Misunderstood, underestimated - but we can Beat eating disorders

Firstly, thanks for taking an interest in my blog. I’m Ellie and I have chosen ‘Beat’ as my charity for my citizenship GSCE because I feel - and I hope when you finish reading my blog, you will as well - that too many people are unaware of the physical and psychological results of having an eating disorder. Although ‘Beat’ is the only eating disorders charity in the UK, and the largest in the world, you may not have heard of it before, or know about the wonderful work they do for people suffering with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and EDNOS (Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified)

There is no single thing that can trigger an eating disorder; the range is huge. Often a person feels they may have little or no control over the events going on around them, and Anorexia or Bulimia can fool them into thinking that starving themselves or binging, throwing up or abusing laxatives can give them this control. A person can go months without realising they have an eating disorder. It is usually other people who will notice the change their in behaviour and appearance, and a lot of the time; the victim is accused of being “attention seeking”.

This is where I wish to change the opinions of people.
Anorexia, Bulimia and EDNOS is an illness. Like cancer or heart disease, anyone can develop and eating disorder and the victim needs help. They need someone to support them, listen to them and understand what they are going through. I appreciate that, for a lot of people, it is something that is really difficult to sympathise with because “surely everyone has control over what they do with their body”.  But that’s one of the reasons why people find it so difficult to talk about; they don’t want to be judged, called “attention seeking”.

Victims don’t understand that they are worth more than value they put on themselves. Their weight should not determine their happiness, and they should know that there is a way out.

This is where Beat steps in.

Beat offers a helpline, support groups, direct one-to-one support, online progress trackers and numerous events to raise awareness about eating disorders and help those suffering. Many say that without the help they of Beat, they would not have had the strength to tell their friends/family about what is going on, and would not have been able to recover. I feel that the work this charity does is a vital and I would like to ask you to watch this powerful two minute video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGYleJsimO8 .

Thank-you, once again, for reading my blog. I hope you found it informative and I would just like to ask you to please comment what you honestly think and maybe answer the following questions. It would also be great if you could state your town or country.

1. Had you heard of Beat before?
2. Do you now feel more informed about Beat?
3. Do you now feel slightly more understanding for people with an eating disorder?
4. Any additional comments?

If you would like to know more about Beat/eating disorders, all the information can be found on the charity’s website http://www.b-eat.co.uk/