When people picture someone with an eating disorder, many think of a thin teenage girl with anorexia nervosa. This stereotype is so pervasive it can feel like a fact.

In the United States, eating disorders are the second most deadly mental health issue (behind opioid use disorder). And they are more common than you may think, affecting about 9 percent of the U.S.

“Food is my heroin,” said Haley (a pseudonym), 28, comparing her ADHD and binge eating disorder to a drug problem. “It sounds dramatic but it’s true. As hard as I try to prevent binge it’s like ...