The 2009 NEDA Conference “Reshaping Our Future: A Vision for Recovery, Research, Attitudes and Action!” will take place in Minneapolis, MN at the Hilton Minneapolis on September 10-12, 2009.

The Call for Proposals is now open. Click here to submit your proposal.

Please pass this information on to colleagues and others. This conference welcomes professionals, family members and individuals to present. Information regarding details is found in the CFP at the above link.

Thank you for participating in this important and unique convening of families and professionals. 

Post from: Blisstree

A word from NEDA on their 2009 conference

This made me start thinking about things that we could all do this week to raise awareness of EDs as well as to help put a dent in their stronghold.

Some of my ideas include:

1.  Pledging not to weigh ourselves this week.

2.  Pledging to compliment the women in our lives on something other than their figures this week.

3.  Pledging to not binge, binge and purge or starve ourselves this week.

4.  Pledging to throw (or give) away the “skinny” clothes we use to torment ourselves.

5.  Pledging to make others understand that eating disorders are a disease, not a choice.

What are your thoughts?

Post from: Blisstree

Celebrate National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

All I can say is WOW!

There are some amazing items up for grabs, although I have to admit that most are well out of my price range. Fortunately for cash-strapped people like me, more items will appear each day or so as the auction’s end date (December 2) approaches, so check out this neat fundraiser on a regular basis.

(Incidentally, I’m not part of NEDA nor have I been approached by the group. I just wanted to give a shout out to them because I know that monies raised support programs that NEDA runs throughout the year. And any awareness of eating disorders helps breaks their vicious hold.)

Post from: Blisstree

What’s New with NEDA?

I really liked the way the article set about debunking (the word they use, and it’s a good one) the commonly accepted “rich white girl” definition of anorexics.

However, I would like to make one critical comment about the article:  The author committed a grave sin.  She gave sizes and weights.  That’s a no-no in the world of eating disorders reporting and smacks of sensationalism. 

Now, I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt; she probably didn’t realize she was making a faux pas.  After all, to the untrained writer of EDs, the following sentences probably seem harmless:

As a teen, the once chubby boy became so thin, his vision often blurred. He guzzled gallons of Lipton diet iced tea, and jogged five miles each day, dropping-at 17 years old and 5 feet 6 inches-to 104 pounds.

However, to those of us who have been anorexic or bulimic, we immediately start wondering if that is really too thin.  We ask ourselves if we ever became thinner than the boy being described.  And if the answer is “no”, we start wondering if we were really “good” anorexics or bulimics after all.  Maybe we didn’t exercise or starve enough.  Maybe we were gluttons.  Maybe ana was right all along!  Maybe…

In the end, this numbers game can lead to major triggers.

If you think I’m being overly sensitive, feel free to say so.  But even NEDA recommends that reporters not give out numbers in their “Tips for Responsible Media Coverage.”  So it’s not something I made up — promise!

Post from: Blisstree

Even Good Reporters Make Mistakes

However, in our part of the country (central Pennsylvania), I have yet to meet anyone with an eating disorder who is not Caucasian.  In fact, most of the women of color with whom I discuss this topic are shocked at the notion of starving themselves. 

I’ve met plenty of Latinas and female African Americans who totally embrace their curves and would never think of letting them go.  But at the same time, I’ve met very few Caucasians who are happy with their bodies.

I suspect my experiences are the result of living in a semi-rural area.  I’m certain things must be different in metropolitan regions.

What are you seeing in your community in terms of the variety of cultures experiencing high or significant levels of eating disorders? 

(FYI — The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) has a wonderful page that talks about statistics with respect to this topic; if you’re interested, head over there and check it out.)

Post from: Blisstree

Does Ana really know no cultural bounds?

I had plenty of Barbies growing up, and I adored them.  I dressed them (sometimes in clothes I “designed” — Project Runway, here I come!), I created homes for them, I made them talk to one another, I really connected with each and every one.  But I don’t think I ever wanted to be like Barbie, to be perfectly frank.

I know that NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) uses Barbie to make a point about real women’s figures, but I’m not so sure that a doll can be blamed for our national obsession with skinniness.  As a girl, I innately knew that Barbie was just a plaything.  I never saw anyone who looked like her, and I didn’t really want to look like her, either. 

What do you think? 

Should Barbie be removed from the shelves of toy stores and locked away forever?  Or is she a harmless toy, a scapegoat that’s targeted by a media not looking for the true answers to eating disorders and related behaviors?

Post from: Blisstree

Don’t blame Barbie…

The following are answers to a quiz that can be found at Liberty Kontranowski’s Teen Style Lounge, a site devoted to all things related to teen fashion. 

Before reading the rest of this post, why not jump to Liberty’s site first and test your ED knowledge?

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1.  FALSE

(Though many anorexics are very thin, bulimics are often of normal weight due to their constant bingeing and purging.  It’s difficult to eliminate all the calories consumed during a typical binge — often 10,000-20,000 calories… or more… in one setting — so weight loss may not be a symptom of bulimia in many individuals.) 

2.  FALSE

Though anorexia and bulimia are typically documented and reported in younger persons, new research has shown that there are many women and men who have eating disorders into their middle-age and senior years.

3.  FALSE

Anorexia and bulimia are more prevalant in women, but are found in males as well.  Currently, the National Eating Disorders Association(NEDA) estimates that there are approximately 10 million women and 1 million men battling EDs in America alone.

4.  FALSE

Anorexia education has only been around a short time, and the term “anorexia” has only been used since the late 1800s; however, it’s likely that EDs occurred throughout human history.

5.  FALSE

Eating disorders can be found all over the globe in practically every culture.

6.  FALSE

Some bulimics choose to purge their food by other means than vomiting, including laxative or diuretic usage as well as compulsive exercising.

7.  FALSE

It is possible for an ED sufferer to have characteristics of both diseases.  Additionally, an anorexic could eventually become bulimic or vice versa.

8.  FALSE

Although eating (or a feeding tube) is often a first step for anorexics/bulimics who are severely underweight, it’s important to remember that EDs are not about weight or food.  Simply ingesting sundaes, hamburgers, and chips won’t make anorexia or bulimia “go away”. 

9.  FALSE

Inpatient treatment is one method of treating anorexia and bulimia.  But for many sufferers, out-patient treatment works well, too.  The most reasonable treatment for an anorexic, bulimic, or binge eater can be determined by a mental health professional who specializes in eating disorders.

10.  FALSE

At a low body weight, all women will cease menstruating; yet it’s important never to assume that the loss of menses automatically means conception is impossible.  Sexually active anorexics and bulimics should still exercise precaution and use prophylactics/contraception for their reproductive health and safety.

Post from: Blisstree

Quiz answers !