Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2023: February 27 to March 5
Shayna Skokan is a final-year PharmD candidate at the Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions.
According to The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), an eating disorder is a serious but treatable mental and physical illness that is characterized by highly distressing beliefs and behaviors related to body shape and weight.1 Eating disorders do not discriminate and can affect people of all genders and ages.1 Nearly 1 in 10 people in the United States will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.
Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2023 is taking place February 27 through March 5. Awareness is important as it can lead to prevention and treatment as well as concern for those who are struggling with an eating disorder while decreasing the stigma often associated with these illnesses.
How you can play a role
A pharmacist’s role can be to detect the presence of signs of an eating disorder and encourage the person to seek help. As a student pharmacist, you can educate yourself and others while also helping to spread awareness.
You can
- Monitor patients’ use of prescription and nonprescription medications, including diet pills, laxatives, or other medications used to lose weight.
- Provide resources for counseling and/or clinics to people with eating disorders and their family/friends.
- Help manage eating disorder complications, including osteoporosis, gastroparesis, constipation, anemia, etc.
Your APhA–ASP Chapter can
- Put on a fundraiser to raise money for an eating disorder advocacy organization (e.g., NEDA).
- Promote body positivity via social media and/or participate in Body Acceptance Week (this year, October 23–27, 2023).
- Create educational posters that include local recovery resources to hang around campus.
Prioritize a balance
It can be difficult to focus on your physical and mental health during the stress of pharmacy school. I could list so many ways to improve your mental and physical health, but you must put in the effort to prioritize a balanced lifestyle and self-care. This looks different for everyone, and it’s important to find what you need and enjoy.
However, self-care is not a cure for mental illnesses. Understanding what causes or triggers your symptoms and what coping techniques work for you can help manage your mental health.
Advice for those who may have an eating disorder
If you can recognize disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in yourself, you have already taken the first step. If you have decided it’s time to seek help, I’m so glad you did. If you are unsure if you have an eating disorder, the NEDA website has online screening tools to assess for warning signs of an eating disorder and to help you determine if it's time to seek professional help.
This screening is not a replacement for clinical evaluation. If you are recovering from an eating disorder, that process can take months, even years. Slips and relapse tend to be the rule rather than the exception. Relearning normal eating habits and coping skills can take a long period of time, and it often requires lots of support from professionals, friends, and family. Moving forward is key, however slow it might be.
My personal story
I have struggled with body image issues for as long as I can remember, and I believed being “skinny” was the key to the happiness that I was missing. It started out as a harmless diet and exercise regimen, but I started seeing progress and my behaviors became extreme. I felt a false sense of control, but I didn’t know how to stop. For years, my entire life revolved around restricting food, purging, and exercising obsessively. People started to notice my dramatic weight loss and expressed their concerns, which only frustrated me. I realized I was thinner, but I wasn’t happier.
My parents took me to see a physician for what they thought was unexplained weight loss, but I already knew what I had: anorexia nervosa. I refused medical help, so I never had any treatment. However, I eventually found a support system that helped me come to terms with my eating disorder and want to begin recovery. I had to rethink my relationship with food and my body. I have been through the lowest lows, but I’m still here and I’m eating what I want, when I want!
My story doesn’t reveal a prescription for recovery, and I don’t want to insinuate that I have it all together now. I’m sharing my story to tell all of you who may be suffering that you are not alone. You are beautiful, you are strong, and you can fight this thing.
Here are some helpful resources.
If you are in a crisis and need help immediately, text “NEDA” to 741741 to be connected with a trained volunteer at their crisis text line.
Reference
- National Eating Disorder Association. What are eating disorders? Plano, TX: National Eating Disorder Association. Available at: www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/what-are-eating-disorders. Accessed February 10, 2023.