Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2023

It’s Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

It’s estimated that around 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder.

I was, and I am - one of them.

I use both the past and present tense because although it’s been many years since I recovered, I still have bad days.

I’ve accepted that it’s something I have recovered from but have to work on pretty much every single day.

In 2015, I was diagnosed with anorexia.

Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illnesses.

My eating disorder made me feel in control but in reality:

• I stopped enjoying doing the things I loved
• I isolated myself
• I couldn’t get out of bed because I didn’t have the energy
• I didn’t finish college and I couldn’t go to university

And I didn’t see much for my life beyond anorexia.

It wasn’t until I was told at my assessment that there had been a mistake and I had been marked down as an adult instead of an adolescent - so I was at the wrong service, but they assessed me anyway.

After my assessment, I was told that there were no beds available for me to go inpatient for at least six months.

The worst part about that?

My assessor admitted that she didn’t think I would survive that long.

Then something, thankfully, switched in my head.

A little light in my life appeared.

I realised I didn’t want to die, but going private to be an inpatient wasn’t an option so recovery at home began.

And only in the last couple of years can I truly say that I have recovered.

I relapsed in 2021, and a local eating disorder charity, Eating Matters, helped me more than I could ever describe - in all aspects of my life.

You can donate directly to Eating Matters, or through my JustGiving page here ?? https://www.justgiving.com/page/annie-mai-hodge-1677756542678?newPage=true

Since recovery, I have been able to achieve everything I could've ever dreamed of AND more.

Life is worth living.

So how can you support friends, family or colleagues with an eating disorder?

• Educate yourself about eating disorders, and the different types
• Don't make assumptions, ask the person what they are thinking, how they are feeling and how you can support them
• Try not to discuss weight, shape, food or diets in front of someone that you know is suffering with an eating disorder but equally, be mindful of people in general because you never know who is suffering
• Be mindful of the language you use. You might think "you look well" is a compliment but to someone with an eating disorder, they may hear it as "you look fat" or "you're healthy so you're not suffering anymore"
• Externalising the illness can empower the person with the eating disorder to separate themselves from it. For example: “What did the eating disorder say to make you feel unable to eat your snack?”
• Remember that it's going to be tough. The eating disorder is going to feel threatened constantly throughout the recovery process, so your friend, family or colleague might act out of character but remember they are not to blame and neither are you. It's not personal.
• If they are acting out of character, and you feel yourself getting upset or angry - try to walk away. Look after your own needs and tell them that you'll come back to the situation when you are ready but they are not to blame and that you care for them/love them.
• When discussing the situation, try to show that you hear what they are saying. If they felt pressured by you about eating, you could ask "what can I do to make you not feel pressured but feel supported?"

Note: Around 1 in 4 people who suffer with eating disorders are men, so this year for EDAW, BEAT are focusing on raising awareness in men. You can find more info here ?? https://edaw.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/resources/

Extra resources