Did you know there was a national Eating Disorder week every year? My guess from experience over the last two years is that the majority of people will answer no to the question. 

Each February Beat hold an Eating Disorder Awareness week, this year it begins on Monday 28th. 

Beat is the UK’s charity for eating disorders, their aim is to put an end to the ‘pain and suffering caused by eating disorders.’ Currently as it stands there are 1.25million people in the UK who suffer with an Eating Disorder. Unfortunately, a high percentage of sufferers don’t get the care they require to be able to manage and maintain a healthy lifestyle resulting in lives being lost to the illness. Support for eating disorders is extremely underfunded and the amount of training provided is at an all time low with only two hours of teaching being delivered to students and professionals. As a result of this, sufferers feel isolated, begin to believe their needs are invalid and develop the view that they aren’t sick enough to warrant treatment and so return to keeping their illness a secret. So this year Beat are asking people to support the charity, those who have eating disorders and carers who support individuals by being Bright and Bold. All funds raised during the week will be donated directly to the charity and will help to save lives and end suffering. Having Anorexia Nervosa myself I have first hand experience of the impact of a lack of services available and those that are, are overflowing with referrals meaning appointments are weeks down the line. In November 2020 I was admitted as an inpatient and stayed in hospital for eight months receiving intensive treatment, MANTRA therapy and nutritional training. The cycle for sufferers who have been hospitalised is: inpatient, step down day care and then community care. Unfortunately due to the insufficient funds available this service was not offered to myself and from discharge I went straight back to the community. Transitioning from 24/7 care to one hour a week over the computer was extremely difficult and I feel it is a big part of the reason that I very quickly fell back into relapse and had to be admitted for the second time. Something that could have been avoided had step down care been available at the time of discharge. 

Raising awareness around the disorder has been important to myself and something I have always wanted to promote. This passion has developed even further now that I am back in hospital and receiving specialised care, my life being saved for the second time in two years. I would really appreciate it if you could make a donation, however big or small, on my page and help to support me on my journey to recovery, to improve services and most importantly to raise awareness of eating disorders.

Thank you for helping me to provide funds, raise awareness and Beat the stigma around Eating Disorders. 

Love Zoe x