Awareness about Eating Disorders: Treatments, Signs, and More

Approximately 9% of the population in the United States suffer from an eating disorder. This equates to almost 1 out of every 10 people who have or will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.

Unfortunately, the majority of the population is grossly uneducated regarding eating disorders. As a society, we need to do better at educating ourselves on eating disorders, signs and symptoms, treatments available, and how we can help those we love who do suffer from this mental illness.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please call or text the National Eating Disorders Helpline. If calling on the phone feels intimidating or overwhelming, there are also options to talk online or even text. There is help out there; please don’t hesitate to reach out.

(800)-931-2237

When is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week?

Every year, the National Eating Disorders Association puts on a campaign to help raise awareness about eating disorders and encourage others to advocate for those who have this mental illness.

It is a week-long campaign, and this year it falls on February 21-27, 2022. This campaign is heavily focused on education. Before we can overcome these disorders, we need to be educated about what they look like, who they impact, and what we can do to help make a difference.

There are thousands of misconceptions and stigmas surrounding eating disorders that we need to stop. This week is a fantastic opportunity to gather with those you love and check in with them. It is also a chance to utilize the resources available and educate yourself. Knowledge really is power, and with this increased knowledge, you can help change and even save lives.

The Focus of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

This week is a time that is focused on educating everyone. Whether you struggle with an eating disorder, know someone who struggles, or simply want to educate yourself to help those around you in the future, this is a campaign you should take part in.

There is also an emphasis on providing hope, support, and raising awareness to help those who struggle with this mental illness. If you are struggling, there is hope. You are not alone. You are loved and have immense worth. We can bond together and raise awareness for this cause.

The central theme of the campaign this year is #SeeTheChange and #BeTheChange.

#SeeTheChange

Part of the motto #SeeTheChange means recognizing the changes in society, pressures, and mental health advances in an evolving world. In recent years, more people have been educating themselves, more money is going towards research, and significant changes have happened in the field of mental health.

#BeTheChange

While we can all #SeeTheChange around us every day, we can also #BeTheChange. As individuals, we can advocate for others, support those around us who are struggling, and work hard every day to educate ourselves. The resources available to inform yourself, especially regarding eating disorders, are wide in availability and informative material. We can work to break stigmas, educate those around us, and encourage everyone to get the help they need. By working to #BeTheChange, we can help those who feel hopeless feel hope, and advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves.

To learn more, head over to the National Eating Disorder webpage.

What Are Eating Disorders?

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines Eating Disorders as ”abnormal eating habits that can threaten your health or even your life.”

The three primary eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating. While these are slightly different disorders, there can be some cross-over between them.

In general, though, the APA defines each of these disorders as the following:

Anorexia Nervosa: Individuals believe they’re fat even when they’re dangerously thin and restrict their eating to the point of starvation.

Bulimia Nervosa: Individuals eat excessive amounts of food, then purge by making themselves vomit or using laxatives.

Binge Eating: Individuals have out-of-control eating patterns but don’t purge.

An eating disorder generally pairs a disturbance in your eating behaviors with distressing thoughts and behaviors.

Eating disorders can also have high comorbidity with other mental disorders. Specifically, eating disorders often occur with depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and even suicidality.

Signs of Eating Disorders

The signs and symptoms of eating disorders can be different for everyone. Generally, people will experience some of these, but they may experience different ones. Being aware of these possible signs can help you identify an eating disorder in yourself and in the loved ones around you:

• Increased worry about food, exercise, or losing weight
• A strict, restrictive diet
• New and consuming relationship with eating or exercise
• Withdrawing from friends/family
• Moodiness
• Obsession with body image
• Menstrual changes (for females)
• Dental problems
• Brittle hair and nails
• Fluctuating weight
• Dramatic weight loss
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Excessive, rigid eating and/or exercise regime
• Binge Eating
• Self-induced vomiting
• Eating Disorders and Mental Health

Eating disorders can have a high co-occurrence with other mental health challenges. Because of this, it can be one of the deadliest mental health challenges if not treated.

All of these mental illnesses need to be addressed and treated by a professional. Without this professional treatment, eating disorders can escalate to a dangerous level. In fact, almost 26% of people with an eating disorder will attempt suicide at some point.

The most common mental illnesses that are found to be present with an eating disorder are:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Substance Abuse
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

All of these mental health struggles can be treated. Eating disorders often impact every aspect of your health. An eating disorder can influence everything from your physical, mental, spiritual, emotional health, and even your behaviors.

Treatment Options

The best place to start when seeking treatment for an eating disorder is to meet with a mental health professional. This professional can diagnose and help you understand your next step. The importance of seeking treatment is receiving a diagnosis and recognizing that you have a problem.

The treatment for every individual may differ slightly. No matter the case or severity, though, you should meet with a mental health professional to receive the professional assessment and treatment you need.

Treating an eating disorder is often a multi-faceted experience. In most cases, you will go through psychological healing with a mental health professional. This healing can involve breaking negative automatic thoughts, challenging irrational beliefs, and learning coping mechanisms to help you move forward.

Another aspect of receiving treatment is nutritional counseling. Developing a more positive relationship with food is imperative to the treatment plan. This aspect of treatment often involves creating some sort of nutritional plan going forward, as well as techniques to create a positive relationship with food and eating. The exact details of everyone’s treatment will likely be different.

In some cases, diving into group therapy can also be extremely beneficial to treating eating disorders. There are options for eating disorder group therapy sessions and support groups across America. Creating this environment where people can come together, draw strength from each other, and realize they are not alone is imperative to successful treatment. In many cases, this can be a very isolating and lonely time. Group sessions allow people to see that they are not alone and create a support group around them.

No matter where you are on your journey with your eating disorder and relationship with food, there is hope for you moving forward.

How to Seek Help

The best way to seek help is to reach out to someone you love and trust and let them help you. In order to receive the help you need, you should reach out to a mental health professional. Your loved ones may be able to offer you the support you need to help you reach out to someone who has the expertise to help you.

You can also call or text the National Eating Disorders Helpline number below:

(800)-931-2237

When seeking help for your eating disorder, remember you are loved. You are wanted. You are valued. You are beautiful. You are Strong.

As a society, this National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is the perfect opportunity to educate yourself and those around you. It is also an excellent time to check in with those you love and have an honest conversation about the state of your mental health.