f you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, it is important that you act now.
"Eating disorders are like a cancer of the mind," says Kirk Brown, student counselor at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. "Early detection is the best medicine."
Linda Wysong, vice president of student services at Union College, also emphasizes early detection and intervention. "There really are degrees of eating disorders that we need to recognize. Most victims will say that there was something that made them spiral. We need to recognize this before it gets severe."
The first step toward recovery is admitting that you have a problem. However, for many victims of eating disorders, this is the hardest part.
"Eating disorders are diseases of denial and secrecy," says Wysong. "People are lying to themselves about how they look and what they're eating. But you need to talk to them about it in a kind and firm way. Expect initial denial. Be gentle but persistent. Don't expect them to admit they have a problem right away."
Wysong also notes that bringing up the person's eating habits may not be a positive thing. Instead, she says, "talk about how they are unhappy and why that is happening. Focus on how that can be changed."
"Eating disorder victims need to acknowledge that they don't have to live that way; it is a problem," says Brown. He also emphasizes the importance of victims reaching outside of themselves for help. "An eating disorder almost never goes away by a person doing something themselves. Only when they get help outside of themselves and connect with others [can they fully recover]. [Recovery involves] asking for help, admitting the problem, being willing to be vulnerable, and opening yourself to others."
For more information on eating disorders and how to get help, visit these Web sites:
American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) at www.aacap.org
Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc. (ANRED) at www.anred.com
National Eating Disorders Association at www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
