Nine Wonderful Truths

By -
F.E.A.S.T. is committed to a coalition-building model of advocacy work.  It is one of our bedrock principles: a committed to a coalition-building model of advocacy work that requires mutual respect among caregivers, professionals, and patients.

In April, a group of representatives from 13 eating disorder advocacy groups and professional organizations sat around a table in Boston.  A group comprised of professionals, caregivers and patients sat around this table, eating lunch, and talking about points of connection and how best to work together in service.   The starting point, it was decided, would be the basics, identifying a clear and unified message that all agreed upon.

This is important.  Very important.  A unified message based on current scientific knowledge about a group of illnesses that has been poorly understood for so long.  This is so beneficial for families. It is a new baseline.  It is a place where families can start and it can inform what they ask for and what they can expect.

To all those at the table:  It was an extraordinary effort and the mutual respect was palpable.

Here are the basics.....Nine Truths (pdf for printing):

  

Truth #1: Many people with eating disorders look healthy, yet may be extremely ill.

Truth #2: Families are not to blame, and can be the patients’ and providers’ best allies in treatment.

Truth #3: An eating disorder diagnosis is a health crisis that disrupts personal and family functioning.

Truth #4: Eating disorders are not choices, but serious biologically influenced illnesses.

Truth #5: Eating disorders affect people of all genders, ages, races, ethnicities, body shapes and weights, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses.

Truth #6: Eating disorders carry an increased risk for both suicide and medical complications.

Truth #7: Genes and environment play important roles in the development of eating disorders.

Truth #8:  Genes alone do not predict who will develop eating disorders.

Truth #9: Full recovery from an eating disorder is possible. Early detection and intervention are important.











 *The Nine Truths About Eating Disorders is produced in collaboration with Cynthia Bulik PhD, FAED, Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders in the Medical School of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, based on her 9 Eating Disorders Myths Busted talk at the National Institute on Mental Health in 2014.

Comments

  1. Jennifer Denise OuelletteMay 15, 2015 at 10:10 AM

    Very important indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMay 15, 2015 at 10:33 AM

    This is a great framework for the Eating Disorders world to move forward in unity and EDucate the rest of society so that everyone embraces these truths and we can see real change in the way eating disorders are diagnosed and treated.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ColleenMay 15, 2015 at 10:15 PM

    I still don't understand #8!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Parents and Carers: Please consider participating in this survey by Sept 7th, 2015

By -
Parent/Carer insight sought to assist in developing early identification resources. The team at the Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders are currently developing an early intervention resource package in direct response to feedback provided by parents and carers. The aim is to have the package available for families and carers at the first point where they seek help. This resource specifically aims to assist parents or carers to determine how concerned they should be about their young person; what eating disorders are and are not; when to escalate access to treatment; where to seek treatment and what to expect; and what parents can be doing at home in the meantime. A focus group was undertaken with 15 parents and they are now wanting to expand on the very valuable learnings gleaned from the group through wider survey. So, if you could please take the time to take the survey and to forward (via the link below) on to any families you think will be willing to assist...
Read more

Introducing FEAST Advisor: Dr. Lauren Muhlheim

By -
Image
F.E.A.S.T., as you may  know, is an international, non profit, volunteer run organization governed by a Board of Directors. In addition, however, to the informed guidance of our Board of Directors, F.E.A.S.T. benefits greatly from the consultative expertise of a group of international professionals and allies who sit on our Advisory Panel.  Today we would like to introduce you to Dr. Lauren Muhlheim: Lauren Muhlheim, Psy.D., CEDS, is a clinical psychologist who, during graduate school, trained in the Rutgers Eating Disorder Clinic under G. Terence Wilson, Ph.D.  Along with Chris Fairburn, Terry Wilson was instrumental in the development of cognitive behavioral therapy for eating disorders.  In this research clinic Dr. Muhlheim was trained in cognitive behavioral therapy for bulimia, and eating disorders have remained a primary focus and interest of study.  Since leaving the research clinic, Dr. Muhlheim has continued to employ evidence-based cognitive be...
Read more

"Wasting Away": a Channel 4 documentary

By -
Image
"Wasting Away": A Channel 4 Documentary Mark and Maddy Austin. Photograph: David Hogan/Channel 4 To those who have watched, heard about, or who are discussing the Channel 4 Documentary “Wasting Away” , broadcast Thursday August 24, 10pm in the UK … … a blog post from F.E.A.S.T.'s Chair I watched the powerfully affecting documentary aired on Channel 4 last week, although I didn’t really want to; not because I don’t care about the story of Mark and his daughter Maddy and the effects of her illness on all of their family, and not because I don’t care about the others who were featured, many of whom have been failed or are failing within the scope of UK healthcare, but because I do care, very much.  And because I knew that I would be affected, my family having once been affected by an eating disorder too, and because of what I have seen of how eating disorders have affected many families over my many years of volunteering for F.E.A.S.T. Anyway, I watched, and a...
Read more