October

Greenie Marie via www.etsy.com

The News Herald serving Northern Ohio posted an article today with jaw dropping statistics of the rise in eating disorders among children.

“Nationally, hospitalizations for eating disorders have increased with staggering speed. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found a 119 percent increase, between 1999-2006, in hospitalizations for children younger than 12.”

The article goes onto speculate “Have eating disorders really risen in the past 10 years or are we just more aware now and able to properly diagnose?” It is hard to say and I’m not an analyst so I can’t help you there. What I can help you with is preventing eating disorders. Like any addiction, eating disorders have a genetic component making one more susceptible to developing one, yet environment and family dynamics play a large role. We often discuss this with concerned Victorian clients who report their siblings or children showing signs of a developing eating disorder.

In response I have put together some of my own tactics to use with raising a child in order to prevent an eating disorder. Everyone should remember S-M-I-L-E, SMILE! 

S – Speak Slowly

From birth through their teenage years children are learning how to be people by modeling and watching their parents and care givers. If they see their parents complaining about their weight, their wrinkles or overly concerned about the way look in some jeans they are going to complain and hold concern over the same things. Speak slowly before you voice your insecurity’s and also get to know the people who are caring for your children. Do they speak obsessively about their appearance? Asking a potential nanny “How do you feel about your own body image?” Is not an outrageous question these days.

M – Movies

No, the Disney princesses are not to blame for eating disorders, but an over consumption of them may contribute greatly to a girls values. In therapy many eating disorder clients refer to “wanting to be saved out of their eating disorder” and “Waiting for that someone who will make it all better.” When a child is still molding their values the images they see have a lasting impact. Therefore it is very important to show movies and films of strong, independent heroines some of my favorites are Anne of Green Gables or Little Women.

I – Individual

Whether it’s a boy or a girl each kid wants to know that they are special for something. Girls get praised for being “cute” and “beautiful” therefore they try to embody this constantly for praise. Boys get praised for being “Strong” and “tough” therefore they try to embody this constantly. There isn’t anything wrong with being beautiful or strong, but it’s the over emphasis that drives addiction. The children feed of the praise for their self esteem. Considering that beauty and strength are external the praise is very fickle and doesn’t help the child develop a strong sense of self. What does help a child is praise for their individuality such as, “Wow! You are such a good artists!” Or “Wow! You are such a good friend!” or “Wow! You are so smart!” or “Wow! You are so kind!” Every kid is good at something, it’s up to you to show them their individuality which in the long run will make them a confident adult, not an insecure one constantly looking for external affirmation.

L – Like

Again children mimic what we say, making it equally important for us to verbalize what we “Like” about other people. If we show children through our conversations that “I LIKE your new hair!” or “I LIKE your new car” or “I LIKE your new dress” or “I LIKE your new house” Children will also learn to like these things as well. We need to show children that we “LIKE how well Mrs. Simmons loves on her animals.” Or “I really LIKE how Mr. Sanchez donates his dental services to kids who don’t have a dentist.” When kids hear this dialogue they will try to fit the mold of your ‘LIKING’.

E – Excitement

A lot of times children develop an over concern with their looks and body, by parents excitement. Does this sound familiar, “Wow! You look so beautiful!” or “Wow! You look so handsome!” There is nothing wrong with this, but try to show the same about of excitement around their creativity, kindness and strength. Children need to know that their value lies not simply in their external appearance, but in how they are each uniquely made.

I hope these tips helped anyone currently worried about the children in their lives developing eating disorders. Check back at The Victorian Recovery Blog next week for more news, research and tips on eating disorders!

Happy Recovery,

Irvina

*Note:  Irvina Kanarek is not a counselor, mother or psychologist. Her tactics are from her experience working in an eating disorder treatment center, as a nanny and art teacher .

Model Katie Halchishick started an online firestorm last week as she became a human diagram of what she would have to go through to get the 'perfect' Barbie body via plastic surgery. In the latest issue of O Magazine, Posing for photographer Matthew Rolston, her glamorous, Marilyn Monroe-type features are surgically outlined according to Barbie's proportions. Several eating disorder treatment centers, non-profits and prevention groups posted the article online. Many commenters applauded Halchischick and the attention she was bringing to the ludicrousness of Barbie’s figure being marketed to young girls. Though I think Halchishick’s picture is quite a conversation starter I wonder how that image will help anyone who is actively struggling with an eating disorder?  When you are in the middle of the throws of an eating disorder it takes a team of counselors, support staff, clinicians, dietitians and doctor’s to help bring the client back to rationalized thinking and a healthy body weight.

I thought it might be helpful for some readers to understand that Halchishick’s image is great for preventative purposes, but eating disorder treatment is a whole different ball game. Here is a sample of Victorian classes around body image:

Body Image Group

This group is led by a professional counselor. The subject of body image, media, family dynamics, hopes, dreams and fears  is the focus. Developing a connection to body parts and their functions is central to this group.

Feelings Group

This group is led by a Victorian Support Staff member. Held after every meal , the clients are encouraged to share how they feel after eating a meal. How they liked the meal and how they rate their emotions afterward. The purpose of this group is to allow the clients to identify any emotions the food is triggering them to think/feel.

Spirituality Group

The group is led by a professional counselor. The group  encourages the clients to build a connection to a higher power. It is proven that a connection to a higher power helps clients attain eating disorder recovery faster and longer.

Psycho Drama & Play

This group is led by a professional counselor. The client’s are encouraged to act out their emotions around their eating disorder. This method helps them to authentically get in touch with their pain and communicate it to a group of supportive individuals advocating for their recovery.

Art Therapy

This group is led by a professional Art Therapist. The clients are given new projects each week, either unmasking their hidden emotions of pain and anger through the art or revealing who they truly want to become. Art Therapy is one of the most beloved counseling groups we hold at The Victorian.

This is just a sample of some of the treatment offered at The Victorian. If you are currently struggling with an eating disorder we suggest you seen help immediately.

Happy Recovery,

Irvina 

The National Eating Disorder Association, based out of New York, New York exists to advocate for research, treatment and prevention of eating disorders. This Saturday, October 15, 2011 N.E.D.A. will be holding a charity benefit at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, featuring a screening of Ides of March, starring George Clooney and Ryan Gosling.

To purchase tickets, please visit the following link:

http://neda.nationaleatingdisorders.org/site/Calendar/716403283?view=Detail&id=100481

Happy Recovery!

Irvina 

If you have ever sought professional help for your eating disorder you know how difficult it can be to get your health insurance to cover it. The reason for this is that many health insurers do not acknowledge eating disorders as a mental illness. This is of course ludicrous considering the studies that have been done proving that eating disorders are indeed an addiction much like alcoholism and drugs (which are covered by health care providers for intensive in patient treatment.) Due to this dismissal of eating disorders as a mental illness, many of those struggling with eating disorders never receive treatment; leaving their disease to get worse which results in fatality.

Thankfully a group of eating disorder professionals, therapists, survivors and legislators have gathered together and formed the F.R.E.E.D. Act which is advocating for the government to take a look at eating disorders in the following ways:

Summary of the FREED Act (H.R. 1193)

The EDC worked with Members of Congress to conceptualize and draft the Federal Response

to Eliminate Eating Disorders (the FREED Act), which is a comprehensive bill on eating disorders addressing research, treatment, education and prevention. The bill addresses the

following:

Research Initiatives

• Know the numbers through a national data base and other initiatives.  Determine the prevalence, incidence, and correlates of all eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and eating disorder not otherwise specified).

• Know the death rates.  Determine the morbidity and mortality rates associated with all eating disorders and provide a public report of this data annually.

• Know the costs or “economic burden” of eating disorders. Undertake the necessary investigations to conduct an economic analysis of the costs of eating disorders in the United States, including years of productive life lost, missed days of work, reduced work productivity, costs of medical/psychiatric treatment, prescriptions medications, hospitalizations, costs of medical and psychiatric comorbidities, (cost to family, cost to society) etc. 

For all Health Professionals. 

Train and healed days of work, reduced work productivity, costs of medical/psychiatric treatment, prescriptions medications, hospitalizations, costs of medical and psychiatric comorbidities, (cost to family, cost to society) etc.

• Establish Centers of Excellence.  Develop an integrated system of Centers of Excellence for eating disorders, which will provide training opportunities for research, fund research programs, and coordinate the development of a research infrastructure nationwide.  Access to Adequate and Appropriate Treatment.

• All Americans with eating disorders deserve access to care.  Any insurer that provides health coverage for physical illness must provide coverage for eating disorders.

• Care according to universally accepted criteria. Insurers are to follow standards of care as written in the Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Patients with Eating Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association. The treatment setting must be appropriate to the patient’s needs and clinical presentation. Decisions regarding the treatment setting must include individual variables such as age, sex, ability to manage severity or comorbidity, family involvement, and staff expertise and training.

• Eating Disorders are complex conditions and require comprehensive treatment approaches. All treatment modalities should be covered, including but not limited to family, individual and group therapies, nutrition counseling, psychopharmacology, body Image therapy, and medical treatment.

Education & Prevention Initiatives

• Study mandatory BMI reporting in school. Determine the outcome of measuring BMI in schools and reporting the results to parents (including measuring eating disorders symptoms, and incidence of teasing or bullying based on body size).

• Grant Program of the Education and Training for all Health Professionals.  Train health professionals, to identify, prevent, appropriately treat and address the complications of eating disorders (using a team approach).

• Grant Program for the Education and Training for School/Higher Education Professionals. Train education professionals in evidence-based education programs about eating disorders, education professionals include teachers, professors, school nurses, school aides, community liaisons, cooks, dieticians, social workers, counselors, coaches, athletic departments, and other.

• Educating the public through Public Service Announcements (PSA's). Use PSAs to educate the public on types and the seriousness of (prevalence, comorbidities, health consequences –both physical and mental) eating disorders, how to obtain help, discrimination and bullying based on mental illness, body size, and the effects of media on self esteem and body image.

• Bring eating disorders into already existing obesity initiatives.  Federally funded campaigns to fight obesity should also address eating disorders. Federal studies should include eating disorder related questions.

The lobbying starts on Tuesdsay, October 4th in Washington D.C. We wish all the advocates success and blessings in getting the F.R.E.E.D. Act heard! If you would like to know more about getting involved with the F.R.E.E.D. act please check out the following link: 

http://www.eatingdisorderscoalition.org/LobbyDayOctober2011.htm

Happy Recovery!

Irvina