Everybody Knows Somebody

Hello, strangers.

This week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. For those of you who don't really know me, the reason I got into psychology was because of my interest in eating disorders.

In the United States alone, approximately 10 million women and girls suffer from either anorexia or bulimia. That means that 1 in 10 women suffer from these disorders! Approximately 1 million men also suffer from these conditions; although, this number is estimated to be much higher as many of these cases go unreported. Another 25 million people suffer from binge eating disorder. And these numbers do not include those individuals who suffer from sub-clinical issues such as body dissatisfaction, negative body image, and disordered eating. The theme of this year's NEDAwareness Week is "Everybody Knows Somebody." These numbers indicate that it is very likely that you or someone you know could be struggling with an eating disorder or a sub-clinical concern...

NEDA asks that everyone do just ONE thing to help spread awareness about these devastating conditions. Eating disorders are not lifestyle choices; they are life-threatening illnesses. Did you know that anorexia has the highest level of premature fatality of any mental disorder? What that means is that more people die from complications from anorexia than any other psychological disorder!

Today, with 2 other classmates, I am hosting an event on my university campus to help raise awareness. I am also writing this blog... What will you do?