Eating Disorder Awareness Week

Rebecca Lewis February 16, 2013

Eating Disorder Awareness Week (EDAW) is run by UK charity BEAT, previously known as The Eating Disorders Association and this week, between the 11^th and the 17^th of February, BEAT aims to highlight the importance of seeking help and showing awareness to the dangers of eating disorders, of which these mental illnesses are calculated to be effecting over 1 and a half million people in the UK today.

Noticing an Eating Disorder is not as easy. Often those who suffer from the illness disregard it and don’t seek help with a health care professional or even a friend or loved one. During this week it’s important to reach out and offer your support, including children aged between 11 and 18 about the symptoms and also helping to share and make awareness of eating disorders to family, friends and work colleagues.

Currently, the figures from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence show that a little over 1.6 million men and women in the UK are currently suffering from an Eating Disorder such as bulimia and anorexia and many more are undiagnosed and unwittingly putting their health at risk.

The consequences of severe malnutrition can result in disease and further illnesses such as Diabetes, Liver Damage, Hypertension and even Heart Disease, profoundly and often overlooked in younger adults and teenagers specifically for a number of reasons including growing and typical disagreement with family food or portrayed image of bodies in the media. Not only damaging the individual, eating disorders can put strain on their job, education, family and other loved ones.

Some critical and helpful ways to help with supporting and nurturing those with eating disorders can be as follows but make sure to approach them softly and not too accusatory;

- Share some of your memories of them, specific memories of times when you were particularly worried about them and the behaviour of their eating habits.

- Do not make judgements on their appearances! They are already too aware and conscious of their body. Ignore this completely, try and avoid the topic so as not to linger on their obsession.

- Don’t blame them and use the word “you” all the time. Turn it around and explain how their behaviour is upsetting you or others. This is a far better and less accusative approach.

In terms of complementary therapies, in helping to combat eating disorders, a touch-based therapy like aromatherapy massage as well as cognitive therapies like CBT, Counselling and Hypnotherapy can help put you in touch with your body and mind, revitalising you after what seems like an endless battle against your mental illness.

By helping to raises awareness to Eating Disorders and its symptoms you can help many hundreds of thousands of people around the country or even just by recommending a local counsellor from NaturalTherapyForAll’s directory. It can take just a few minutes and maybe even save someone’s life.

Editor’s Notes:

We hope that our NaturalTherapyForAll therapist members will offer some information and advice on how to help those with Eating Disorders as well.