Eating disorders affect people everywhere, even here at Snow College. February 22 through 28 is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. This is a week to notice other Badgers and try to help, however needed.
Eating disorders can be scary and hard to deal with so here are some tips to help out yourself or friends if they need it. If any student or staff member is having an actual emergency, call 911 immediately.
The college’s best resource is the Health and Wellness Center here at Snow. They offer counseling for those that need it. The Center’s number is 435.283.7136. The Wellness Center is an amazing resource and their counselors love their Badgers and are there to help.
If a fellow student does not want to, or is not ready for a counseling session, there are some alternative ways to help. According to The National Eating Disorder Association there are many simple ways to help.
Researching eating disorders and pinpointing specific disorders those who are struggling might have, can help prepare students to help those in need. Be prepared for a negative and emotional reaction. Confronting someone about an eating disorder can be very scary for both parties.
Avoiding simplistic suggestions that minimize the trauma of the eating disorder, like “just stop”. These suggestions will just make the person defensive. According to an anonymous Snow College student who has dealt with an eating disorder for a few years, the best thing to do to help is to “…just distract me from it. The feeling will pass, but sometimes it’s all I can think about. So just being there to distract me can really help.”