Eating disorders cover different clinical syndromes all of which are characterized by an immense focus on food, body and weight, an endless attempt to combat the body and by a fluctuation between “too much and not enough” on different levels (e.g. behavioural, mentally, physical).

The aim of this article is twofold: 1) to highlight the vital importance of the symptoms as a psychological survival strategy and to illustrate similarities between eating disordered patients as well as the very different pathways that can lead to an eating disorder; 2) to learn from clinical cases. One of the cases represents a bottom-up analysis in which the presentation of the patient, the analytical process including transference and countertransference feelings and theoretical reflections were mixed which gave rise to a new understanding of the patient. In this way the paper tries to convey knowledge both about eating disorders and about a working process that can create such knowledge.