6 Eating Disorder Myths Debunked

How much do you actually know about eating disorders? For National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, we've rounded up common misconceptions that make it more difficult for people living with these illnesses to be recognized, to be understood and to access appropriate treatment. Here are six myths about eating disorders debunked. MYTH: Eating disorders happen only to white women. In reality, people of all genders and racial groups can suffer from disordered eating. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, an estimated 20 million women and 10 million men today will suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder in their lifetime. A 2007 survey showed no difference in eating disorder rates among people of different races and ethnicities, although NEDA has found that minorities are much less likely to receive help. Because eating disorders are so commonly seen as a women's problem, men can also struggle to find recovery programs and helpful literature. "My entire recovery (and likely, [that of] countless other males) was about fitting myself into a recovery culture mostly designed, tailored, and intended for females," wrote survivor and activist Matt Wetsel in a February 2015 blog post. "I even got turned away initially from the group therapy which played an integral role in my recovery –- the only one my school offered -– because I wasn’t a woman." MYTH: Eating disorders happen only to young people. A 2012 study found a high rate of eating disord...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news