Now through March 1st marks the 27th annual National Eating Disorders (NED) Awareness Week. The theme of this year’s Awareness Week is “I Had No Idea.” This theme is meant to shed light on the many misconceptions that surround eating disorders and how they affect those battling eating disorders themselves and the friends and family that go through the battle with them. Specifically, one of the main goals of this year’s NED Awareness Week is to combat the stereotype that eating disorders are not serious or life threatening. Furthermore, NED Awareness Week is part of a larger effort to end the stigma surrounding eating disorders, as well as to educate people about the warnings signs of and treatments for eating disorders.
In the United States alone, over 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lifetime. Additionally, 40% of college women in the United States have an eating disorder. That is why Conn’s chapter of Active Minds, a group that aims to combat mental illness stigma, is taking part in National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. “This is very important on a college campus so that we, as fellow students, friends, and roommates are able to adopt the appropriate language and behaviors to create an effective support network for those who may be struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating,” Katie Rudolph, Co-President of Conn’s Active Mind Chapters, tells us.
As part of NED Awareness Week, on Wednesday, February 26 at 7:00 pm in Main Street East, Active Minds will be screening Someday Melissa. The documentary was created by the family of Melissa Avrin, a young woman who lost her battle with an eating disorder when she was only nineteen years old. Someday Melissa aims to educate people about the dangers and warning signs of eating disorders. Following the screening of Someday Melissa, a discussion will be facilitated by Tina Forster, LCSW and Margie Bowen, Psychology Practicum Student. Additionally, on the same day from 12:00-1:00 pm in the front of Cro, there will be free and anonymous information table on screening for eating disorders and how to help a friend with an eating disorder.
In addition, Her Campus has launched a social media campaign in support of NED Awareness Week: The #LovingMe Project. We encourage everyone to think about what you love most about yourself (besides anything physical) and capture it in a photo to share with us on social media! Use the hashtag #LovingMe and tag @hercampusconn and @hercampus to help us remind each other that we all have a million things we can love about ourselves!
Visit www.somedaymelissa.org to learn more about Someday Melissa. And if you want to learn more about eating disorders and National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, visit: www.nedawareness.org.