It’s National Eating Disorders Week.. so I wanted to share some statistics from 2011…
Prevalence
- Up to 24 million people suffer from eating disorders in the U.S.
- 1 in 5 women struggle with eating disorders or disordered eating.
- 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.
- 25% of college-aged women engage in bingeing and purging as a weight-management technique.
- Anorexia nervosa is the 3rd most common chronic illness among adolescents.
Mortality rate
- Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
- The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12x higher than the death rate of ALL causes of death for females 15- to 24-years-old.
- 20% of people suffering from anorexia nervosa will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems.
Men and eating disorders
- An estimated 10 to 15% of people with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa are male.
- Among gay men, nearly 14% appeared to suffer from bulimia nervosa and over 20% appeared to suffer from anorexia nervosa.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, follow this link below for help…. [To Write Love On Her Arms - Resoures]
http://www.twloha.com/find-help/There is absolutely NO SHAME in seeking counseling for an eating disorder! As a psych major in college, I learned quite a bit about eating disorders AND counseling. So much so, that I started seeing one myself! I can’t even begin to tell you how much that helped me! To be able to talk to a neutral third party who can HELP you figure out the underlying cause of your disorder is SUCH a relief… because once you figure out the deeper problems, you can begin to work on them and heal. Honestly I highly, highly recommend it! <3
For my best friend. I love you.