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Worrying about a friend?

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:04:10 +0000

As an eating disorder therapist, I've had many people ask me how you would know if someone had an eating disorder. The question that comes after that is always regarding what to do about it if you suspect someone is suffering from anorexia, bulimia or another eating disorder. While I'm never an advocate for ignoring eating disorders or disordered behaviors, this can be tricky depending on your relationship with the person. If you are close enough to the person that they might be able to hear your concerns, it is important to talk to them about it. If you are close to someone else in their life (their parent or spouse, for instance) you might consider talking with them about your concerns.

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America The Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:34:28 +0000

I'm a little late on this blog as I had the privilege of attending a screening of the new documentary America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments a couple of weeks ago. However, I do want to make sure that I show my support for what is a funny and thought-provoking film about the diet industry in the United States.

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Show yourself some love!

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:06:29 +0000

Valentine's Day is often thought of as a way to show your love for other people, and in exchange, receive tokens of love from others. These tokens may be classic Valentine's Day paraphernalia such as heart-shaped boxes of candy, cards, flowers, or dinner out at a fancy restaurant. Although this traditional view of Valentine's Day can provide us with a reminder to show people we care, it can also set up unrealistic expectations and disappointments when things don't go the way we imagine they should. Heaven forbid we are alone on Valentine's Day. I remember a girl in college who called the holiday SAD as an acronym for Singles Awareness Day.

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Kudos to the CFDA

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:01:34 +0000

It's no secret that models are often so thin that they are unhealthy and often develop eating disorders as a result of the pressure on them from the modeling industry. This in turn, perpetuates society's belief that thin is beautiful and promotes unhealthy beliefs and behaviors in the general public.

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School Based Obesity Prevention Programs May Promote Worrisome Behaviors

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:38:16 +0000

The University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital released a report this week that raises serious questions about the helpfulness of school-based programs aimed at obesity prevention. The hospital polled 976 households with children ranging in age from 6-14. Of those who completed the survey, 82% reported that there was some type of prevention program being implemented in their child's school and 30% of those parents whose children are in a school with a prevention program reported that they had observed 'worrisome eating behaviors' in their children.

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Join the Conversation!

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:35:43 +0000

I've been working today on cleaning up and reorganizing the About.com Eating Disorders forum as I know that it has gone without a moderator for sometime now. Please check it out and join the conversation about eating disorders and related topics. There are now folders for specific disorders, general discussion, support and encouragement as well as one specific folder for family and friends.

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A Seven-Year Old Who Thinks She's Fat...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:33:30 +0000

I ran across this article from the Huffington Post today, in which a seven-year old girl tells her mother that she thinks she is fat and that she wants to be skinny. It takes every ounce of her mother's energy and thoughtfulness to break through to her, at least for that moment in time. I am at once, both amazed at this mother's creativity and strength, and saddened by the sad reality that no one is immune to society's pressure to live up to the 'thin ideal.'

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Obesity Prevention??

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:06:42 +0000

Recently, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta released a new ad campaign aimed at reducing and preventing childhood obesity and improving children's health in the state of Georgia. It features photographs of overweight children along with statements such as "It's hard to be a little girl, if you're not." The campaign has come under fire from many people in the eating disorder treatment and prevention arenas as a shaming tactic that may actually do more harm than good.

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Upcoming Diagnostic Changes

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:45:51 +0000

The American Psychiatric Association published the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th Edition, Text Revision) in 2000. This is the manual used by researchers and clinicians to define and diagnose all mental disorders, including eating disorders. Now, over ten years later the DSM-V is expected to be published in 2013. The changes to the eating disorder category will likely include clarifying some of the text as well as:

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Family Therapy or Individual Therapy?

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:45:50 +0000

Deciding what treatment philosophy and level of care is right for you and your family can be a tricky decision. Everyone needs to have a personalized treatment plan, but it is also important to take into account the types of treatment research supports.

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