We rarely talk about eating disorders in LDS missionaries, but it’s time we do. You may be asking yourself, can LDS missionaries develop an eating disorder while serving? If you want a deeper dive into how these challenges first emerge in service, check out my dedicated post on that very question.
Five years ago, I sat down at my keyboard and poured out a blog post called “LDS Missionaries and Eating Disorders: It’s Time to Talk About It.” I remember writing with urgency, every thought I’d carried as an eating disorder therapist working with future, current, and returned missionaries spilled across my computer screen.
Now, half a decade later, that post is still one of the only pieces outside of official Church resources that even mentions this issue. In the years since, my experience has only deepened. I’ve seen more clearly why missionaries are so vulnerable, I’ve felt greater compassion for their struggles, and honestly, more frustration with how these challenges are often handled.
Before I go further, I need you to promise me something, please don’t take offense. Please don’t think that I’m unsupportive of missionaries. Nothing could be further from the truth. I also can’t sugarcoat the reality when it comes to the well-being and mental health of these young people. If I don’t tell the truth, then we can’t help them get better. We need to make changes, and change is a good thing. I’m here to offer both my professional expertise and my lived experience, because these missionaries deserve better.
Missionaries are following their hearts, sacrificing years of their young lives, and doing something they’ve likely looked forward to for years. The least we can do is acknowledge their struggles and offer better support. That’s why I’m here again to share more insights, more compassion, and hopefully, more hope. If you or someone you love is struggling, please know that help is available through eating disorder therapy in Utah.
Why Mental Health Challenges Are Common Among LDS Missionaries
The Unique Pressures of Missionary Life
Missionaries live under a highly structured schedule: waking up early, studying for hours, walking or biking miles, learning another language, teaching lessons, and reporting numbers. They are doing all of this while being away from home for 18–24 months with FaceTime and emailing their family only once a week. That level of structure can be helpful for some, but for others it creates intense pressure. Missionaries are expected to be “always on,” representing both their family and their faith. It can feel heavy to always act according to what their name badges represent. There’s very little downtime, privacy, or ability to enjoy hobbies or use the coping skills they used at home. This can leave young people vulnerable to anxiety, depression, or unhealthy coping mechanisms like disordered eating.
One of the biggest challenges is that missionaries have very little control over their day-to-day lives. From the moment they wake up until lights out, every hour is planned, and choices like when to rest, what to eat, or how to spend free time are limited. For some, this lack of choice can feel overwhelming. Eating disorders are often rooted in a search for control. The rigid structure of missionary life can unintentionally create the perfect storm of controlling food, or the body becomes one of the few ways a missionary feels they can take ownership of their experience.
Spiritual Expectations and Perfectionism
Missionary culture often emphasizes exact obedience, diligence, and giving your all to the work, as this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve. While those values can be motivating, they can also feed perfectionism. Many missionaries feel that if they aren’t constantly working, baptizing, or inviting others to Come Unto Christ, they’re letting God down. That belief can make normal struggles and feelings, such as fatigue, loneliness, and discouragement, feel like personal or spiritual failure. Missionaries carry this weight that everyone they meet needs the opportunity to hear their message, and what if they don’t deliver it in a way that others feel the spirit? For those predisposed to anxiety or eating disorders, this perfectionism can easily turn inward, fueling negative self-talk, body image issues, shame, and scrupulosity. Scrupulosity is a form of religious OCD where worthiness and spiritual performance are constantly questioned.
Physical and Emotional Demands
Missionary service is physically and emotionally exhausting. Missionaries adjust to new diets, climates, and cultures while often getting far less sleep and free time than they’re used to. They carry emotional burdens as they listen to people’s struggles, face rejection daily, and navigate companionship relationship dynamics. Add homesickness and limited contact with family, and it’s no wonder mental health challenges are common. When you combine that level of stress with limited access to mental health care, the result can be overwhelming, sometimes showing up as anxiety, depression, or eating disorders.
Eating Disorders in LDS Missionary Service
Can Missionaries Develop Eating Disorders While Serving?
Yes. Missionaries can develop eating disorders while serving, even if they never struggled with one before. Mission life is stressful. Schedules are strict, missionaries are far from home, and the pressure to “always do your best” can feel overwhelming. In that environment, some missionaries turn to food or body control as a way to cope.
For those who already had concerns about weight or eating before their mission, the stress and structure can make things worse. This isn’t about blaming missionary service. It’s about telling the truth, so struggles can be noticed and help can be offered.
Common Triggers for Missionary Eating Disorders (Weight Comments, Schedule, Food Restrictions)
There are a few common triggers that can lead to eating problems on a mission:
Weight comments: Many missionaries hear about mission weight gain being common in missionaries.. Even lighthearted jokes can cause shame or worry.
Rigid schedule: Missionaries don’t get to choose when or what they eat. That lack of control can trigger restriction, bingeing, or food obsession.
Foreign countries and food culture: Some missionaries serve in places where the food is very different from what they’re used to. They may feel pressure to eat meals out of politeness or struggle with limited access to familiar foods. In other areas, food might be scarce or portions unpredictable. These cultural changes can be stressful and sometimes lead to disordered eating or over-exercise as a way to cope.
Stress and pressure: Constant rejection, long hours, and the drive to do more can make food and body control feel like the only thing a missionary can manage.
What may start as “just trying to be careful” can easily grow into harmful behaviors.
Sister Missionaries and Body Image Pressures
Sister missionaries often face extra pressure around appearance. In society in general, young women can feel judged more closely for how they look. On a mission, this pressure may grow stronger.
Sisters may compare themselves to companions or worry about how they look in photos. Even well-meaning comments like, “You look great, you haven’t gained weight!” can send the message that staying thin is part of being successful or worthy. Many sisters silently struggle while appearing dedicated and strong on the outside.
Warning Signs Families Should Look For
Families don’t see much of their missionary. Weekly emails, short calls, and photos are often the only window into their life. That makes spotting an eating disorder hard, especially when you cannot tell someone is struggling with an eating disorder based on appearance or weight, but there are signs to pay attention to:
Talking a lot about food or weight, “I don’t want to gain weight,” “the food here is too much.”
Changes in tone — sounding tired, discouraged, or withdrawn.
Exercise habits — being strict about workouts or feeling guilty for missing one.
Shame and self-criticism — saying things like, “I’m not doing enough” or apologizing often.
Visible changes in photos — sudden weight loss, tired eyes, or muscle loss.
If you notice these things, the most important step is to respond with love, not panic. Gentle, open questions like, “How are you feeling about food and your health lately?” can open the door for honesty without shame.
Anxiety and Stress Among Missionaries
Why Anxiety Is So Prevalent on LDS Missions
It’s no secret that missionary work is stressful. Missionaries are young, most often 18 or 19 years old, and suddenly find themselves living in a completely different environment, away from family, friends, and the comforts of home, often for the first time in their lives. On top of that, they’re expected to adjust quickly, learn new skills, and perform at a high level every single day. That’s a lot for anyone, let alone someone still figuring out who they are.
There are several reasons why anxiety is so common among missionaries:
Homesickness and separation: For many, this is the first time living away from home for such an extended period. Limited contact with family can heighten feelings of isolation.
Constant rejection: Missionaries hear “no” far more than they hear “yes.” Repeated rejection, even when expected, takes a toll. Rejection is often not delivered politely, and missionaries are often met with anger and hostility
High expectations: Missionaries are reminded daily that they are representing God, Jesus Christ, their families, and their Church. That responsibility can feel heavy.
Strict structure: Schedules are tightly controlled with little flexibility. While structure can help some, for others it amplifies anxiety, especially if they feel they’re falling short.
Companionship dynamics: Living 24/7 with another person can be difficult, especially if personalities clash or if one companion struggles emotionally. Missionaries don’t get to choose their companions, and they may have little in common. They are still expected to teach with unity and work well together.
All of these pressures add up, and anxiety often shows itself in racing thoughts, trouble sleeping, physical tension, or perfectionism. In some cases, missionaries hide their anxiety out of fear that acknowledging it means they’re not strong enough or don’t have enough faith” to serve. This silence only makes the struggle worse.
Naming these realities isn’t about being negative toward missionary work. It’s about being honest, so that families, leaders, and missionaries themselves can recognize anxiety for what it is, an expected response to very real pressures. It’s not from lack of faith, not trying hard enough, not being exactly obedient. It’s from being a human.
The Role of Perfectionism in Missionary Anxiety
Perfectionism is one of the biggest drivers of missionary anxiety. Many missionaries believe that anything less than giving 100% all the time means they are failing God, their leaders, or themselves. The culture of “exact obedience” can intensify this pressure. A missionary might ruminate about how they used their time, worrying about whether they talked to enough people, studied long enough, or followed every rule perfectly.
When mistakes or shortcomings happen, which they inevitably do, and are expected, perfectionism makes them feel like they are unworthy rather than opportunities for growth. Over time, this mindset fuels anxiety, creating constant self-criticism and fear of letting others down. For some missionaries, perfectionism doesn’t just drive anxiety, but it can also spill over into how they treat their body, food, or appearance, making them even more vulnerable to eating disorders.
Recognizing perfectionism for what it is, a heavy, unrealistic burden, is the first step to helping missionaries find healthier ways to measure their worth.
Signs a Missionary May Be Struggling with Anxiety
Anxiety doesn’t always look the way we expect it to. Some missionaries push through with a smile and seem upbeat with a good attitude, but inside they’re exhausted, tense, and on edge. Others may show it more openly. Every missionary is different, but here are some common signs that anxiety may be taking a toll:
Physical symptoms: headaches, stomachaches, trouble sleeping, feeling shaky or restless.
Emotional strain: frequent worry, irritability, or becoming tearful over small things.
Behavioral changes: withdrawing from their companion, avoiding people, or becoming overly rigid with rules and routines.
Spiritual concerns: feeling like they aren’t good enough, worrying constantly about worthiness, or struggling to feel peace even when they’re doing their best.
It’s important to remember that none of these signs mean a missionary is weak or unfaithful. Again, they mean they’re human and are carrying more stress than their body and mind know how to handle on their own. Naming these signs with compassion opens the door for support rather than shame.
How Anxiety and Eating Disorders Overlap in Missionaries
Anxiety and eating disorders often occur together, and missionary life can highlight that connection. Both are driven by perfectionism, self-criticism, and a desire for control. When a missionary worries about whether they’re doing enough, teaching well enough, or being obedient enough, that pressure doesn’t always stay in the spiritual or emotional area but can spill over into their relationship with food and their body.
Some missionaries cope with anxiety by restricting food, hoping the discipline will bring a sense of control. Others may binge eat when stress feels unbearable, then struggle with guilt and shame afterward. For some, anxiety shows up as obsessive thoughts about weight, appearance, or how much exercise they’re getting, all while trying to manage the constant expectations of missionary service.
The overlap between anxiety and eating disorders isn’t a sign of weakness but is the mind and body’s way of trying to cope with an overwhelming amount of stress. Recognizing this connection is the first step toward offering missionaries compassion, support, and real help instead of judgment.
Perfectionism and Missionary Culture
What Perfectionism Looks Like in Missionary Life
Perfectionism often shows up in missionary culture because so much focus is placed on exact obedience, hard work, and “giving your all.” Many missionaries believe that if they don’t follow every rule perfectly or work as hard as possible, they’re letting God down.
This can look like:
Feeling guilty if they don’t meet daily or weekly goals.
Comparing themselves constantly to companions or other missionaries.
Believing that if someone doesn’t feel the Spirit during a lesson, it’s their fault.
Struggling to rest, relax, or take breaks because it feels “lazy.”
On the outside, these behaviors may look like dedication. On the inside, they can create shame, burnout, and a sense of never being enough.
How Perfectionism Fuels Anxiety and Eating Disorders
Perfectionism doesn’t just impact missionary work, but it can spill into other areas of life, including mental and physical health. Missionaries who are already vulnerable may start to tie their worth to how perfectly they follow the rules, how much weight they gain or lose, or how “in control” they appear.
Anxiety: Perfectionism feeds racing thoughts, constant self-criticism, and fear of failure. Missionaries may lie awake at night thinking about what they could have done better or worrying that they didn’t do enough.
Eating disorders: The same drive for control and “perfect” performance can shift toward food and body image. Restricting food, over-exercising, or obsessing about weight can feel like a way to regain control or prove worthiness.
What starts as wanting to do a good job can turn into patterns that are harmful and exhausting.
Healthy vs. Harmful Motivation
Not all motivation is bad. Many missionaries want to serve well because they love God and the people they meet. That’s healthy. Healthy motivation is grounded in love, balance, and the understanding that mistakes are part of growth.
Harmful motivation, on the other hand, is rooted in fear and shame. It pushes missionaries to believe their worth depends on being flawless, which is unhelpful and unrealistic, and that any slip means they’ve failed spiritually.
One helpful way to see the difference is to ask: “Am I acting from my values or from fear?”
Healthy motivation comes from values such as compassion, service, or faith. It’s about choosing behaviors that align with what matters most, even when things aren’t perfect. This type of motivation feels more encouraging and sustainable.
Toxic perfectionism is driven by fear, shame, or comparison. It feels heavy, exhausting, and never enough.
When missionaries learn to focus on living by their values instead of chasing perfection, they often find more peace, resilience, and purpose in their service.
How Families and Leaders Can Support Missionaries
What to Say (and What Not to Say) About Food, Weight, and Success
Words carry weight, especially for missionaries who are already under a lot of pressure. Even lighthearted jokes about gaining weight during service or “eating too much” can stick and cause shame.
It’s not just about avoiding comments on a missionary’s body. Families and leaders should also avoid commenting on other people’s bodies or even their own (saying things like “I feel so fat” or “I need to lose weight”). Missionaries (and all of us) take these messages in, and it can reinforce the idea that worth is tied to appearance.
It also helps to avoid labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” or calling certain meals “healthy” and others “unhealthy.” These labels create guilt and confusion. Food is simply food, some foods give more quick energy, others give more lasting energy, and all have a place in nourishing a body.
Instead, encourage a more balanced approach. Missionaries benefit from learning to listen to their bodies and noticing when they are hungry, when they are satisfied, and what foods help them feel their best. This is sometimes called intuitive eating, and it focuses on trusting internal signals rather than rigid rules.
Families and leaders can support this by:
Talking about meals as fuel and enjoyment, not morality.
Reminding missionaries that it’s okay to eat when hungry and stop when full.
Celebrating food as part of culture, connection, and care and not a test of self-control.
By focusing on encouragement that has nothing to do with appearance or food rules, families and leaders create safety and support. Say things like:
“I’m proud of your effort and heart.”
“It sounds like you’re working really hard to connect with people.”
“I love hearing how you’re growing as a person.”
Helping a Missionary Seek therapy
If you’re worried that a missionary may be struggling with anxiety, depression, or an eating disorder, the most important thing you can do is approach it with love and openness. Don’t accuse or demand. Instead, ask gentle questions like:
“How are you really doing with your health?”
“Have you felt extra stress or pressure around food or your body?”
“Would you feel okay if we helped you find someone to talk to about this?”
Missionaries may feel scared to admit they’re struggling because they don’t want to be seen as “unworthy.” For many, there’s also a deep fear that if they speak up, they’ll be sent home. That fear can keep them silent, even when they’re suffering.
This is why it’s so important to respond with compassion and reassurance. Remind them that it is ok to need support. It means they are brave enough to take care of their health, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
It’s true that many missionaries won’t have access to an eating disorder specialist while they’re serving. Families and leaders can still listen carefully, validate their feelings, and encourage honesty. If possible, local medical care may be arranged, or missionaries may be referred to LDS Family Services or another therapist in their area. It may be true that, eating disorder recovery may require pausing missionary service or even returning home for specialized treatment. That decision is not a weakness and is a courageous step toward long-term healing and well-being.
Breaking the Stigma Around Missionary Mental Health
Mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders do not mean a missionary is weak, broken, or lacking faith. It doesn’t mean they aren’t accessing the atonement or do not have enough faith to be healed. Still, many missionaries and sometimes even families or leaders carry the belief that struggling makes them “less spiritual” or unfit to serve. This belief creates silence, shame, and unnecessary suffering. Family members and leaders may unknowingly encourage missionaries to lean further into prayer, scripture study, and faith as a means of coping with mental health conditions. Emotional and mental struggles require the support of a trained professional, not by trying harder.
Leaders and parents can shift this narrative by:
Talking about mental health as something that naturally comes up in the intensity of missionary life.
Reassuring missionaries that getting therapy never cancels out their calling or their worth.
Sharing stories of faithful people, past and present, who also wrestled with emotional or mental struggles and received counseling.
When missionaries hear that their struggles do not erase their faithfulness or devotion, they feel safer reaching out for support, and they are far more likely to get the help they need.
Supporting Missionaries Who Return Home Early
Returning home early for mental or physical health can feel like the hardest part of a missionary’s life. Many missionaries carry guilt or shame, worrying that they “failed” or disappointed others. On top of that, they often fear how people will interpret their return. In LDS culture, there can be harmful speculation that someone who comes home early must have sinned or “broken rules.” That fear of judgment makes the shame even heavier.
Families and leaders play a vital role in changing that story. Here are some ways to support:
Affirm their worth immediately. Say: “We’re so glad you’re home. Your health matters more than anything.”
Avoid labeling it as failure. Instead of “He couldn’t finish,” say “She served faithfully until it was time to come home.”
Do not speculate about why someone returned. Family members, leaders, and ward members should never guess, assume, or spread stories about why a missionary is home early. Even well-meaning speculation adds to stigma and shame.
Challenge harmful assumptions. If you hear others gossip or make comments, gently correct them and redirect the conversation toward compassion.
Encourage continued growth. Help them find therapy, education, or meaningful service at home to show their life and faith still have direction.
Returning early changes the timeline, not the impact of their sacrifice. With support, compassion, and therapy, returning early can mark the beginning of healing and is not the result of not being good enough.
Healing, Hope, and Recovery After a Mission
What Recovery Can Look Like for Missionaries
Every missionary’s journey is different, but eating disorder recovery and stabilizing mental health is possible. For some, it may mean learning new ways to manage stress or anxiety. For others, it may mean untangling perfectionism or healing their relationship with food and body image. Healing is rarely quick or simple, but with the right support, missionaries can and do build healthy, meaningful lives after service.
The Role of Therapy and Professional Help
Therapy gives missionaries a safe space to process what they’ve been through. A trained therapist can help them address anxiety, depression, or eating disorders with evidence-based tools. Medical care, nutritional support, and counseling often work together to strengthen both body and mind. For missionaries returning home, connecting with an eating disorder therapist or another qualified provider can be life-changing.
Gospel Principles and Mental Health Support
Spirituality can be an important part of healing. Gospel principles such as grace, compassion, and agency remind missionaries that their worth is not tied to flawless performance. Faith and professional help are not in competition, but they work together. Seeking treatment is not a lack of belief; it’s using the resources God has provided to support healing.
Final Thoughts
Missionary service is demanding, and it can bring out both the strengths and the struggles of young people who are still learning how to care for themselves. Anxiety, eating disorders, and perfectionism do not erase a missionary’s faith or devotion, but they are signs that the load has become too heavy to carry alone.
Missionaries deserve to serve with dignity and worth, no matter what challenges they face. Families and leaders can make a powerful difference by offering compassion, avoiding harmful comments, and encouraging honest conversations. When therapy is needed, it can help change negative beliefs and heavy emotions.
The more we talk openly about mental health in missionary life, the more we break down stigma and create a culture of support. Healing is possible. Hope is real. With love, faith, and the right resources, missionaries can move forward not only as servants of God but as whole, thriving people
Eating disorder therapy in Utah can help
Missionaries and their families don’t have to face these struggles alone. As a licensed therapist specializing in eating disorders, I offer compassionate therapy to help those build a healthier relationship with food and their body. Whether you’re a returned missionary, preparing to serve, or navigating life after a mission, therapy provides tools for healing and lasting eating disorder recovery. If you or someone you love is struggling, know that support is available here in Utah.
Work with an Eating Disorder Therapist in Utah
Your healing matters, and help is here. As a licensed therapist specializing in eating disorder therapy in Utah, I’m here to support missionaries, returned missionaries, and their families with compassion and understanding. If healing feels impossible right now, this Utah Eating Disorder Clinic can help, so you don’t have to navigate this alone. To start therapy, follow the steps below:
Meet with a therapist for eating disorders
Start healing.
Online Therapy in Utah
Getting help should be simple and accessible. That’s why I offer online therapy in Utah for eating disorders across the entire state of Utah. Online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into your schedule while still receiving compassionate, expert care. No matter where you are in Utah, healing is possible, and I’m here to help you start.
Whether you live in Salt Lake City, Provo, St. George, Cedar City, Logan, Heber City, or anywhere in between, you can get the specialized support you need without leaving home.
About the Author
Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Maple Canyon Therapy in Utah, where she specializes in eating disorder therapy for women in Utah. With over a decade of experience treating eating disorders at every level of care — inpatient, residential, outpatient, and private practice, Ashlee brings both clinical expertise and deep compassion to her work.
She has worked closely with missionaries, pre-missionaries, and returned missionaries, giving her unique insight into the challenges young people face when faith, mental health, and cultural expectations intersect. In addition to her clinical work, Ashlee has taught at the university level, helping future social workers build a foundation in empowerment, multicultural competence, and trauma-informed care.
Through her blog, she writes about eating disorders, anxiety, and body image issues with the hope of breaking stigma and offering guidance to families and leaders who want to support missionaries in healthier ways.