February 27-March 5 is Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Eating disorders are devastating mental illnesses that affect 1 in 50 people in the UK. Recovery is possible but spotting early warning signs, which may or may not be linked to a person’s weight or appearance, can lead to life-changing interventions.

Around 1 in 4 people with eating disorders are men. And yet in 2023, their symptoms can still go unnoticed by those around them. For Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2023, we are joining Beat  to help raise awareness around the early signs of eating disorders, and of men’s eating disorders.

To mark the week, the Transforming Mental Health team at Transformation Partners in Health and Care (TPHC) is sharing content including blogs, podcasts and videos to raise awareness around the symptoms, conditions, lived experiences, and recovery journeys of people with eating disorders.

We are also sharing information and resources or healthcare and other professionals to recognise early symptoms, and signposts to support for the loved ones who are supporting children, young people and adults with eating disorders.

Content has been contributed by GPs, young experts by experience, and Lived Experience Practitioners to highlight the patient voice and experiences of diagnosis, physical and mental symptoms, and recovery journey, from a range of eating disorders.

Trigger warning: if you need any support after viewing content on eating disorders, please visit the Beat website or speak to your GP.

Supporting Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2023 in London

Blogs:

• ‘From Stigma to Support: Advocating for Eating Disorder Care in the Capital’ a blog from Dr Brian Sreenan about the aims of the London Eating Disorders Programme
• ‘A Conversation with My Father’, by Anny from the Fat Ugly Blog
• The journey of an expert by experience and tips for recovery, by Emily a young woman living with an eating disorder
• Tips from young people on seeking help for your mental health , by TPHC’s CYP Mental Health experts by experience group
• How GPs can best support young people presenting with disordered or restricted eating, by Dr Louise Miller, GP at The Phoenix Practice and Clinical Lead CYP Mental Health, TPHC

Videos:

• Six early signs that someone may have an eating disorder, by Dr Louise Miller
  

Resources:

• Beat statistics about men’s eating disorders
• Beat are holding ‘Coping with Celebrations’ workshops to support parents and carers of young people with eating disorders through Ramadan and Passover. These workshops provide an opportunity to explore coping strategies in more detail and to hear from other families affected by an eating disorder. Where possible, you will also have an opportunity to speak to someone who has fully recovered from an eating disorder, or from an experienced carer. Speak to a Beat advisor by calling 0808 801 0677 and learn more about these courses.

• Learn about our work on young people’s eating disorders, including:
  • Guidelines on spotting symptoms of eating disorders for education and VCSE professionals
    Our guidelines for spotting early symptoms of eating disorders can support professionals working with children and young people in education settings and through the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. Find them here:
    • Guidelines for education professionals
    • Guidelines for professionals working in the VCSE sector
  • Guidelines on spotting symptoms of eating disorders for primary care professionals

Healthy London Partnership in partnership with Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, developed eating disorder guidelines for primary care professionals which share advice about spotting the signs of eating disorders and when to refer children and young people to the community eating disorders service for specialist support. Endorsed by Dr Tom Coffey OBE GP, Clinical Lead for Mental Health and Children’s Services at Wandsworth CCG and Mayoral Health Advisor. Download here

You can also find all of the content which was shared from our 2022 campaign here.