Reply To: Eating Disorders

I think whats missing is an awareness. People don’t know what to look out for. If teachers and educators would be taught to look out for the warning signs of eating disorders, they might be able to intervene and refer the “victim” to a therapist who would be able to help them. If parents would be aware of this as well, they might be able to use preventative measures to ensure that they aren’t pushing their kids in the direction of an eating disorder.

Once there is an awareness of these eating disorders, and preventative measures are put it in place, there needs to be a place where people can go for help, once they are diagnosed. So far, most of the therapists who deal with victims of eating disorders aren’t Jewish/frum. Likewise the inpatient units created to help people with eating disorders are not kosher. These places/therapist help people get their lives back on track. They also teach them healthy eating habits, and they help their clients deal with the issues that pushed them towards eating disorders.

There is a method called Dialectal Behavioral Therapy, where people are taught the basics of living. DBT has proven very helpful in helping people with eating disorders, PTSD, and BPD.

At this point, its hard to send a young high school girl for dbt, because this would require them dealing intensely with and learning from a non religious/non jewish therapist. If there were frum dbt therapists, maybe more young girls would be able to get help in an appropriate environment, as soon as they are diagnosed…

Lastly, the stigma attached to any mental health disorder is so strong. If the community would be educated on mental health, its parameters and effects, maybe it wouldn’t be shoved under the rug. Maybe people would be able to accept people with eating disorders as people who have a medical issue. And then maybe these people would be able to accept themselves…

Reading this post again, i realize that whats most important in helping these people is AWARENESS to prevent stigma, so people with eating disorders are recognized and helped…