Tag: stigma

By Hrvoje Petrovic * My brother is suffering from a long term eating disorder. Helping to care for him has affected my own health. For instance, witnessing my brother’s suffering led me to experience an episode of severe depression with appetite loss. However, now I am grateful for this, because I have...

  As we close on this year’s third annual World Eating Disorders Day, it provides us with time to reflect on those affected by an eating disorder, their families, and the medical and health professionals who support them. Although having a day dedicated to raising awareness is a grandiose initiative,...

by Sarah Wirth Eating disorders, like all mental illnesses, are intersectional. They affect people of all ethnicities, ages, sexualities and gender identities. Despite this, the historically based idea that eating disorders predominantly affect affluent, white, heterosexual women persists today. This sectional understanding of eating disorders is highly problematic. It results...

By Anna Scelzo, iaedp International Chapter Chair of Italy When we look up the meaning of the word stigma we read: “A mark of disgrace associated with particular circumstance, quality, or person” (Oxford Dictionary). And also: “A mark or spot on the skin.” Whatever we can find around the concept...

By Andrea LaMarre There is still significant stigma around eating disorders; they are framed as disorders of the young, white, vain, rich, and thin. But you have heard about that stereotype before. We repeat it time and again, and yet… very little is changing. We cry from the rooftops: “eating...

By Masae Yasuda (Japan) “Every day, mature-age people around the world suffer silently with an eating disorder – like Masae, who shares her story here, these people may be working in the very health profession established to treat this illness. Stigma and myths are a big problem. Much research focus...

By Kelly Boaz One day, a man asked me what I do for a living. When I said I was a nutritionist specializing in eating disorders, he snorted and responded, “Well that’s easy. Just tell those girls to get over themselves and eat!” While this response was infuriating and wildly...

By Dr. Rosanna Mauro de Maya, MS, RD, CEDRD The Eating Disorder Truth #1 states ”many people with eating disorders look healthy, yet may be extremely ill.” This cornerstone statement makes us reflect on the fact that any person, regardless of their figure, shape or weight, could develop an eating...