QUESTION: I am in China, I am suffering from ED for 7 years. How can I get help from others? There is no medical center in China for ED.

ANSWER: That is a challenge, I agree. However, I recommend that you research online to see if there is in fact some assistance you can get locally. For instance, when I typed in ‘china eating disorders treatment’ I found references to studies being done to identify regions in China where eating disorders are on the rise, and then to identify treatment options. One in particular caught my eye – so you might want to contact this person and see if they can help you: Joyce L. C. Ma, Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, . I found more than one reference to studies sponsored by the University of Hong Kong – it would seem likely that they might have resources to help you, or be able to direct you, at the very least, to clinicians in private practice to treat eating disorders.

There are also many excellent online support communities you can join – I run one for MySpace and another for Facebook.com, and you can find links to both on the Key to Life website, as well as links to other excellent sites that offer online support. The most important thing is to never give up. You may know my story – I was never able to locate qualified help during my fifteen-year battle to overcome anorexia and bulimia – mainly because I didn’t realize such help existed! Neither did my family.

Now, I do not recommend trying to overcome an eating disorder on your own. But I also do not recommend giving up because of a lack of support from others (which it does not sound like you are doing, by the way!) So you know, then, that you must keep fighting – regardless of the amount of support available. Get medical treatment for any lingering medical issues related to your eating disorder, seek out a nutritionist or dietician (any hospital should have these professionals on staff, or a referral to others who practice privately) and teach yourself how to eat properly. Find a therapist who you can meet with privately who can help you talk through and work through the reasons why you cling to your eating disorder for support. Find a psychiatrist who can help you with any medications that may be necessary to manage the emotional issues contributing to your eating disorder. In short, if you cannot find a team that is already in place, then pick and choose the members yourself until you have built your own team!

The one thing that this generation of eating disorder victims have over those who suffered during the time I was sick is that the awareness is so much greater – and that includes in China. Trade on that, and, if no support exists, then reach out until you find others like you who want to band together and support one another. I know it feels very difficult to do so. But that does not mean it cannot be done. Best of luck to you – write again if you need to.

Warmly,

Shannon

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