text: if i have an eating disorder, can they force me to go to the hostpital? if i go to the doctor and he figures out i have an eating disorder, can they force me to go to the hospital or to a treatment center? they can only if you're under 18 and your parents want you to go. if you are under 18 it's worth a try to tell your doctor that you don't want them to tell your parents. sometimes they will comply. but in all sincerity, as a recovering anorexic, i would say that being thin in not worth the heath consequenses. my friend who is a recovering bulimirexic almost died of pnemonia becuse her body could no fight off the infection.