Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2022
28th Feb – 6th March
Since it’s EDAW I thought I would do a post highlighting how you can get involved and raise awareness and support for people battling with an eating disorder.
The Problem:
The sad truth is that it can be very difficult for someone with an ED to receive a diagnosis from a GP, unless they are severely underweight. Although eating disorders are, in fact, mental illnesses there is a certain stigma that only people with a certain body type (i.e. skinny) can have an eating disorder. The reality is that the majority of people suffering with any form of ED can still maintain a healthy bodyweight/BMI, which makes it all-the-more challenging for GP’s to recognise it.
The problem is that GP’s are the first port-of-call, and failure to recognise an eating disorder early on often results in the condition worsening and becoming more deeply rooted in the brain making it harder to shift later down the line. The fault does not lie solely with the GP, but with the lack of training provided on eating disorders throughout their medical degree.
The average UK medical student studies for 5 years before becoming a qualified doctor. However, in 2017 a public inquiry called for a review of junior doctors training on eating disorders and discovered that medical students get less than 2 hours dedicated to the topic – 2 HOURS! And 1 in 5 UK medical schools don’t provide any medical training on eating disorders at all!
This is particularly shocking when you consider that eating disorders affect 1 in 50 people in their lifetime, and, anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness worldwide.
A Solution:
This year the UK’s Eating Disorder Charity, Beat, has launched the WorthMoreThan2Hours Campaign to increase the amount of training medical students receive on eating disorders.
“ED recovery is possible. But we rely on our GPs to spot early warning signs that may have nothing to do with a person’s weight or appearance. Their role is crucial. Their responsibility is huge.” (Beat Website)
Medical students require more adequate training as part of their degree, to be able to identify ED’s early on and direct people to specialist support services before their condition worsens and becomes, potentially, life-threatening.
How can you help support Beat’s campaign?
Speak Up. “Sharing any positive or negative experiences with your GP will help us showcase the difference knowledge, understanding and compassion can make for someone who is struggling.”
Share your story and/or the campaign on social media to help get the message out there!
Step up. “Your fundraising and generous donations will help to amplify our call for proper training on eating disorders to be adopted by all UK Medical Schools and Foundation programmes.”
Donate to Beat who provide free support service in the UK: https://donate.beateatingdisorders.org.uk
Skill up. “With the tools and the time to understand eating disorders, our future GPs will be better equipped to make crucial, life-changing interventions.”
Sign Beat’s open letter calling for change from UK medical schools: https://campaigning.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/page/98440/petition/1
Remember to be kind to yourself and your body this week and always. Nourish it with food, honour your hunger signals and exercise to feel good. You only get one body, so look after it <3
Love,
Georga xxx
ps… lets be friends on Instagram! Send me a DM @georga.mindset
