Eating Disorder Awareness – February 2011 – What the Numbers Mean

Ok, usually when you read an article about anorexia and bulimia it’s pretty depressing. There are stats about how many people have the disease, how many people don’t report it, how many new cases there are, how many girls (and boys too) worry about their weight, how much power the media has on body image…whew!

This article is going to be a bit different.

The image above covers most of the prevalent numbers in the eating disorder realm. Not too many people are completely in the dark about ED anymore. In the last 20 years the amount of information and awareness of ED has improved to the point where almost everyone, in the western world, has heard of Anorexia and Bulimia (and their lessor recognized cousins, Binge Eating and Excessive Exercise)

Most often articles on ED focus on these numbers. The ones in the image. The devastating reach of the disease.

We feel that there are far too few articles, movies and Facebook pages that focus on recovery and optimism.

The reality of an ED is that people who have one are societies most ardent followers. They see what western civilization views as “perfect” and they strive to fulfill that requirement. Sometimes they are so successful that they are actually killing themselves to meet the demand for perfection.

The film, No Numbers – Identity Beyond Measure, acknowledges these people in a way that no other film has. It examines the reasons why so many young people find themselves struggling with an eating disorder but it goes far beyond that to examine the roads to recovery.

As much as we would love this film to help people to learn to love themselves the way they are we are targeting those people that are suffering now. Some are doing it alone, with no support and no treatment. Some likely believe that they are successful at meeting societies expectations.

We want them to see that they do not have to live up to some randomly, media-driven model of perfection. We want to show them how “perfect” comes in a million packages and that finding their way starts with that first step, the step towards self-acceptance.

February is Eating Disorder Awareness Month all over North America and the UK. Throughout the month our goal is to have the film No Numbers – Identity Beyond Measure screened in as many places as possible.

Any organization, school or group that would like to buy a copy of the film can screen it and keep the admission proceeds to aid in assisting individuals in their own community. All we ask is that you let us know so we can link to you, promote your organization and help get the word out to people in your community that there will be a screening near them.

Contact me through the author contact for more information.