Youth talking with youth about eating disorders and mental health
Put together a group of young people who know what it is like to have struggled with an Eating Disorder, who care immensely about changing the stigma attached to this illness and who have loads of ideas about how they would like to see things change….. and you have The Youth Advisory Group for the Eating Disorder Program.
In a recent study, 27% of Ontario girls 12-18 years old were reported to be experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder and 60% of grade 7 and 8 girls were dieting to lose weight. For youth with eating disorders, 58% are at risk of developing one or more chronic diseases as a young adult.
Eating Disorder or Diet?
The most common element surrounding ALL Eating Disorders is the inherent presence of a low self esteem.
Having an Eating Disorder is much more than just being on a diet. An Eating Disorder is an illness that permeates all aspects of a person’s life, is caused by a variety of emotional factors and influences, and has profound effects on the people suffering and their loved ones.
Dieting is about losing a little bit of weight in a healthy way.
- Eating Disorders are about trying to make your whole life better through food and eating (or lack of).
- Eating Disorders are about being convinced that your whole self-esteem is hinged on what you weigh and how you look.
Signs/Symptoms
- Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (e.g., weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected; or failure to make expected weight gain during period of growth, leading to body weight less than 85% of that expected).
- Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight.
- Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.
- Amenorrhea (the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles).
- Restricting Type: during the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has not regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behavior (i.e., self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas)
- Binge-Eating Type or Purging Type: during the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in binge-eating OR purging behavior (i.e., self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas)
Eating Disorder FAQ:
1. Why don't they just eat?
The first thing to realize once you have come to the awareness that your loved-one suffers from an Eating Disorder, is that you must not concentrate immediately on the food. All forms of Eating Disorders are emotionally based and the behaviors are only a symptom to emotional and stress related problems.
As said many times on this site, disordered eating is an attempt to control, hide, stuff, avoid and forget emotional pain, stress and/or self-hate. If you are the parent of a child under 18 you will have difficult decisions to make regarding their care. Regardless of pleas to "not make me," and promises that the behavior will stop, you will have to stay very attuned to what is happening with your child and may have to force them to go to doctors and/or the hospital. Keep in mind how serious Eating Disorders are and that they can kill.
2. What should I do if I think someone I know has an eating disorder?
If you suspect that you or someone else has an eating disorder:
- discuss your concerns with a professional such as a physician, a health nurse, a school counsellor/teacher, etc.
- be compassionate and open in approaching the individual and try to do so in an informal manner
- recognize that eating disorders are complicated serious conditions which most often require professional interventions.
3. Where can someone go for help?
St. Joseph’s Care Group Eating Disorder Program
Sister Margaret Smith Centre
35 N. Algoma St.
Contact:
Program Manager Kerry Bourret
807-343-2400 ext. 2228
Email bourretk@tbh.net
