More ED and Mental Health Myths

I found this online and thought that it did a great job of busting some myths about eating disorders. It is worth reading - before suffering, I admit that I believed some of these myths. Sadly, society still has many misconceptions about eating disorders and this is why I work to raise awareness about this illness and mental health in general. I think this is a great fact sheet to look at and to question yourself about. For example, many people think that eating disorders are all about getting attention. Others think that ED only happens in Europeans and only in females. Take a look at these myths and what the truth is. Become informed and be aware! For more information or to see the picture in a greater size, you can visit http://www.nedc.com.au/myths-about-eating-disorders.

Before you read the picture, try asking yourself or someone you know these questions about ED and/or mental health, and see what the response is. Do you know the truth, or are they myths?

1) People choose to have eating disorders
2) It is easy to recover from ED
3) Recovery only means eating lots of food
4) Mental illnesses do not cause death
5) You always know when someone has ED or a mental illness
6) Only people with dysfunctional families get mental illnesses
7) You have to be a perfectionist to get an eating disorder
8) Recovery is never truly possible
9) Most healthcare professionals know how to help patients with ED
10) Mental health stigma no longer exists


Popular posts from this blog

The 'Comfort Zone'

Image
  No one likes to be challenged out of their 'comfort zone'. You know - the place where you know you will succeed. Please note that I am not talking about real safety. There is a HUGE difference between challenging yourself to do something you are worried you will fail at, and putting yourself at risk of harm. I am not a 'risk-taker' by any means. I hate roller-coasters. I despise scary movies. I don't speed through yellow lights hoping to pass through. At the same time, I'm not superstitious. I will take some risks if I think that they are reasonable. I will apply for positions that I am not sure I will get. I will try drawing something that I have never tried before. I will (cautiously!) try new yoga positions to test my balance. At the same time, I very much dislike getting out of my comfort zone in certain situations. For example, I applied to a position a while ago, feeling nervous that I would not get it. I mean, how awful would it be if I did NOT get it? ...
Read more

Happy Mothers' Day!

Today is Mothers' Day! Happy Mothers' Day to all the moms, sisters, aunts, grandmas, cousins, etc all over the world! You deserve to be recognized everyday for your work, but today is a special day just for us to tell you how amazing and wonderful you all are! This day is certainly important for me, because my mom is my best friend. She is everything to me. I want her to know how much she means to me - and how much I appreciate her. Mom, this is for you! Last year on Mother's Day, I was dying in the ICU and could not breathe. I didn't even have enough breath to tell my mom, 'happy mothers' day'. And she didn't protest or complain. She stayed by my side and prayed, looking into my dull and tired eyes. She told me, 'don't worry, Marina. You will be okay. All I want for Mother's Day is for you to be alive and to come out of this healthy and well. That is the best and only gift I want'. I cried because I couldn't give her a proper ...
Read more

Published again! - and birthday celebrations

Image
I am blessed to say that once again, my writing has been featured on Fr. Anthony's site. This time, my post is about suffering and pain, and how to communicate with God during these times : http://franthony.com/how-long-o-lord/ I will be honest with you, I find that when I get overwhelmed by the troubles in this world, it becomes difficult to do anything. And sometimes, the hardest thing to do during tribulations is to pray. We all have times when we don't feel like talking to God - and this is harder when we feel angry or fearful that God has forgotten about us. Here is a little secret: God can never forget about us . He loves us unconditionally. And He has His eyes on you all the time, His hands around you to protect you, and His ears ready to listen. I know that sometimes it is hard to pray and communicate with God when we are facing obstacles because we don't understand why things are happening as in our lives. But know this: 'all things work together  for the g...
Read more