The Dark Side of Being Young is a series of Short Films made for All 4 where young adults talk frankly about their darkest hours, to inspire those with similar issues. You can watch the full series over here now. In her episode Becca describes her battle with Anorexia, here's some more information about this subject.

The NHS describes Bulimia Nervosa and Anorexia Nervosa as serious mental health conditions that can affect you physically, psychologically and socially. They can be developed by anyone, regardless of race, age, gender or upbringing but are most common in women between the age of 12 and 20.

Here’s a look into the details of the two most common Eating Disorders – Anorexia and Bulimia - with resources for further reading and help below.

Anorexia is a mental illness where the sufferer wants to keep their body weight as low as possible. This might be through dieting, vomiting, taking laxatives or excessive exercise. They often see their body differently to how others might see it; believing they’re fat when they’re not. They’ll often have low self-esteem and confidence and attempt to hide their actions.

What are the signs?

There are many signs to look out for on the lists in the links below but some to be aware of:

• Continuing Weight Loss
• Obsessive behaviour
• Avoiding Socialising
• Irregular periods or stopping completely
• Constipation and bloating
• Hair loss

Bulimia on the other hand is an obsession with the controlling of your weight whereby the sufferer go to great lengths to stay at a certain weight often bingeing on food and then making themselves sick, taking laxatives or exercising excessively to offset it. There is often a feeling of heightened anxiety and guilt associated with the eating and they may seek to hide it from other people. This combination of maintaining a steady weight, and trying to hide the associated activities can make Bulimia much harder to spot from the outside, even for family and friends.

What are the signs?

As with Anorexia there are many signs on the lists in the links below, but here are some examples:

• Making yourself sick after mealtimes due to emotional compulsions such as anxiety, shame, or fear
• Skipping meals or avoiding food for long periods of time
• Problems with teeth or gums
• Using laxatives or diuretics to try to lose weight
• Swollen salivary glands
• Buying large amounts of ‘forbidden’ foods and keeping them in a specific place

If you think you, or someone you know, is suffering from Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia Nervosa, or any of the issues raised here, then the following organisations offer help and support.

• Channel 4 Help and Support
• NHS
• Anorexia & Bulimia Care
• Young Minds
• National Centre For Eating Disorders