5 Beginning to Understand an Eating Disorder: Resources To Get You Started
Chapter Summary
This section discusses resources to support your journey to health and well-being.
Beginning to Understand an Eating Disorder: Resources To Get You Started
The resources provided in this chapter are meant to to provide you with credible information and should be not used to self diagnose. The process of diagnosing an eating disorder is complex and can only be completed by trained, health care professionals (National Initiative for Eating Disorders [NEDA], 2016-2020).
In this journal, we focus on adults and their eating disorder journeys. We recognize that children and youth of all body sizes, cultures, and genders may have worries about their body shape, weight and nutrition (Van Den Berg & Neumark-Sztainer, 2007); however, this online journal resource was created with adults in mind.
Throughout the development of this workbook, we were influenced by our individual journeys and collective vision. Our goal was to co-create a resource for you, your family (parents/guardians), care partners, and trusted health care professionals. We have come to know that we are greater than our eating disorders and together we are resilient, creative and caring individuals.
This journal and creative work are not all-inclusive or perfect. They are intended to be a resource to support you on your journey. Eating disorders are complex and must have a team of trained professionals to treat them. Recently, American health care teams came together (Blackwell et al., 2021) to identify ways in which eating disorder services can improve. They recommend that eating disorder resources be accessible, affordable, and proactive in prevention. Our goal therefore in creating this electronic journal was to provide one such resource.
Eating Disorders are All Around Us
One of the discussions our team regularly visited was the diversity of our journeys. Because of our different experiences there was a tendency to lean into specific diagnoses, terms or titles to define each other, yet we have purposefully not focused on specific eating disorder labels. It is therefore our hope and intention the creation of this online journal will bring together all persons living with or alongside any eating disorder diagnoses.
Examples From Our Journals
**TRIGGER WARNING: BELOW ARE EXCERPTS FROM OUR JOURNALS. THESE EXCERPTS CONTAIN CONTENT THAT SOME MIGHT FIND TRIGGERING. BEYOND THIS POINT, PLEASE SKIP THIS PART OR READ WITH CAUTION**
“I look in the mirror and see lumps and bumps that shouldn’t exist. I starve myself only to realize that my shape does not change regardless of my weight. There is a smaller version of me in the mirror, but it is the outline I have grown to despise. I wish I had a chisel to even out those bones.”- Hannah
“I often looked okay, though I did not feel well. I worked full time, paid my bills, created, kept busy, loved my family, yet I struggled. Creating art and journaling allowed me to express through colour, body movement and writing a world I rarely spoke about”.- Janet
“I regularly feel resentment and envy for those whose eating disorder includes them being thin. Creating this online journal, reading the entries has moved me deeply. I have begun to ask myself questions related to my judgement of others, my perceived unfairness of a world where I struggle with eating and living overweight in a world fixated on being slim. I am also thinking deeply about things I cannot control, for example, what others think when they see me.”- Sandra
Creative Space
- What do you think and feel when reading our journal entries?
- Is your eating disorder hidden, if so, from whom?
**END OF TRIGGER WARNING**
Paths Forward
A path forward begins with an ongoing and honest assessment of your health. This includes your physical, mental, spiritual, and social health. Janet belonged to a group called the HOW group. This group focused on how to get and stay well. HOW – stands for being Honest, Open and Willing. It is focused on the need to be honest with oneself, to be open, to listen and learn from others and to be willing to change.
Acknowledging that you might have an eating disorder takes time. It is important to seek out credible resources and support. Do not diagnose yourself. You must come to trust a clinician who will help you obtain a comprehensive diagnosis. These clinicians are there to offer support and help you meet your goals. There is no shame in seeking support. Even if you feel you don’t require treatment, it is beneficial to inquire as to whether you might, in fact, have an eating disorder. The diagnosis is complex and should be undertaken by a trained clinician who can offer you treatment options.
The resources below are to help you become informed. These resources may help you understand that eating disorders are serious and complex mental health issues that are treatable. The list is not exhaustive, but it is a place to start. Your wellness journey will be unique; however, connecting with a trusted healthcare professional, a friend or family member makes the journey less overwhelming (Cook-Cottone, 2020).
Creative Space
Looking Up and Imaging Your Journey
Image description: an orchid in the forest
“finding an orchid on a hike”
-
Where do you look for hope for support?
Searching Online for Support
Finding eating disorder resources online can start with provincial or territorial government sites. These sites vary in detail and resources. Within each site are resources for individuals, families, and sometimes health care providers. Listed below are a few of the sources we have located. Some resources link you to social media sites (e.g., Facebook, Instragram), so remember to stay safe and protect your privacy. As you search on your own you may come upon resources that require fees and financial support. We have sought to focus on services without fees.
Remember: If you are concerned because you identified signs or symptoms of an eating disorder, seek help. For example, healthcare professionals who can guide you include a: counselor, social worker, registered dietitian, occupational therapist, registered therapist, psychologist, nurse practitioner, family physician, and/or psychiatrist. This list is not exhaustive.
Canada: National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC). NEDIC is an up-to-date, Canadian, evidence-based resource. This site has links to clinical eating disorders and warning signs that you might need to identify and seek professional help for. NEDA also has a link to warning signs that you or a friend or family member can review to determine if help is required. NEDIC also focuses on the risk of developing an eating disorder.
For example, NEDA Feeding Hope, offers a screening tool called the Eating Disorder Screening Tool (EDST) that is to be used for persons aged 13 and up. This is not a diagnostic tool, but the results can be shared with a physician or health care provider. Again, it is important to note, that this is one tool and others are available. We encourage you to seek out professional support.
Click here https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/screening-tool/
Resources for you to Consider
Canadian Psychological Association. Psychology Works Fact Sheet: Eating disorders.
Government of Canada. Eating Disorders in Teens: Information for parents and caregivers.
American Psychological Association. Eating Disorders.
National Institute of Mental Health. Eating Disorders: About More Than Food.
Dietitians of Canada. Eating Disorders. UnlockFood.ca. When receiving care for an eating disorder it is important to be linked to a registered dietitian. Follow the website for resources and links to dietitians.
Dietitians of Canada https://members.dietitians.ca/Web/Web/Membership/Directory/Find_a_Dietitian_Directory.aspx?hkey=81abbd4d-e041-4223-8723-7af2d390f04c has a ‘Find a Dietitian’ search engine that can help you connect with practicing dieticians in your area and can be filtered by health concerns/individual needs.
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). The CMHA has links to provincial divisions that focus on eating disorders and services in a specific territory or province. The resources are many and extensive, we are not recommending anyone service over another. We wanted to share with you examples of what we searched for and found. Use them to start on your path forward.
Indigenous Health and Eating Disorders. Australia. Butterfly Association.
Yukon Division: Canadian Mental Health Association. Eating Disorders.
Northwest Territories: eMentalHealth.ca. Eating Disorders in Adults.
Nunavat. eMentalHealth.ca. Eating disorders in Adults.
British Columbia: Body Image and Eating Disorders.
Alberta Health Services: How to Seek Treatment in Alberta.
Saskatchewan Division: Canadian Mental Health Association. Eating Disorders.
Manitoba: Eating Disorders Manitoba.
Ontario: The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care funds the: Ontario Community Outreach Program for Eating Disorders
Ontario Division: Canadian Mental Health Association: Understanding and Finding Help for Eating Disorders.
Quebec: Amiquebec: Eating Disorders. https://amiquebec.org/eating-disorders/
New Brunswick. eMentalHealth.ca. Eating Disorders including Anorexia and Bulimia. https://www.ementalhealth.ca/New-Brunswick/Eating-Disorders-including-Anorexia-and-Bulimia/index.php?m=heading&ID=36
Nova Scotia. Eating Disorders Nova Scotia. You Are Not Alone.
Nova Scotia. Mount Saint University, & Eating Disorders NS, & Change Lab Action Research Initiative.
Safe, Seen, & Supported: Navigating eating disorders recovery in the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Prince Edward Island. Mental Health Services.
Prince Edward Island Division. Canadian Mental Health Association. Eating Disorders.
Newfoundland & Labrador. Eating Disorder Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.
We also found many private or for-profit eating disorder resources and clinics listed. When you search online be aware of your privacy, health data, and any associated fees.
What resources did you find beneficial and why?
What resources do you need that may not be listed as you continue on your journey?
