Recent reflectionsEating disorders: raising awareness is necessary but not sufficientThe last few weeks have been marked by a number of awareness days, initiatives and news stories, aimed at raising important issues and seeking to get the attention of the public and policy and decision-makers around mental health and other social and economic causes. These days included a week of activities for Eating Disorder Awareness Week, in which the theme, ‘anyone can be affected by an eating disorder’, was designed to shine a light on the prevalence and impact of these experiences - which have the highest mortality rate of any mental health condition. I have worked with clients who have experienced, or continue to experience, eating disorder(s) from the first hour of my training placement and throughout the last four years, and continue to struck by - and more than a little disheartened by - the lack of knowledge and understanding of eating disorders from those who should know better. I include here many GPs and other health professionals, who someone with an eating disorder may encounter as a first point of NHS call when they reach the moment, often after many months, sometimes years, of agony - in their need for help. So often, that need for help is not met. They are too-often dismissed, sometimes (inextricably) because they are judged to “not be underweight”, or to have their concerns invalidated as “typical teenage” worries about body image, with the blame aimed in the direction of social media and Love Island. This is beyond negligent. This negligence is not an isolated experience, but something I hear about all the time. I also hear - consistently - about the “treatment” offered to clients with eating disorders which focuses virtually entirely on food, weight and behaviours, and not on feelings, root causes and the pain(s) and trauma(s) that the eating disorder is trying to soothe. I have written extensively about this and have worked with many clients who land at my door having already been through an NHS or private sector eating disorder services - sometimes discharged as being “recovered” - after lying to the experienced practitioners to end the torture of the “support” they are being offered. Often when these clients arrive in my counselling room, they are closer to death than recovery, and they have lost faith in there being any support that could help them. This not just beyond negligent, it is beyond belief. These reflections are not intended to be a rant against the current model of eating disorder treatment, which is failing so many people across the UK and Ireland. It is instead an attempt to plead with anyone who has contact with a person - whether in a professional role as a teacher, healthcare worker or social worker - or as a colleague, family member, friend or neighbour - who may have a problematic relationship with food, or exercise, or their body, or their appearance, or all of the above - to educate yourself. Not to be an expert but to be an empathetic sign-spotter and sign-poster. We need to move from raising awareness to raising understanding and knowing how to raise people up from their despair to get help - real, meaningful, non-judgmental, compassionate help - which gives them not just a chance to recover but to live a full and happy life. This means being curious - asking are you ok and the waiting and listening for a clear answer - and not being so desperate to reassure when we hear or see things tells us that someone is not ok - that we fall back on “you look great; you’re not fat; I wish I was your size etc etc”. Eating disorders are complicated - very complicated - but they are not something to shy away from. They can be learnt about and we can find help for those who are struggling. If we accept that anyone can be affected by an eating disorder, we can accept that anyone can learn a little about it - not just to be aware of what it is and how serious it is, but how to spot some signs and sign post to help. Is that too much to ask, especially when so many lives are at stake. If you would like to find out more, please look at the resources I have included below.
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