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Eating disorders (EDs) involve severe and consistent disturbances in eating behaviours that are motivated by concerns about food, eating, and/or weight. An eating disorder voice (EDV) is one aspect of ED experiences that has received comparatively little research attention. Using corpus-assisted discourse analysis, this study explores representations of EDVs in 247 first-person submissions to a UK eating disorder charity’s online blog. Set against a backdrop of linguistic literature on non-self voice hearing, the linguistic analysis finds multifaceted depictions of EDVs as persuasive, pervasive, and akin to a toxic friend. The EDV is described as exacerbating feelings of not being good or sick enough, while responses to the EDV are represented as self-isolation, reframing thoughts, and active resistance. Renderings of negative emotional reactions to the EDV include fear and emotional numbness. The clinical relevance of the findings is considered.
Tamsin Parnell (Sat,) studied this question.