We seek to describe the barriers that people with eating disorders (EDs) face when undertaking a decision about whether to be admitted for inpatient treatment. Data were retrieved from a moderated ED Internet community website. A descriptive phenomenological approach was used to explore the shared experiences of community members who posted information about their viewpoints on inpatient admission. Three themes emerged: (i) 'Can I let others help me?' addressed the question of participants' ability to cooperate with hospital staff; (ii) 'Can I give up my daily routine?' focused on participants' meaningful lives outside of their ED (school, work, family, friends); and (iii) 'Can inpatient treatment work?' revealed a general lack of faith in the ability of inpatient treatment to make a substantial positive contribution. Our findings highlight the difficulties associated with making a decision about inpatient admission and suggest implications for mental-health professionals.