Eating Disorders Awareness Week kicks off Feb. 1 with hopes of spurring more awareness

Angie Mellen was diagnosed with an eating disorder at a young age.

Her experiences and recovery serve as the backbone to her role as the acting executive director for the Eating Disorder Support Network of Alberta (EDSNA).

Every 52 minutes someone dies as a result of an eating disorder due to a lack of diagnoses, treatments, and knowledge within the community, according to the EDSNA.

“I was one of the lucky ones who got treatment right away,” Mellen says.

“It was an incredibly tough experience, and if it wasn’t for the support of my family, my doctor, my therapist, and everyone in the community, I would not have had the chance to recover like I did.”

An unfair stigma

There is often a stigma attached to who eating disorders impact, which results in a lack of knowledge and awareness and, ultimately, a lack of treatment.

“Stereotypes are dangerous because it can really invalidate the experience of others and can cloud people’s judgment on who can be affected, such as doctors, teachers, and everyday people,” Mellen says.

A lack of knowledge also results in not being able to recognize an eating disorder in yourself or others.

“Only one in 10 people seek treatment for an eating disorder and approximately 55,000 Albertans have a clinically diagnosable eating disorder,” Mellen adds.

Awareness is key

If more people sought out treatment, this number would be exponentially higher.

“Awareness is important because it helps let people… who are struggling [know] that there is support out there and that they are not alone,” Mellen says.

“It also helps people recognize those warning signs. It’s shown time and time again the sooner an eating disorder or disordered eating behaviours are caught, the easier and more effective treatment is.”

Eating Disorders Awareness Week from Feb. 1 to 7 is designed to spur open dialogue and silence the stereotypes and shame associated with eating disorders.

“We really love this week because it’s a week where not only do we do events throughout the province, but it’s recognized nationally throughout the country,” Mellen says.

“We work together as a whole national collaborative effort to make sure we are producing materials that are effective and will get the message out to make people more aware.”

Reflecting on her experiences

Mellen has reflected on her experiences with the EDSNA and how it has impacted her.

“It honestly feels so nice to be able to give back to the community. It was such a huge part of my life growing up and to be able to now work in it and help move in a direction that better supports everyone is rewarding and fulfilling,” Mellen says.

As a survivor of an eating disorder, Mellen has found a sense of therapy from her work with others impacted.

“Every time someone reaches out to me, a little piece of my heart twinges. I instantly empathize with where they’re at, I can feel the pain in their message and the hopelessness that they feel,” Mellen says.

“When I am able to respond and give them resources and support and send them in a direction to actually start taking steps to recovery, it fills me with hope for the future.”

Everyone can play a part

While Eating Disorders Awareness Week is a great way to increase community knowledge on the subject, Mellen stresses the importance of keeping certain comments to yourself.

“One of the big things I would love for people to stop doing is commenting on other people’s bodies, even if you mean it as a compliment,” Mellen says.

“You never know what you could be referencing. You could be commenting on someone’s eating disorder, food insecurity, grief, illness, and so many other factors.”

Instead of commenting on someone’s external image, Mellen says that we should instead compliment things like people’s laughter, energy, and personality.

A need for more funding

A large factor in the lack of treatment options for eating disorders is funding.

“Currently across Canada, I believe there are only around a dozen psychiatrists who specialize in eating disorders. So there's limited access to treatment and support,” Mellen says.

On top of needing more psychiatrists throughout the country, a large portion of the research around eating disorders comes from the United States instead of Canada.

“Research often doesn’t identify people who are Black, Indigenous, or people from the 2SLGBTQ+ community,” Mellen adds.

However, organizations such as EDSNA are working to combat these issues and increase knowledge and access to support for everyone across Alberta.

EDSNA has upcoming workshops and support groups to further promote awareness and knowledge about eating disorders.

Throughout the week, the EDSNA has virtual and in person events planned throughout the city, while the Calgary Tower will be lit in purple.

Find more information about Eating Disorders Awareness Week and upcoming events with the EDSNA on its website.