Posts Tagged ‘stigma’
Adult experts by experience stories call for improved care for chronic eating disorders
Living with an eating disorder for 20 or more years can severely impact life quality. Some people with a long-term eating disorder can be high functioning on a tiny partial self, while others are trapped in a perpetual revolving door..
My brother in Croatia has an eating disorder
By Hrvoje Petrovic * My brother is suffering from a long term eating disorder. Helping to care for him has affected my own health. For instance, witnessing my brother’s suffering led me to experience an episode of severe depression with appetite loss...
Going about the daily business of reducing eating disorder shame
As we close on this year’s third annual World Eating Disorders Day, it provides us with time to reflect on those affected by an eating disorder, their families, and the medical and health professionals who support them. Although having..
Intersectionality and eating disorders: Recognizing the impact on the LGBTQIA* community
by Sarah Wirth Eating disorders, like all mental illnesses, are intersectional. They affect people of all ethnicities, ages, sexualities and gender identities. Despite this, the historically based idea that eating disorders predominantly affect affluent, white, heterosexual women persists today. This..
Stigma in eating disorders is a serious social justice issue
By Anna Scelzo, iaedp International Chapter Chair of Italy When we look up the meaning of the word stigma we read: “A mark of disgrace associated with particular circumstance, quality, or person” (Oxford Dictionary). And also: “A mark or spot..
Listening to the many voices of experience and digging deep within holds key to reducing stigma
By Andrea LaMarre There is still significant stigma around eating disorders; they are framed as disorders of the young, white, vain, rich, and thin. But you have heard about that stereotype before. We repeat it time and again, and yet…..
As a health professional, I felt ashamed and thought I was not sick enough to have an eating disorder
By Masae Yasuda (Japan) “Every day, mature-age people around the world suffer silently with an eating disorder – like Masae, who shares her story here, these people may be working in the very health profession established to treat this illness...
Breaking eating disorder stigma starts at home – let’s start by addressing the stereotypes
By Kelly Boaz One day, a man asked me what I do for a living. When I said I was a nutritionist specializing in eating disorders, he snorted and responded, “Well that’s easy. Just tell those girls to get over..
Can you really have an eating disorder if you look healthy?
By Dr. Rosanna Mauro de Maya, MS, RD, CEDRD The Eating Disorder Truth #1 states ”many people with eating disorders look healthy, yet may be extremely ill.” This cornerstone statement makes us reflect on the fact that any person, regardless..
Breaking the eating disorder stigma: What’s white and skinny got to do with it?
by Merle (The Netherlands) Many people have an idea of what a person with an eating disorder looks like. Commonly they imagine this person is a skinny white girl who is starving herself and wants to be ultra-thin so she..