Up front, there is no preventing an eating disorder, nor can you give someone or yourself an eating disorder. It is genetic based and then a complex list of high risk characteristics, culture and environment that may or may not help the genetic tendency. Evidenced-based research has not been begun or done enough to show an eating disorder can be prevented by loving your body and having a good self-esteem. Eating disorders are a mental health illness and like all the other mental health illnesses are genetically based, and education is not going to stop you developing one.
There are lots of words buzzing around at the moment that are used in different ways, different meanings and evoke an emotional response from many. Preventative is one of these words. It’s the buzz word for the Body Image, Self-esteem, Healthy Diet industry which has touched down into eating disorder territory. Taken on a responsible level, some websites and organisations don’t say that good body image and self-esteem will prevent an eating disorder but its worth talking about. Taken though from some others, who only want ‘media click rate’ or sensationalised reporting, they do say that prevention is possible and achievable and only report one viewpoint.
Using the word preventative has responsibility attached to it. You have to have evidence to back up what you say. You have to not give false hope and misleading information. You can have no definite in an area which has so far proven to have none.
When someone uses the word preventative attached to their own personal meaning, then the listener can take offense as the meaning of preventative does not match their personal understanding of the word preventative.
The word preventative has 3 contexts in regards to eating disorders.
Preventative 1. Preventative measures in regard to body, mind and health taken to stop an eating disorder ever developing. It stems from the ideal we can educate ourselves out of developing an eating disorder. Mainly aimed at youth and the self-hate body talk, body image, diet and lack of self-esteem in our young people. Some are so strong on this, it becomes their main/only message and has strong language that makes it sound this type of prevention will work. Others get in on the new media buzz word and pay a level of homage to body image. Its about getting in on the band wagon. There is after all money to be made for some of these organisations. Others take a more reputable approach and mix this new preventative message as a ‘maybe’ but make sure the real truth of eating disorders is in their information.
Preventative 2. Preventative intrusion to stop relapse in early recovery. This is an approach taken by pro-active treatment teams to hopefully head off a nose-dive into relapse in early to mid recovery. It might take the form of admission into hospital or treatment centre, it might be a change in medication or more doctor/dietitian visits. It’s aim is to try and stop the impact of starvation on the body and mind, hopefully stopping further or more damage. It also aims to continue therapy recovery not to go back to medical recovery.
Preventative 3. Preventative life behaviours to stop an eating disorder returning. Those who have fully recovered have written and talked about how stress, life changes, traumas, tragedies, lack of self-care can suddenly put them back on an eating disorder behavior pattern. Some find being always aware of their body and mind health can have a lot of benefits in preventing an eating disorder creeping back into their lives.
One word but 3 meanings depending upon whether you are before, during or after the eating disorder. Perhaps the industry-standard usage of the word preventative might need looking at. Maybe a better word to describe what we are all trying to do, a word that suits each as a separate area.
We grasp for hope. That is human. If there is a chance that preventing a person from a bad body image and loving their God given body shape, might stop an eating disorder from developing we will follow it. The illness is so tragic and destructive, those who have suffered or cared for or watched someone with an eating disorder, will try anything to stop it happening. In a world where there is no cure or magic pill for stopping or treating an eating disorder, of course we are going to explore other areas. Research tends to catch up with the social and cultural buzz. There will be research done. Having said that sometimes research gets it wrong too. Look how many research outcomes have been turned around in recent times. We need to be careful not to rely too heavily on one industry area alone.
As parents/carers/advocates we need to be discerning in all we read. Take note of where the article comes from, learn the respected names in research, what internet sites are objective and truth related, make sure we read every side so we can weigh up for ourselves how to help our loved one. Don’t take someone’s strident view, or just the fact they wrote a book or blog, started a company or their name seems famous. None of these gives any of us the authority to say we are right. My view of genetic based development didn’t come from just reading authoritative ED sites and research. They were honed and refined through reading personal blogs, stories, articles, and our own anorexia journey. I read the false hope, flakey edge stuff. I am thankful it was there. It helped and made me discerning and far more wise. It gave me the fuller and wider picture.
