Eating disorders, especially binge eating disorder (BED), is prevalent in the U.S. What’s making matters worse is the stigma that surrounds this type of illness. If you know someone who’s suffering from an undiagnosed type of eating disorder, educate yourself about it so you can help and give the right type of support.
Help them fight the stigma, especially if you have a loved one getting treatment for an eating disorder in Colorado Springs.
1. Learn and Practice Acceptance
People diagnosed with eating disorders compare themselves — their weight, their looks, and their eating habits — to people around them. They have negative body issues that make them feel they’re not enough. Help patients learn acceptance by embracing who they are. This means accepting their shapes and sizes even though the world is filled with unrealistic portrayals of the human body in almost every channel available. Be an example.
2. Use Your Voice Wisely
Look around and you’ll see why it’s getting harder for eating disorder patients not to compare themselves to people around them. Social media and all forms of traditional media show perfect and unrealistic body expectations.
If you’re in the fashion or beauty industry, be a maverick and use your voice to inform people why it’s more important to be fit and healthy rather than thin. With social media and the Internet, there are many ways for you to be heard. Try YouTube.
3. Build a Support Group
With the Internet, you can find an audience to further your cause and find people like you and build a support group. Spread awareness about this type of illness rather than continue to be bombarded and feel bad whenever you see pictures of other people with seemingly perfect bodies.
Now that you know some of the ways on how to fight and/or end the stigma that makes eating disorders worse in the U.S., do your part and help someone in need. Helping fight the stigma can help not just one person but all the patients suffering from this type of mental illness as well as the communities that support the patients.
