Don’t suffer in silence, speak up

At present there are around 200,000 people in this country suffering from eating disorders and the numbers are rising.

The department of health estimates that 400 new cases appear each year and 80 people die annually from eating disorders. Yet like so many other forms of mental illness, these disorders still have a stigma attached to them.

This stigma can make it difficult to gather an accurate picture of how widespread these illnesses are and how they affect people who suffer from them. This difficulity is outlined by Ruth Ni Edhin of Bodywhys, an organisation set up to help those with eating disorders.

“The ongoing stigma around mental health issues means that the numbers associated with those who are in treatment do not reflect the number of people affected. In the case of eating disorders, there is a specific issue around denial and attempts to hide the disorder,” she says.

The term ‘eating disorder’ covers a variety of conditions, from binge eating (consuming quantities of food beyond what the body needs to satisfy hunger) to anorexia (where a person will make determined efforts to attain and maintain a body weight lower than the norm for their age, sex and height).

Although eating disorders are usually associated with women an increasing number of men also suffer from them. Up until recently it was thought that only about 10% of sufferers were male. New research has found that the figure could now be as high as 25%

There is no single explanation as to why people develop eating disorders. However it is generally accepted that sufferers may be overly concerned with meeting the standards of others. This explains why eating disorders are often developed during adolescence when the opinion of peers can be so important. That said, eating orders can affect anyone.

Like sufferers of other forms of mental illness, many people may feel shy or awkward at the prospect of seeking help for their condition. Asked what she would say to students who fear they may have an eating disorder, Ni Edhin replied, “The most important advice to give students would be to speak to someone as soon as you can.

“This may mean going to the SU welfare officer, speaking with the college doctor, or talking to a friend or family member. The sooner you start addressing the issue, the sooner you can start working towards recovery.”

Raising awareness is important in removing the stigma associated with eating disorders and encouraging people to seek help, according to Ni Edhin: “Bodywhys do a lot of work with people who have recovered from their own experience and who are willing to speak with the media to share their story of recovery.

“I think that helps a great deal by letting those who are currently affected by an eating disorder know that they are not alone, and that recovery is possible,” she says.

If you are suffering or are afraid that someone you love is; remember that there is always someone you can talk to. Bodywhys provides a range of support services including support groups, a national lo-call helpline number, online support groups, email support and a range of information resources.

Their website can be found at www.bodywhys.ie and their helpline number is 1890 200 444.