Resources Overview Handout: Eating Disorders Workshops
Support Groups:
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Behind This Mask: There is Someone Real - MySpace.com online monitored support community (FREE to join with free signup) -
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Good News – Monthly support e-zine - monthly Q&A and educational articles (FREE with online sign-up at key-to-life.com) - key-to-life.com/Good_News.htm
Useful Weblinks: Eating Disorders - General Resources
Media: (for Real Player and Quicktime Versions of these and other interviews visit the Media page!)
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Newsweek 'Fighting Anorexia' article: Newsweek
- Pro-Ana/Pro-Mia Expose Interview: KHOU11 News
- Eating Disorders in Schoolchildren Interview: OutlookHouston
- Finding Shannon on MySpace for Eating Disorders Support Interview: KENS5
Useful Reading Material:
- “The Secret Language of Eating Disorders” - Peggy Claude-Pierre
- “Appetites: On the Search for True Nourishment” (and anything else by) - Geneen Roth
- “Surviving An Eating Disorder: Strategies for Family & Friends” - Siegel, Brisman & Weinshel
- "Can't Buy My Love" - Jean Kilbourne
- "You Are Not Alone" - Andrea Roe, Editor
- “A Very Hungry Girl” - Jessica Weiner
- “Life Without Ed” - Jenni Schaefer
- “Eating With Your Anorexic” - Laura Collins
Movies:
- "A Beautiful Mind" - Starring Russell Crowe
- "Catch Me If You Can" - Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks
- "28 Days" - Starring Sandra Bullock
- "What About Bob?" - Starring Richard Dreyfus and Bill Murray
Five Element Treatment Team
- Medical Doctor
- Psychiatrist
- Dietician/Nutritionist
- Psychologist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Therapist or Social Worker
- Mentor/Recovery Coach
How To Help If You Suspect Someone May Have an Eating Disorder
- Realize that recovery is not your responsibility; they will not change until they are ready.
- Talk to the person when you are calm, not frustrated or emotional. Be kind.
- Mention evidence you have heard or seen that suggests disordered eating. Don't dwell on appearance or weight. Instead talk about health, relationships and mood.
- If person is a minor, involve the parents or legal guardians.
- Continue to suggest professional help. Don't pester. Don't give up either.
- Talk about the advantages of recovery and a normal life.
- Agree that recovery is hard, but emphasize that many people have done it.
- If s/he is frightened to see a counselor, offer to go with her the first time.
- If the situation appears life-threatening, ALWAYS INTEVENE!
- Resist guilt. Do the best you can and then be gentle with yourself.
- Avoid power struggles. You will lose. Don't pry. Respect privacy.
- Never criticize or shame. These tactics are cruel, and the person will withdraw.
- Don't be a food monitor. You will create resentment and distance in the relationship.
- Don't waste time trying to reassure your friend that s/he is not fat. S/he will not be convinced. Don't say, "You are too thin." S/he will secretly celebrate.
- Don't get involved in conversations about weight, food, and calories. They make matters worse.
- Provide information, but don't give advice unless asked.
- Don't expect the person to follow your advice even if s/he asked for it.
- Don't ignore stolen food and evidence of purging. Insist on responsibility.
Who Is At Risk For Developing an Eating Disorder:
- 10 to 1 ratio of women to men, all ethnicities and ages
- Genetic component (56%); exposure to Western culture (44%)
- Poor sense-of-self formation, “early bloomers” physically, victims of abuse – sexual, other
- Learned eating behaviors from parent(s), media and and peers, exposure to critical caretakers
- Dependent in a controlling relationship – parent, significant other, friend
- Type AAA personality - driven, hard-working, highly intelligent, perfectionistic
- Emotionally sensitive, socially conscious, low stress-tolerance, poor life/stress coping skills
- Victim of unavoidable traumatic event (move, divorce, injury, breakup…)
- Athletes, models, Greek life members, actresses/entertainers
Warning Signs of a Developing Eating Disorder:
- Changes in personality, mood, performance level, priorities, exercise habits
- Changes in eating habits-“I just ate; I’m not hungry; I’m full; I’ll eat later”
- Secretive behaviors, including hiding food, frequent trips to the bathroom after meals
- Swollen, flushed cheeks; hoarse voice, watery eyes
- “Lanugo” – fine hair covering body of anorexics
- Weight fluctuations–loss OR gain, especially without a visible change in eating habits
- Insomnia / Excessive sleep (wired vs. tired)
- Evidence of laxative/diuretic/enema/speed usage
- Sudden loss of interest/withdrawal in previously-valued activities/relationships
- Scraping or skin abrasions on the back of one or both hands from purging
- Tooth damage - enamel erosion, irritated gums
Identifying Anorexia Nervosa:
- Denial that there is a problem, refusal to maintain normal body weight for age and height
- Unusual, strange eating and exercise habits and rituals
- Weighs 85% or less of ideal body weight; terror of becoming fat or gaining weight
- Menstruation never begins, or ceases; sex drive diminishes or disappears
- Body Dysmorphia (inability to see body shape, weight and size as it truly is)
- Often accompanied by depression, withdrawal, OCD, self-harm
- Reports feeling fat, bloated even when emaciated
Identifying Bulimia Nervosa:
- Binge-purge cycle, typically on sweet, high-calorie foods
- May consume 50,000 calories or more during a binge, up to several times a day
- Purging occurs through vomiting, fasting, laxative/diuretics, enemas, exercise
- Purging eventually takes the place of relationships and activities
- May shoplift, be promiscuous, abuse alcohol, drugs, risk-taking behaviors
- Weight often fluctuates 10-15 lbs. over or under ideal body weight
- Feels out of control while eating; person usually is aware there is a problem
- 30% of anorexics eventually develop bulimia as well
- Often accompanied by depression, anxiety, deep shame, anger, self-doubt
Identifying ED-NOS (Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified):
- ED-NOS = Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Defined – this is a relatively new category
- Includes situations in which a person meets all but a few of the criteria for a particular diagnosis
- What the person is doing with regard to food and weight is neither normal nor healthy, and has an adverse impact on health and quality of life
Identifying Binge-Eating Disorder (Formerly Compulsive Overeating):
- Frequent, repeated binges without purging behaviors
- Odd eating behaviors like snacking all day long or eating rapidly in secret
- History of diet failures, negative feedback about body/weight/size/shape
- Tends to be depressed and obese; eating is done for emotional comfort
- Genetic component – family history makes obesity 2-3 times more likely
Statistics: Eating Disorders in Schoolchildren:
- Forty percent of fourth graders report that they diet either "very often" or "sometimes"
- Fifteen percent of young women have substantially disordered eating attitudes and behavior
- Anorexia nervosa typically appears in early to mid-adolescence, and a young woman with anorexia is 12 times more likely to die than are other women her age without anorexia
- Between 10% and 15% of those diagnosed with bulimia nervosa are men
- Anorexia nervosa is one of the most common psychiatric diagnoses in young women
- In the United States, conservative estimates indicate that, after puberty, 5-10 million girls and women and 1 million boys and men are struggling with eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or borderline conditions
- Nationwide in 2003, 13.5% of students were overweight, and 29.6% of students described themselves as slightly or very overweight
- In 2003 43.8% of students reported trying to lose weight
- During the 30 days preceding the 2003 NSDUH survey, 42.2% of students nationwide had eaten less food, fewer calories, or foods low in fat to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight, and 57.1% of students had exercised to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight. 13.3% of students had gone without eating for more than 24 hours to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight, and 9.2 % of students had taken diet pills, powders, or liquids without a doctor's advice to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight. 6.0% of students had vomited or taken laxatives to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight
General Statistics: Eating Disorders
- Up to 10% of women with anorexia may die
- Risk of death among individuals with anorexia is twelve times more likely than same-age peers without anorexia
- Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric condition
- 1-3% of the population has anorexia
- 1-4% of the population has bulimia
- Up to 3% of the population has binge-eating disorder
- 9 in 10 college-age women, and up to 20% of the population, experience disordered eating behavior patterns
- 11% of youth are obese (20% above their 'ideal body weight')
- 30% of adults are obese
- One-third of college-age female athletes have some form of disordered eating
- 2-3% of college-age female athletes have a diagnosable eating disorder
- 55% of college-age female athletes report feeling pressure to lose weight
- Athletes involved in image-sensitive sports (running, cheer, cycling, swimming, dance, wrestling, gymnastics, diving, etc) are at higher risk to develop eating disorders
- 16% of newly diagnosed eating disorders are males
- Eating disorders affect ages 2 and up. Although most cases are still in females ages 12-25, statistics report rising numbers of diagnoses amongst pre-adolescents, adults and the elderly of both genders
- White, Caucasian women are still at highest risk to develop anorexia, but rising incidence is now reported amongst other ethnicities, including African-American, Asian and Hispanic populations
- The #1 wish of girls age 11-17 is to lose weight. When shown descriptive pictures, girls prefer to be 'stupid', 'paraplegic' or 'run over by a truck' to being fat
- When shown composite pictures, boys age 11-17 preferred a physical ideal only possible through use of steroids
- 40% of fourth graders report that they diet either "very often" or "sometimes"
- 80% of fourth graders report fears of 'being fat'
- Between 10% and 15% of those diagnosed with bulimia nervosa are men. In the United States, conservative estimates indicate that, after puberty, 5-10 million girls and women and 1 million boys and men are struggling with eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or borderline conditions
Sources include : National Eating Disorders Association, Harvard Eating Disorders Center, Eating Disorders Coalition, ANAD, The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), National Eating Disorders Association
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