This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bristol chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Why is there still a stigma around eating disorders?
Whilst I open this entry with an open-ended question, I am almost certain I already know the answer but the question still remains and the subject feels even more appropriate with the recent Eating Disorders Awareness Week. It would be wonderful to hope that with such events, a more open and honest dialogue is erected around the sensitive matter. This short post will in no ways do justice to the vast, intricate and perplexing world of eating disorders, but my aim is to shed a small light upon the shadowing and neglected field of a demonic and ever-increasing field.
For 16 years of my own life, I was dubious to what an eating disorder actually was, who it affected and the cataclysmic impact on any individual. I rather shamefully admit, I remember walking into college, seeing an extremely emaciated girl and pointing her out to a friend as she had walked past. Who on earth would think THAT was a good look anyway? It was completely beyond me to even fathom the inside torment that girl must have been a victim to. The kind of torment that has no boundaries, that is all-consuming and which has no conceivable logic.
Shortly after this, my own depth of understanding and empathy for this girl would grow tenfold as I was to develop my own destructive relationship with Anorexia Nervosa. Despite not knowing the root cause of my eating disorder, I place a large significance on my relationships with friends at college, the untimely absence of family, a dominating boyfriend and a poor history of low self-esteem. Whilst it may be difficult to comprehend exactly why this resulted into an obsession with exercise and food restriction, the correlating sense of control and achievement associated with losing weight fuelled my rapid weight loss. Soon enough, this sense of ‘control’ was no longer mine, and for the last 4 years I’ve adhered to my eating disorder, sometimes achieving periods of dramatic improvement, whilst other times leading me to inpatient admissions around the country. Whilst no description will accurately do these 4 years justice, it has been a long and treacherous journey. I’ve lost friends, I’ve made even better ones. I’ve had many setbacks and feelings of insurmountable despair and I’ve conquered challenges that’ve felt completely unobtainable.
Whilst reading my own experience may not necessarily aid your understanding of what it is like to suffer with an eating disorder, the affected populace is wide and ever-growing. The UK currently has the highest rates for eating disorders in Europe, with 269,000 diagnosed with clinical eating disorders, and between 11 and 13 million with problems psychologically connected with food. The statistics are shocking to read estimating a death every 63 minutes due to eating disorders, and totalling 26 deaths in a single day. Similarly whilst my own experience is limited to Anorexia, the range of diagnosis covers Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, EDNOS and Orthorexia. It can’t banish a stigma to see the devastating effects but it certainly puts a lot into perspective.
My resonant blame for any stigma around the subject lies full-heartedly in the lack of knowledge appropriated to our society, it’s not merely an ignorance to a completely illogical world but a lack of resources attributed to the understanding of our generation. Who am I to blame anyone else for not being more empathetic when years ago I held exactly the same mind set, a world completely unfathomable to my own? The vast majority of all general practitioners I have dealt with lack the knowledge, and multiple times I have felt both humiliated and undeserving of care at the hands of the medical profession. It’s not an easy task to understand mental health but it is just as detrimental to physical and with a rising death toll cannot be ignored or overlooked.
If you take from this sort post anything, let it be a lack of judgement. It is inconceivable to come to terms with the utterly heart consuming toll of an eating disorder without having first-hand experience. But please be empathetic to anyone you know who may be suffering, seek help for anyone you fear may be suffering and don’t be afraid to speak out if you, yourself are suffering.
If you are currently suffering from an eating disorder, or you are worried that someone that might be here are some useful websites to look at: