How to Get Help For Eating Disorders

The recent death of Isabelle Caro, a French actress and model, has brought attention to the issue of anorexia. Caro suffered from anorexia all of her life and appeared in a shocking Italian ad meant to expose the problem of anorexia in the fashion industry. Caro’s death is a sad reminder of how deadly eating disorders can be.

Most people have complicated relationships with their bodies and their eating habits. But eating disorders are not just about food and weight. These are the symptoms of something deeper, emotionally, that the person is going through.

Whether you suffer from anorexia, bulimia, compulsive overeating, binge eating disorder, or compulsive exercising, it is important to remember that you are not alone, and that you can and you deserve to find help.

Help is just a call or click away. The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) offers a toll-free, confidential Helpline, Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Pacific Standard Time. Call 1-800-931-2237 or visit their website. The link will help you find a specialist in your state. They also offer toolkits for parents and educators.

Find a specialist. Every person deserves to love and appreciate themselves for exactly who they are today. Finding a specialist will help you begin the process towards a loving body image. If you have no insurance or if your insurance doesn’t cover your eating disorder, find a specialist with a sliding pay scale in your area. Professional help is critical for overcoming an eating disorder.

Identify what you are feeling. Again, eating disorders aren’t really about food. When you are feeling fat, stop for a moment and identify what’s going on inside. Are you feeling sad, angry, vulnerable, afraid? Then instead of starving or binging, do something healthy instead. Try:

* Calling a friend

* Listening to music

* Playing with a pet

* Reading a good book

* Taking a walk

* Writing in a journal

* Going to the movies

* Getting out into nature

* Playing a favorite game

* Doing something nice for someone else

Allow yourself to feel whatever feelings that come up, good or bad, and make sure you free yourself to be vulnerable and honest with people you trust.

Work on improving your self image. Remind yourself of the things you like about you. Are you smart, funny, kind? Focus on the parts of your body that you do like, and when you start to think negative things about yourself, stop and challenge your thinking. Is this really true? Why or why not? Our minds are busy and what we think is not always true. Wear clothes that express who you are and make you feel good. Cut out all of the labels. Stay away from the scale and from fashion magazines.

Do nice things for your body. Get a massage, a manicure, or a facial. Take a long bath or buy yourself nice lotions and perfumes. Begin to cultivate a positive relationship with your body.

Stay on a schedule. Plan your meals ahead of time and don’t skip any. Also, don’t obsess or think about it too much. Know you’re going to eat every 3 hours and stick to it. Listen to your body and eat when you’re hungry. Focus on good, healthy foods and think about it as fuel to energize you. Challenge your strict rules. If you have a never-eat-carbs rule, loosen it up a little bit and make it an eat-carbs-only-once-a-week rule.

Listen to these stories of hope. NEDA’s Story of Hope project ( http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/information-resources/stories-of-hope.php ) shares the experiences of men and women who are recovering from eating disorders. Their stories remind you that you’re not alone and their is hope for a healthier way to live life.

Speak up! If you’re afraid that a friend might have an eating disorder, express your concerns in a loving and supportive way. Visit the NEDA website for more tips for family and friends.

Overcoming an eating disorder is a long process. Build a strong support group around yourself and know that you deserve a loving, healthy view of yourself.

Originally from http://pic.tv/daily/2011/01/07/how-to-get-help-for-eating-disorders/

About the Author

Alley Pezanoski-Browne is a filmmaker and writer whose projects have appeared at several national film festivals, on PBS, the Discovery Channel and the National Geographic Channel, and across the web. She has worked in Chicago, San Francisco, LA, New Orleans and Hong Kong, and is currently a producer for http://www.PIC.tv and http://www.theBeehive.org.

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