B-eat

I bet the above name means absolutely nothing to anyone reading this site, but it means a lot to me and millions of other people in the UK. It is time for people to sit up and take notice of this national charity that is making a difference to the small minority who know about it.

Monday 22nd of February marks B-eat’s 21st birthday and it is also the start of it’s Eating Disorders Awareness week. Yet the charity still remains unknown. And why? The sad fact is that eating disorders are still a “hush-hush” subject, just like the C-word (cancer) was ten years ago. No one wants to talk about them; nobody wants to be associated with one. This is because eating disorders are a mental health problem, which like others - depression, self-harm etc - are rarely talked about. This needs to change.

Throughout the year, B-eat is holding various events across the country in order to promote awareness, kicking off with next week, which will involve lots of interviews in the press, on television and radio with B-eat ambassadors. These are real sufferers, who are either recovered or are still in their long road to recovery.

B-eat’s help line will be open 24/7; they will be tweeting statistics and updates; on-line recovery clubs will be running; a civic reception will be held at Norwich City Hall, the town where B-eat is based. Tuesday 23rd of February will see the launch of Beat Cymru, the first ever major project in Wales to tackle the issue of eating disorders and offering support. The end of the week is campaign day, when beat supporters are urged to take a copy of the charity’s manifesto to their local MP.

A lot of people may think that we don’t have a problem with eating disorders, but with between 1.1 million and 1.6 million currently diagnosed as having an eating disorder, not counting those who have not been diagnosed yet, I think this issue is a very serious one, especially considering it has the highest mortality rate of any mental health illnesses.

There are many different eating disorders - anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, compulsive eating, EDNOS (eating disorders non specified) and many more. They are more than just having troubles with food. That is the only what is seen on the surface. Sufferers usually have low self-esteem, perfectionist values, high levels of anxiety and could have another mental health problem. Often an eating disorder is used as a coping mechanism from a distressing event in your life. Or it could be a way of disappearing to escape bullying or sexual abuse. There are many causes of eating disorders and there is no fast fix. You can’t “cure” people. They have to want to recover and it can take years, even if you look okay physically.

Although the media does not cause eating disorders, it doesn’t help matters. The size-0 trend glorifies being emaciated; when in reality it’s not all it cracks up to be. You are a walking skeleton, with no energy, brittle bones and are certainly not attractive. You can develop osteoporosis; your brain shrinks and you lose heart tissue. By starving yourself, your body starts to shut off everything that isn’t a vital organ.

I strongly believe that the media should show real people in their magazines, ones that haven’t been airbrushed. We need to learn to celebrate that we are all different.

I could go on further to explain eating disorders but there is so much to say. They are a very complex subject but that is why awareness needs to happen. So you can help friends or relatives who may have an eating disorder. So people don’t say the wrong thing to a sufferer (Never, ever say they look well. They will interpretate it that they look fat). Whatever you do to find out about eating disorders though, do not go on pro-ana websites. These are sites that see being anorexic and bulimic has a life style and not an illness. This is wrong. People with an eating disorder do not choose it; it is something out of their control. Recovery, however, is possible with supportive friends and the general public being more understanding.

So, please do read articles on eating disorders in awareness week and do visit B-eat’s website at www.b-eat.co.uk

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