Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2020 - What should we do?

Ed_

EDAW 2020 is just around the corner and we wanted to get a sense of what we should be doing to provide support during the week, so wondered if anyone had some ideas? 

The theme of the week is providing support to carers of those with eating disorders e.g. parents, siblings, friends. In the past we have done some AMAs from people in recovery, but don't feel restricted in your idea generation to stuff we have done in the past.

So, what would be helpful to raise awareness of, and provide support to those affected by eating disorders that we could do in the community?

Ed_

Just bumping this in case anyone has any ideas

Former Member

Can I PM ideas Instead of posting them here?

Ed_

Hey @GreenTea

Absolutely, PMs open to anyone with ideas drop us a line to @The Mix inbox and we can take a look

Ed

Former Member

for carers: a 'what not to say' post, theres been many times during my recovery where my family and friends have said some things that have actually made me question recovery such as 'you're getting more meat on your bones' or 'are you actually going to eat all that' it was pretty hurtful when all I was doing is following my meal plan. also people talking about diets around you, wtf is up with that?
also how to look after yourself while youre looking after someone else, I have friends who have eating disorders and sometimes it does trigger me, especially when theyre underweight/refusing to eat infront of you.


for sufferers: I think hearing others peoples recovery storys really helps, like they can do it so why cant I?
also maybe something to break the stigma that you have to be underweight/overweight to have x y z eating disorder, just no! you can have an eating disorder at any weight, its a MENTAL illness.
I like hearing about others who have reached a heathy weight, and the techniques' they use to combat the voice, like im at a healthy weight now but every bite is a struggle

I think more information on eating disorders needs to be addressed too, theres tons! likes I was in hospital with someone who had drunkorexia, I didn't even know that was a thing! and once I was diagnosed I learned there was different forms of anorexia, like anorexia nervosa is the common one, but theres anorexia binge/purge subtype, a-typical anorexia, the list goes on

not sure if any of this is the kind of stuff youre looking for but yeahh ...

Siena

Am i too late to reply. Was meaning to reply then i completely lose the thread when its a pinned discussion lol which yeah is the oppsite reason to why it get pinned. I just dont look at them cause feel theyre more older threads and forget

ahh anyway. I think what carers/ family say is soo important. I mean just like today my sister just gave me her sweets because she didnt want to eat them all in one go. Then said to my other sister "haha i gave my sweets to shaunie cause she wont eat them". And i just like those comments are all because of my label that makes you feel like you have to be that label. When id much prefer if didnt cause what if ome day i want to eat those sweets then im gunna have too much attention on me cause everyones shocked so i feel i never would do that sort of thing just because of what is expected and others shouldnt stop trying to help you to eat and should still offer them food ect and not assume things cause their head might be wanting to recover but dont want to shock people and have that attention on them cause its awkward and feel need to be what everyone expects. Because main thing of eating disorder is control and when your family and questioning how you have control not to eat the sweets then youre like yeah omg i have so much control and then it feeds that thought and care about others seeing that control too

Ed_

Hey @Shaunie - interesting thoughts on the pinned discussions, we had been wondering whether that may have that impact so we can take that away to think around how we use those. Out of interest, do you use the 'what's new' view or the standard forum view more often?

Some really useful ideas from you both @Past User & @Shaunie - it feels like there could be some interesting threads around the following:

1. Things not to say to someone with an Eating Disorder thread
2. Recovery stories - something that gives hope to people that things can and will get better. Would this work well in an AMA like last year?
3. General awareness raising thread to improve understanding of Eating Disorders.

Does this sound about right? Which of these would be priorities if we couldn't do them all? Also, would anyone like to run one of these threads? We can find somebody for the second one, unless there is anyone in particular that people find inspiring that they would like us to try and engage? PM us if you would like to start one of the other threads

Siena

Im always looking at the "recent discusions" most place i look at. But i skip past the pinned ones because some on there are in the "recent discussion" yet was barely that recent compared to the actual ones cause been there for awhile.

i think what you say/wording Around those with a diagnosis with an eating challenges

 what do you mean the second one? 

Former Member

I feel like hope virgo would be good to write a recovery story, I know she did a talk at one of the volunteer events and that was really inspiring. Maybe her story on here would be inspiring and helpful for users? 
I know she's a good and keen advocate for eating disorder awareness and with her own experience I'd think an article from her would be beneficial, I mean if she's willing to.

Former Member

@Shaunie he meant the second point that was made. Finding someone to give a recovery story 

Ed_

Hope is a good shout, we were wondering whether people would want to be able to ask somebody who has been in recovery questions similar to this thread we did last year - would that be of interest? If so, we can certainly reach out to Hope, or to other people if there are other suggestions too

Former Member

I have other suggestions. I'll send them in PM