eating disorders are a mental illness, not a choice
research suggests people will struggle for an average of eight years before seeking or receiving treatment.
the research, conducted at the university of minnesota medical school and published in the international journal of eating disorders , sought to shine a light on the role stress, psychological distress, food insecurity and financial hardship have had on the eating habits of people forced into isolation for vast periods of time.
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roughly one million canadians have an eating disorder diagnosis, according to the national initiative for eating disorders , including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder or avoidance restrictive food intake disorder. these complex conditions are a serious form of mental illness that can affect anyone of any age, race, gender, sexual identity or socio-economic background. such disorders are treatable but many people never receive a diagnosis and often suffer in silence through social and economic costs that rival depression and physical and mental anguish on the level of psychosis and schizophrenia.
like most things it touches, the pandemic has only made matters worse and highlighted the need for cost-efficient interventions that focus on managing stress, depressive symptoms and financial strain, researchers said. emerging adults need tools and routines to help them through the pandemic and beyond.
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dave yasvinski is a writer with healthing.ca