About Eating Disorders: NEDAwareness 2014

NEDAwareness Week 2014 is officially underway! What is NEDAwareness Week? Go here, and here to find out more ;) 

As the week gets into high gear, I feel it's important to put up a basic info post.           

Here's some general info from the National EatingDisorder Association for NEDAwareness Week: 

ABOUT EATING DISORDERS

What is an Eating Disorder?

Eating disorders – such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder can include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), these are the basic characteristics of some of the most common types of eating disorder:

Anorexia Nervosa:

• Restricting food intake to below the requirements for a particular individuals physical requirements
• Intense fear of weight gain and obsession with weight and continual behaviors to prevent weight gain
• Inability to recognize true body shape or recognize the seriousness of condition
• May or may not use binge eating and/or purging behaviors

Bulimia Nervosa:

• Eating an unusually large amount of food at one time followed by compensatory behaviors (such as vomiting, taking laxatives and/or excessive exercise) to prevent weight gain
• A feeling of being out of control during the binge-eating occurrence
• Self-judgment largely based on weight and shape 
• 

Binge Eating Disorder:

• Recurrent situations of eating an unusually large amount of food at one time
• A feeling of being out of control during the behavior
• May have feelings of shame or guilt towards eating which can lead to eating alone
• May eat until the individual is beyond full to the point of discomfort
• 

Note: There are several other types of feeding or eating disorders outlined in the DSM-5. Many people may not have every symptom of a disorder, but may still receive a feeding or eating disorder diagnosis. If you or your loved one is experiencing significant discomfort surrounding food that interrupts basic functions but does not meet the above criteria, you should still seek professional help.

***I will be addressing those later in the week*** 

Is it an Eating Disorder?

A popular misconception about eating disorders is that if someone has one, it will be obvious by their low weight and starvation habits. However, those suffering from eating disorders can be of any weight and are often adept at hiding their illness. To help with early detection, here is a brief list of eating disorder signs, symptoms and behaviors to keep an eye out for as they may be indicative of a bigger problem:

• Makes frequent comments about feeling “fat” or overweight
• In general, behaviors and attitudes indicate that weight loss, dieting and control of food are becoming primary concerns
• Evidence of binge eating, including disappearance of large amounts of food in short periods of time or lots of wrappers and containers indicating consumption or large amounts of food
• Evidence of purging behavior, including frequent trips to the bathroom after meals, signs and/or smells of vomiting, presence of wrappers or packages of laxatives or diuretics
• Develops food rituals (e.g. eats only a particular food or food group, excessive chewing, doesn’t allow foods to touch, etc.)
• Skips meals or takes small portions of food at regular meals
• Hides body with baggy clothes
• Maintains excessive, rigid exercise regimen—despite weather, fatigue, illness or injury—because of the need to “burn off” calories
• Drinks excessive amounts of water and/or uses excessive amounts of mouthwash, mints and gum

How Can I Help?

When initiating a conversation with someone who may have an eating disorder, it is important to remain supportive, non-judgmental and let them know that they are not alone. Here are some recommended Dos and Don’ts of talking to someone about their eating disorder:

Do:

• Learn the difference between facts and myths about weight, nutrition and exercise

• Ask what you can do to help
• Listen openly and reflectively; be patient and non-judgmental
• Talk with the person in a kind way, when you are not angry, frustrated or upset 
• Explain the reasons for our concerns, without mentioning specific eating behavior
• Ask if he/she is willing to explore these concerns with a healthcare professional who understands eating disorders
• Remind your loved one that many people have successfully recovered from an eating disorder

Don’t:

• Invade privacy and contact the patient’s doctors, friends or others to check up behind his/her back
• Demand weight changes (even is clinically necessary for health)
• Insist the person eat every type of food at the table
• Make eating, food, clothes or appearance the focus of conversation
• Offer more help than you are qualified to give

CALL THE HELPLINE NOW

Call NEDA's toll-free, confidential Helpline, Monday-Thursday from 9:00 am - 9:00 pm and Friday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (EST)

1-800-931-2237

Kicking Off NEDAwareness Week 2014

So there's this really awesome thing is going on this week hosted by an incredible organization. It's called NEDAwareness Week by National Eating Disorder Assoctaion (NEDA). Aside from being an incredible force for raising awareness, NEDA also has a helpline, screening tools, and information not only for those sufferering and those in recovery, but also parents, siblings, peers, coaches, and teachers. I participate in NEDAwareness Week last year and loved it! I met some incredible people, made lifelong friends, and gained awesome resources to pass along. 

This year's theme is "Get In The Know"

 Get In The Know(from NEDA's site)

Our Theme: "I Had No Idea"

This year's NEDAwareness Week theme is "I Had No Idea" to raise awareness towards the significant impact eating disorders have on individuals, families, and communities across the nation. The more people who learn about these life-threatening illnesses, the more lives we can save. Last year, 100% of U.S. states hosted NEDAwareness Week events and activities. Additionally, 51 international countries participated in raising awareness. This year we strive to surpass these numbers, and have everyone get in the know and do just one thing to raise awareness!

Our Mission

The aim of NEDAwareness Week is to ultimately increase outreach and awareness of eating disorders and body image issues, while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment resources. Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses - not choices - and it's important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder.

What is NEDAwareness Week?

NEDAwareness Week is a collective effort of volunteers, including eating disorder professionals, health care providers, students, educators, social workers, organizations and individuals committed to raising awareness of eating disorders.  The impact of increased outreach efforts leads to a greater chance of people seeking out resources and help for an eating disorder, which ultimately saves lives.

What are the Key Messages of NEDAwareness Week?

This year the National Eating Disorders Association is stressing the need to address eating disorder misconceptions - as many individuals, families, and communities are not aware of the often devastating mental and physical consequences - and highlights available resources for treatment and support. We urge you to talk about the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape these disorders with your family, friends, colleagues and community by doing just one thing during NEDAwareness Week. Learn more about the key messages for 2014 NEDAwareness Week and share with others so they can get in the know!

How NEDAwareness Week Works

NEDA asks everyone to do just one thing to help raise awareness and provide accurate information about eating disorders. NEDAwareness Week participants can choose from a huge range of ways to get involved: Distribute info pamphlets and put up posters, register as a Volunteer Speaker or host a Volunteer Speaker, post information on Facebook, or plan interactive and educational events like a community meeting, panel discussion, Barbie event, movie screening, art exhibit and more.

As a NEDAwareness Week participant you can be involved in any way that works with your schedule, resources, community, and interests.  These events and activities are vital to attracting public media attention - on local, national and international levels. 

Eating disorders are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions that affect both a person’s emotional and physical health. In the United States alone, 30 million people will be impacted by an eating disorder at some point in their lifetime. These conditions affect all kinds of people and don’t discriminate by race, age, sex, age or size.

If you or someone you care about might be suffering from an eating disorder, it is important to educate yourself and seek professional guidance as soon as possible because early intervention is key to successful recovery.

This page will provide a basic information about eating disorders, outlines how to spot a problem early and offers suggestions on how to talk to someone who is struggling.

Still have questions? Check out their FAQ section 

***This week I will be posting on here, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for NEDAwareness Week. I invite and encourage everyone to share this information. Widely! Check out NEDA's site. Take the screening test - it's 100% anonymous, free, quick, and completely online. Don't be afraid to call the help line.

CALL THE HELPLINE NOW

Call NEDA's toll-free, confidential Helpline, Monday-Thursday from 9:00 am - 9:00 pm 

and Friday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (EST)

1-800-931-2237

Special Needs Links/Resources

        
*Autism and Autistic Community Links*(for all ages, not just kids)

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)

http://autisticadvocacy.org

The Autism National Committee

http://www.autcom.org

Autism Network International

http://www.autreat.com

Autism Women’s Network

http://autismwomensnetwork.org

AASPIRE (Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership In Research and Education) 

http://aaspire.org

Autistic Hoya

http://www.autistichoya.com/p/about.html?m=1

TAAP

http://www.taaproject.com

The Caffeinated Autistic (this is a great blog)

http://thecaffeinatedautistic.wordpress.com/tag/autism-speaks-doesnt-speak-for-me/

*Disability Advocacy Links*

TASH 

http://tash.org

ADAPT 

http://www.adapt.org

R-Word 

Meet The Wrights 

It Starts With A Voice (video) and Facebook page   

*Cerebral Palsy*                                

CerebralPalsy.org 

Cerebral Palsy Alliance   

NDSS - (National Down Syndrome Society)

Spoonie Links and Resources

Chronic Illness Links:

Living with Bob (Blog about living with Dysautonomia) 

The Spoon Theory 

DINET (Dysautonomia Information Network) 

But You Don't Look Sick 

Just Mildly Medicated (Blog) 

The Chronically Awesome Foundation National Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Association (Facebook)

Epilepsy.com 

Celiac Disease Foundation  

Well Spouse Association (support for spousal caregivers) 

Growing Through Pain (facebook and blog) 

Paws for Ability (providing service dogs to children) 

All Purpose Canines

Eating Disorder Links and Resources

 

NEDA - (National Eating Disorder Association) 

Operation Beautiful 

Something Fishy 

MGEDT - (Men Get Eating Disorders Too) 

Eating Disorder Hope  

Fit vs Fiction 

Recovery Warriors (paper.li Recovery Warriors) 

Voice in Recovery (twitter: @VoiceinRecovery)

The What and Why of Sapling Stories

So I recently (recently, as in like, 2 days ago) found out about WEGO Health and decided it was a good fit for me. So I'm giving it a whirl! WEGO has a challenge this month with writing promos for each day - the "every day" part was almost enough to send me packing right there. I was planning on cranking a quick recap of the couple of days I had missed the other day, but my body had other plans and I ended up having seizures instead. Fun. So here I am to try again!

Day 1: Why do you write? I started this blog as an outlet and actually intended it to be a family-oriented, positive parenting and pre-school activity type blog (hence the name "The Sapling Stories). As I met other bloggers and become more aware of the blogging community, my content shifted. With out realizing it, my blog became centered around awareness. Awareness for things I feel very strongly about. I just naturally started writing about them. The main one that I feel grabs my attention the most is eating disorder advocacy. I am a survivor (I feel like I should say "surviving" because recovery is a continuous thing that never really ends, or at least it hasn't completely ended for me) Actually, I had a support blog years ago on Xanga (I said it was years ago), but stopped for some reason when everyone was switching over to MySpace (my husband was also deploying for the first time and everything was kind of topsy-turvy). I battled stereotypes, stigmas, myths, and death. Now that I have children it scares me sh*tless that they might battle the same demons. My other two are Autism (special needs in general, really), and chronic illness. Special needs because of my sister and chronic illness because, well hell, that's what I've been dealing with for most of my life (that is also a huge factor into my battle with anorexia/bulimia/orthorexia - seriously, eating disorders are much more complex than society thinks!). I have found a support network in the online community that I was desperately lacking before And it has been amazing.

Day 2: Tell a bit about your conditions, 5 things you want people to know about them, and a few links to other articles you've written. Note: My links will be highlighted throughout, not listed separate ;) I kind of just covered the "what", so here's the 5 things: 

  Eating Disorders

1. Eating Disorders do not discriminate! It is not a teenage white-girl affliction. Every age group, of every ethnicity, of every walk of life is affected.
2. You can't tell anything by a person's size. Just because someone isn't rail-thin doesn't mean that they're not suffering.
3. It's not about food - not completely. ED's are complex, very complex.
4. You can't just "snap out of it" or "get over it". It takes time and will be the hardest thing you've ever done. For me it took a year of grueling, intense hospitalizations (including NG Tubes, IV TPN through a PICC, oxygen therapy, and missing my entire senior year of high school) and several years of outpatient treatment. 
5. It starts way earlier than you think. I can remember being preoccupied by the need to be "perfect" as far back as I can remember. I'm talking age 5-ish. And let me make it clear - No one ever implied that I needed to be "perfect". It's not all a societal thing, genetics and brain chemistry contributes greatly.

Autism and other special needs:

1. Just because someone has special needs (may it be cerebral palsy, autism, Down's syndrome, or anything else) doesn't mean they can't hear you (to all the smug trolls: if they actually cant hear, they still know) They know when you're being mocking and judgmental, and they feel the pain as much as anyone else.
2. The R-word is not okay. Ever.
3. Even though my sister functions at an 18month old level and is non-verbal, we still have sibling rivalry. We get into fights and argue just like any other siblings.
4. Everything has to be adapted. That bed you just bought? Yeah, that's gonna have to be modified so it's safe.
5. Everyone has to be flexible. Just because you planned a day trip to the beach that you have been looking forward to for weeks doesn't mean it's going to happen. You may get half way there and need to turn around because its not a good day for them - and you'll completely understand and go with it. Even when you are 7 years old.

Chronic Illness:

1. Everyone needs to read The Spoon Theory
2. Just because someone's in a wheelchair doesn't mean they are paralyzed.
3. Believe me, I do not want to be in bed all day! Don't give me that "must be nice" bull. It's not and it isn't funny.
4. Dear doctors: When I come in to see you and I explain what's been going on, do not look at me like I'm insane. Even if my vitals are fine, just take the damn time to check it out.
5. Just because a had a good day (or week or whatever) yesterday doesn't mean that I'm going to have a good one today. No, I don't know what's wrong or why I'm worse today when I was "fine" yesterday. I wish I did.

Day 3: Post a picture that captures your condition/your experiences