This week, Her Campus at SLU will be uploading articles and social media content for National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, which runs from Feb. 25 to March 3, 2019. The theme of NEDAwareness Week this year is “Come as You Are,” which seeks to highlight inclusivity of all “individuals at all stages of body acceptance and eating disorder recovery” and emphasize that all of these unique stories are valid.
The mission of the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) is to support individuals and families affected by eating disorders and serve “as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care.” Their NEDAwareness Week is a campaign meant to initiate dialogue about eating disorders to combat stigmas and counteract dangerous, societally-normalized thoughts and practices surrounding our bodies and our relationship with food.
Our Her Campus at SLU team has decided to participate in this week in our own way, by telling our own stories, because part of our mission at our chapter here at Saint Louis University is to highlight individuals’ perspectives in order to generate an empowering narrative on our campus and beyond. We believe in the power of a story—in the power of our stories and in all stories—and see our platform as something that provides more than just words on a page in an endlessly overwhelming web of other digital pages. Our words have agency; they have power. And at Her Campus at SLU, we seek to harness this power in the best way we can.
While “awareness” might seem like an abstract concept, it has agency in itself. Simply spreading awareness can create action—whether that be within oneself or in a moment of assistance or guidance for someone else. Use this week to remind yourself to check on your friends and acquaintances—and, most importantly, check on yourself. Make sure you’re okay. Then, make sure those around you are okay.
HCXO,
Sarah Steen
Editor-in-Chief, Her Campus at SLU
Please, if you believe you or someone you know may need help, reach out to someone. Listed below are some resources specifically devoted to support, resources and treatment for eating disorders:
- Call (800) 931-2237 Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT and Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT
- Online chat function available on www.myneda.org/helpline
- For a crisis situation, text “NEDA” to 741741 to be connected with a trained volunteer
University Counseling Center at SLU:
- To schedule a counseling appointment, call 314-977-8255
- To schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist, call the Student Health Center at 314-977-2323
- Appointments available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Missouri Eating Disorders Association: Treatment Resources Listings