommend taking this one carefully: A handful of them have claimed the film glorifies anorexia and continues the same tired trope of the typical anorexia sufferer being a privileged white woman who just wants to look like the models she sees in magazines.

While that may be true for many, this film sparked a lot of debate about responsible filmmaking when it comes to eating disorders, and comes with a health warning in the UK. 

Thin4. Thin (2006)

This documentary follows four women receiving eating disorder treatment at The Renfrew Center in Coconut Creek, Florida. While each woman has their own “final straw” that brought them to Renfrew, they all suffer from eating disorders that profoundly affect their lives to the point of near-death, in some cases.

I am Maris5. I Am Maris (2018)

I Am Maris follows a young woman, Maris, who struggles with an eating disorder and finds new healthy habits through yoga and mindfulness. This documentary follows teenage Maris as she receives inpatient care at a children’s hospital and eventually finds a yoga studio, falling in love with the practice and becoming a yoga teacher.

I Am Maris illustrates how recovery is ongoing: While Maris finds acceptance and control of her symptoms through her yoga practice, she also routinely recognizes when eating disorder behaviors pop up again in college. This prompts her to seek help and recognize that recovery is a journey, not a destination. 

 Behind the Before and After6. Behind the Before and After (2021)

Created by the Body Love Society, this short documentary dives not only into eating disorders but diet culture, body image, and self-love. It illustrates how the fitness industry makes so much money because it doesn’t work: Most people gain whatever weight they lost back once finishing whatever diet they were on.

Featuring personal anecdotes, interviews, and more, this documentary also promotes intuitive eating and a more.

If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or body image issues, speaking with a therapist can help. BetterHelp has over 20,000 licensed therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $60 per week. Complete a brief questionnaire and get matched with the right therapist for you.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for marketing by BetterHelp

Visit BetterHelp

Anorexia: A Boy in a Girl’s World7. Anorexia: A Boy in a Girl’s World (2016)

Men make up 25% of anorexia cases.1  They also have a higher chance of dying due to later diagnoses and the common belief that men don’t get eating disorders.

This BBC documentary follows 17-year-old Charles, a young man with anorexia that he’s been battling for a few years. It highlights the social stigma men face when seeking treatment and acceptance from peers, and why it is so important to understand eating disorders across all genders and identities.

Hunger Point8. Hunger Point (2003)

Eating disorders can be learned behaviors, too. Hunger Point shows what happens when parents place unfair expectations of weight and body image on their children and how devastating the ensuing tragedy can be.

In the Hunter family, dysfunction runs rampant, as two daughters face their mother’s extreme dieting while trying to live lives of their own.

Dumplin9. Dumplin’ (2018)

While not directly about eating disorders, Dumplin’ is about body acceptance. Teenager Willowdean (“Will”) grew up under the shadow of her pageant-winning mother, who keeps a carefully-maintained physique in order to keep competing. Conversely, Will, affectionately called “Dumplin’” by her mother, struggles with accepting her larger body.

Will decides to compete in a local pageant in defiance of her mother, who thinks Will is trying to mock the pageant process. The result is ultimately a feel-good tale in which Will and her mother both learn to accept themselves for who they are and rekindle their relationship.

Sharing the Secret10.Sharing the Secret (2000)

This well-received TV movie features one of the more compassionate takes on eating disorders as it follows teenager, Beth, struggling to cope in the wake of her parent’s divorce and the mounting pressure of succeeding in school. She turns to bingeing and purging as a way to control one aspect of her life, but her habits quickly spiral out of control and force her to seek treatment.

When to Seek Help for Eating Disorders

Eating disorders, if left untreated, can wreak havoc on the physical body and leave lasting damage. When combined with a treatment plan, a therapist can help you navigate the difficult emotions surrounding your eating disorder, including identifying triggers and how to manage your symptoms. Don’t hesitate—use our therapist directory to find a therapist in your area today.

If your friend has an unhealthy relationship with food, there are positive actions you can take to help them. Read more about helping people with eating disorders here.

Additional Resources

Education is just the first step on our path to improved mental health and emotional wellness. To help our readers take the next step in their journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy may be compensated for marketing by the companies mentioned below.

Talk Therapy 

Online-Therapy.com – Get support and guidance from a licensed therapist. Online-Therapy.com provides 45 minute weekly video sessions and unlimited text messaging with your therapist for only $64/week. Get started  Get Started

Virtual Psychiatry

Talkiatry Get help from a real doctor that takes your insurance. Talkiatry offers medication management and online visits with top-rated psychiatrists. Take the online assessment and have your first appointment within a week. Free Assessment

Starting Therapy Newsletter

A free newsletter for those interested in learning about therapy and how to get the most benefits out of therapy. Get helpful tips and the latest information. Sign Up

DBT Skills Course

Jones Mindful Living Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a popular treatment for BPD. Learn DBT skills with live weekly classes and online video courses for only $19 per month. Free One Week Trial

Choosing Therapy Directory 

You can search for therapists by specialty,  experience, insurance, or price, and location. Find a therapist today.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for marketing by Jones Mindful Living, Online-Therapy.com, and Talkiatry.

For Further Reading

  • Best Eating Disorder Recovery Apps
  • Eating Disorder Statistics & Resources
  • Social Media’s Impact on Eating Disorders
  • Books on Eating Disorders
  • 12 Best Eating Disorder Recovery Blogs
  • 15 Best Anorexia Blogs
1 sources

Choosing Therapy strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.

  • National Eating Disorders Association. (2021, July 14). Statistics & Research on Eating Disorders.
    https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/statistics-research-eating-disorders.

Recent Articles

Best Books About Midlife Crisis for 2023
12 Best Books About Midlife Crisis for 2023
Here are several books to help you handle a midlife crisis, from a job change or children leaving the...
';
Best Depression Podcasts
15 Best Depression Podcasts for 2023
We've compiled some of the best podcasts to listen to if you want more information about depression, whether you're...
';
Books on Depression: Helpful Resources for When You Feel Depressed
25 Books on Depression: Helpful Resources for When You Feel Depressed
Here is a helpful list of books on depression to read to help inspire anyone who is suffering from...
';
15 Best Books on Positive Thinking for 2021
21 Best Books on Positive Thinking for 2023
Whether you are looking to change your attitude on life, or get out of a slump, we have a...
';
10 Best Practical Self-Help Books About Sex & Intimacy
15 Best Self-Help Books on Sex & Intimacy for 2023
Sex can be a great way to deepen a connection with someone, but it can also be tricky. Here...
';
FT Depression and Weight Gain
Depression & Weight Gain: Connection & Management
Depression can trigger weight gain or weight loss. There are several contributing factors to depression and weight gain, such...
';
Headshot of Melissa Boudin, PsyD
Written by:

Melissa Boudin

PsyD
Dena Westphalen, PharmD
Reviewed by:

Dena Westphalen

PharmD
  • Starving in Suburbia (2014)1.
  • Feed (2017)2.
  • To The Bone (2017)3.
  • Thin (2006)4.
  • I Am Maris (2018)5.
  • Behind the Before and After (2021)6.
  • Anorexia: A Boy in a Girl’s World (2016)7.
  • Hunger Point (2003)8.
  • Dumplin’ (2018)9.
  • Sharing the Secret (2000)10.
  • Additional ResourcesResources
If you are in need of immediate medical help:
Medical
Emergency
911
Suicide Hotline
800-273-8255
See more Crisis Hotlines
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Write for Us
  • Careers
  • Editorial Policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • No Surprises Act
For immediate help call:
Medical Emergency:
911
Suicide Hotline:
988
Click For More Crisis Hotlines
For immediate help call:
Medical Emergency:
911
Suicide Hotline:
811
See more Crisis Hotlines
here
logo
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:
verify here.
This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify.
Choosing Therapy Logo
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit Cookie Settings to provide controlled consent. Cookie settings ACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

We use cookies to facilitate website functionality. Also, we use third-party cookies to track your website behavior and target advertising. These cookies are stored in your browser only with your consent, and you have the choice of opting out.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non Necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

Save & Accept