National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

So this week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Although I myself have never been diagnosed with an eating disorder, many of you will know that I have suffered dramatically with my weight as a result of my depression.

I wanted to talk about the stereotypes surrounding eating disorders, and educate people on what sufferers go through on a daily basis.

Now, when you hear the phrase 'eating disorder', I'm sure that the first image that enters your mind is an emaciated, bone-thin girl. Although this is one form of an eating disorder, there are many other types. One thing that you should know, is that eating disorders do not discriminate. You do not have to be deathly thin in order to have an eating disorder. There are many forms of these disorders, just a few being:

• Anorexia Nervosa
• Bulimia Nervosa
• Binge Eating Disorder
• Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS)

Anybody can have an eating disorder, whether you're male or female, black or white, religious or not, underweight or overweight.

Although I have never been diagnosed as having an eating disorder, food and body weight has previously been a huge issue for me. I used to struggle with my body image so much that I would restrict the food that I ate, to the point that I became underweight, unwell, and being forced to drink meal supplements in hospital. Now I am quite the opposite. I now binge-eat when I feel emotional, which has left my weight fluctuating and eventually settling in the 'obese' category. 

Eating disorders are just like any other mental health disorder - they are mental disorders. This is where I reiterate that it doesn't matter whether you are underweight, overweight, or even a healthy weight - it is your mindset that dictates whether or not you have an eating disorders and more psychiatrists need to recognize this. 

One of my closest friends, Jazz, has suffered with an eating disorder for the past 4 years and seeing her become so unwell that she was eventually tube-fed in hospital has been heartbreaking. But it has also been wonderful to see her flourish and get better again. Here is an extract written by her in recognition of EDAW:

"For the last 4 years, I've struggled with Anorexia and honestly, it's been HELL - NOT glamorous or romantic like it's often portrayed as by the media and by pro-anorexia sites. My recovery journey has been long and I've certainly had a fair few obstacles to tackle along the way, and my journey is far from over. This will be an issue that I will continue to battle all of my life. But each day I will continue to keep fighting, I will keep eating, keep getting stronger and hopefully gain more positivity along the way." - Jazz Holland