What Are the Warning Signs of Eating Disorders?
The chance for recovery increases the earlier an eating disorder is detected. Therefore, it is important to be aware of some of the warning signs of an eating disorder. An individual with an eating disorder generally won’t have all of these signs and symptoms at once, and warning signs and symptoms vary across eating disorders, […]
Disability Does Not Define Me
I was born with cerebral palsy. It has affected my self-esteem because I do things more slowly than my peers. I was teased because of the way I walked when I was younger. However, at the time, bad body image wasn’t on my radar. My birth mom could not accept me as I was and […]
From Suffering to Triumph: How I Overcame PTSD
It is a widely-known, yet little-talked-about fact that trauma in childhood can lead to the development of unhealthy and potentially-fatal coping behaviors such as eating disorders. Until a few years ago, I never spoke a word about the abuse that I had endured in my household, as well as the disordered behaviors I lived with […]
Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Eating Disorders
Traumatic events are events that cause psychological, physical and/or emotional pain or harm. Traumatic events, especially those involving violence between people, have been found to be significant risk factors for the development of a variety of psychiatric disorders, including eating disorders—particularly those involving bulimic symptoms, such as binge eating and purging. Stress, Trauma and Coping […]
No Longer Hiding
For the longest time, I did not let anyone in. If anyone asked how I was doing, I would just say, “I’m fine,” and they’d stop asking. Now, I’m vocal about my mental health struggles; I’m no longer hiding, and I’m no longer silent. My life has been a wild ride, from childhood trauma to […]
6 NEDA Writers Share What It’s Like to Live with Co-Occurring Conditions
An eating disorder diagnosis can be challenging enough on its own, but many individuals also have other psychological issues that can accompany the eating disorder. Sometimes, the other disorder may be a result of eating disorder behaviors, as binging, purging, and restricting can all cause psychological distress. Other times, another psychological disorder can begin around […]
What’s Strategic Science Got to Do With Eating Disorders Prevention? Just About Everything
In the world of public health prevention, we have an idea called “strategic science.” Basically, the idea is that when we set out to design a new study, we ought to be thinking about how the study findings could be used by policymakers and communities to make change happen to benefit people – real people, […]
I Am Good Enough: My Recovery from Bulimia
My first diet was in second grade, and I remember the day clearly. I had overheard a family friend urge my mom to take me for regular, brisk walks in the neighborhood. Her message was clear: I was chubby and needed to lose weight. I felt embarrassed and internalized her words to mean that I […]
We Called on the Fashion Industry to Put Health First – Here’s What Happened
Pressure to conform to the ultra-thin beauty ideal promoted by the fashion industry hurts not only models, but consumers as well. Ahead of New York Fashion Week, NEDA teamed up with researchers, the Model Alliance, and nearly 100 leading models and industry professionals – including Iskra Lawrence, Jennie Runk, Sabina Karlsson, and Geena Rocero – […]
Why is it So Hard to Discuss Body Image with Parents?
Why is it so hard to talk to our parents about our struggles with ED, poor body image or low self-confidence? Guilt and shame probably play a pivotal role in why we don’t want to talk about these things with Mom and Dad. First of all, eating disorders are very secretive things, and while they […]
