Body Image and Eating Disorder Awareness Week September 1-7 aims to raise awareness of eating disorders and poor body image in Australia. This year, the theme is Love Your Body and The Butterfly Foundation are encouraging all Australians to take a pledge { here} to making a commitment to learning how to love their bodies.
There is an enormous lack of knowledge in Australia surrounding negative body image and eating disorders. The reality is that they are extremely common, affecting an increasing number of people each year. Colleagues, best friends and family members can be silently be suffering around you. It’s hard to see and its even harder to acknowledge.
I’ve always been the type of person to notice and try to help. In some cases, you may lose a friendship or might even be alienated by that person for your concern, but in the end you could save their life or even help put them on the road to recovery.
As a 28 year old woman, I’ve seen friends go through bulimia, anorexia and more recently do illegal drugs and also get hormone injections to make themselves thinner. Even though they may get smaller in size, they are still not truly happy. It’s taken me a long to time realise that I can’t fix everyone and sometimes you have to step away, especially when they gang up together and alienat you as the odd one out, for not doing the drugs. Instead of realising you are only acting in their best interests.
I believe that every person should be proud and totally in love with their body, no matter what shape or size. We are all beautiful in our own way and our bodies deserve to be treated with respect. Eating disorders and negative body images are not just ‘fads’ and people usually will not just ‘grow out of it’. They can leave lasting damage, both physically and mentally. They are serious social, medical and mental issues that people need to be aware of.
{I’m all for people including myself wanting to improve fitness and general health, but for it to be done in a safe and ongoing way. To not only improve your physical look, but also your long term health and well being}
Take thirty seconds to search #thinspiration, #thinspo and Pro-Anna movement {as in pro anorexia} and your be bombarded by negative body image content that encourages harmful behaviour, greatly increasing the risk of anorexia and bulimia in those already at risk.
This is right in front of us EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY and it’s time to stop ignoring the giant elephant in the room.
The Butterfly Foundation represents all people affected by eating disorders and negative body image – a person with the illness, their family and their friends. As a leading national voice in supporting their needs, Butterfly highlights the realities of seeking treatment for recovery, and advocates for improved services from both government and independent sources.
Because Butterfly recognises that eating disorders often arise from poor body image, it delivers a range of Positive Body Image workshops to schools and workplaces through its education program. It has a strong media presence to raise awareness of Butterfly’s perspective in community debates about body image and eating disorders.
Support Services {for everyone}
The Butterfly Foundation is committed to creating better access to support for people with eating disorders and body image issues as well as those caring for them such as their families and friends. Butterfly offers:
- Support Groups
- Face to Face Counselling
- Recovery Programs
- National Telephone Support
- Web Counselling
- Email Support
- Financial Assistance
