Eating Disorders Do Not Just Impact the Young

Due to an overwhelming misrepresentation from media, eating disorders are commonly stereotyped as occurring in young females in their adolescent and teenage years.  The truth of the matter is that eating disorders can affect women and men across the lifespan, but women in their mid-life are typically overlooked at being susceptible to these diseases.  However, the mid-life presents different challenges, difficult life changes, and transitions that can result in overwhelming emotional turmoil.  Women and men who develop an eating disorder during this life period may find it equally challenging to reach out for help and seek the appropriate treatment they may need.  The good news is that there is always hope for recovery, no matter what stage of life you may be in.

If you are concerned that someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder in their mid-life, please continue reading here.

Choosing Recovery

On the first day of racing at the 2006 Junior World Championships , Hollie Avil’s life was forever changed. The words of a coach, “You’ll need to start thinking about your weight if you want to run quick, Hollie.” planted an unhealthy seed in her head. Hollie is an English triathlete and the youngest athlete to podium at a successive debut World Cup race, and surprisingly retired from the competitive sport recently after publicly announcing her battle with an eating disorder and depression. Hollie debuted at the 2008 Olympics and won the world under-23 title the following year; however, in 2010 the nightmare of having an eating disorder began. For a young woman, who was just beginning a phenomenal career as an Olympic triathlete, she took a giant leap in recovery when announcing her retirement to put her health first. “Although I am sad to be hanging up the race shoes, I’m proud of what I’ve overcome.”  To learn more about Hollie's story, please continue reading here.


Written by: Hannah Chase, Intern @ Eating Disorder Hope

A Woman Recoverd from Orthorexia Gives Back

It is so inspiring to see individuals recover from their eating disorders and then transform their former pain into helping others find recovery, too. Eating Disorder Hope strongly supports individuals seeking to share their hard won wisdom gained from their suffering under the ravages of an eating disorder. The following article Walking in Recovery is an excellent example of a strong young woman who has overcome her eating disorder and now seeks to serve others and God more impactfully, as a result of her valuable insights. If you have a story to share on the Eating Disorder Recovery 101 blog, please do so! We would love to hear from you.

NEDA Launches 25th Annual NEDAwareness Week, Themed Everybody Knows Somebody, Feb. 26-March 3

NEDA Launches 25th Annual NEDAwareness Week, Themed Everybody Knows Somebody, Feb. 26-March 3
Eating Disorder Hope encourages all eating disorder sufferers, providers and concerned others to participate in the the annual National Eating Disorder Awareness Week!

Eating Disorder Hope Blog Update

To our dear Visitors:

We wish to thank you for your continued support and loyalty to Eating Disorder Hope.  Presently, our blogs are temporarily under construction as we seek to improve, enhance, and develop greater resources.  During this time, blog posts will be kept to a minimum, but we excitedly look forward to offering you increased resources in the very near future.  In the meantime, please follow Eating Disorder Hope on Facebook for up-to-date articles, resources, and support for eating disorders or access our website at www.eatingdisorderhope.com.  We thank you for your patience during this time and hope you will continue to choose Eating Disorder Hope for your one stop resource for eating disorder treatment information and recovery tools.  We look forward to continually serving you!

Blessings,

Eating Disorder Hope

Body Image and Eating Disorders

Most eating disorder sufferers have a tendency to view their body inaccurately.  This distorted body image issue, the subject of much research and concern, seems to possibly offer an early indication of a possible eating disorder developing in an individual.  A joint study from the University of Haifa, Soroka University Medical Center and Achva Academic College provides insight into this through body image drawings.

Have you ever drawn your full body image?  Do you believe it accurately reflects your build?

Tips for helping boys or men who have an eating disorder

Source: http://www.bostonglobe.com

Encourage them to get help early. The longer you have an eating disorder, the harder it is to treat and the more likely it is for depression and other problems to set in.
 
Let them know they are not alone. Men in particular may feel isolated by their eating disorder, but they have more company than they realize.
 
Find a treatment program or support group that’s specifically geared toward men.

 

Remind them that the goal of advertising is to make people feel poorly about themselves so they will buy products to feel better.

 
Recognize that porn stars, like fashion models, are chosen because their physiques are unusual - and not typical.
 
Make sure they know that treatment for eating disorders is effective.
...Link to original article here.
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Why is it that men are often thought of as insusceptible to developing eating disorders?  How can changing this bias thinking increase awareness of males who may be suffering with an eating disorder?