Spring Break
Eating disorder proven to be deadly
Katherine Helms, Contributing Writer, khelms@smu.edu
Issue date: 3/7/08 Section: News
The Elisa Project realized the urgent need on SMU's campus for a program that promotes awareness about eating disorders, which are not even discussed in depth in wellness classes.
"Right now S.W.A.D.E. curriculum is in development, transitioning from a high school to a college curriculum, and once it gains momentum at SMU, students at other colleges have expressed interest in implementing the same program," said Carlock.
Statistics show that one in five women deal with disordered eating. One out of every 100 young women between the ages of 10 and 20 are starving themselves, sometimes to death. Because of these statistics, Dr. Elizabeth Hughes, director of The Elisa Project, is excited to see the impact that S.W.A.D.E. will have on the SMU campus.
"The Elisa Project would like S.W.A.D.E. to become an integral part of student life on SMU's campus. Everyone knows someone that struggles with an eating disorder. Unfortunately, it is a very private disease, so it is not often discussed. We would like S.W.A.D.E. to provide the forum for students to educate one another about positive body image, media literacy, eating disorder prevention, the importance of treatment and advocacy efforts," said Hughes.
Many people dealing with eating disorders are very private about the disease and are frightened to seek help.
"Students do not take full advantage of the counseling at SMU, because they do not or cannot recognize there is a problem," said Carlock.
Both The Elisa Project and S.W.A.D.E. work to educate people about eating disorders, to prevent the occurrences, to provide hope for the future and to help those struggling to find treatment and heal.
Lisa Calhoun, director of programming for The Elisa Project, said, "The most gratifying aspect of working for The Elisa Project is being able to help people get treatment for their loved ones. Too many times, a parent will discover that their child has an eating disorder and not know how to help. They will call The Elisa Project with very little knowledge about the disease or know how to start the treatment process. After talking with individuals we find they usually feel much better because they have a plan."
The Elisa Project helps families develop treatment plans, while S.W.A.D.E. is a peer-to-peer program that aims to educate students about the problem. The hope is that students can encourage and counsel each other, and in turn begin to eliminate the number of students affected.
These programs are not only intended for people who struggle with eating disorders but also to promote mental and physical health and wellness. There are volunteer opportunities, as well as presentations available for people who simply want to learn about eating disorders and positive body image. SMU should welcome S.W.A.D.E. as a resource to the community, a wonderful way to get involved on campus, as well as a chance to bring awareness to our campus about an extremely deadly and prevalent disease.
"Right now S.W.A.D.E. curriculum is in development, transitioning from a high school to a college curriculum, and once it gains momentum at SMU, students at other colleges have expressed interest in implementing the same program," said Carlock.
Statistics show that one in five women deal with disordered eating. One out of every 100 young women between the ages of 10 and 20 are starving themselves, sometimes to death. Because of these statistics, Dr. Elizabeth Hughes, director of The Elisa Project, is excited to see the impact that S.W.A.D.E. will have on the SMU campus.
"The Elisa Project would like S.W.A.D.E. to become an integral part of student life on SMU's campus. Everyone knows someone that struggles with an eating disorder. Unfortunately, it is a very private disease, so it is not often discussed. We would like S.W.A.D.E. to provide the forum for students to educate one another about positive body image, media literacy, eating disorder prevention, the importance of treatment and advocacy efforts," said Hughes.
Many people dealing with eating disorders are very private about the disease and are frightened to seek help.
"Students do not take full advantage of the counseling at SMU, because they do not or cannot recognize there is a problem," said Carlock.
Both The Elisa Project and S.W.A.D.E. work to educate people about eating disorders, to prevent the occurrences, to provide hope for the future and to help those struggling to find treatment and heal.
Lisa Calhoun, director of programming for The Elisa Project, said, "The most gratifying aspect of working for The Elisa Project is being able to help people get treatment for their loved ones. Too many times, a parent will discover that their child has an eating disorder and not know how to help. They will call The Elisa Project with very little knowledge about the disease or know how to start the treatment process. After talking with individuals we find they usually feel much better because they have a plan."
The Elisa Project helps families develop treatment plans, while S.W.A.D.E. is a peer-to-peer program that aims to educate students about the problem. The hope is that students can encourage and counsel each other, and in turn begin to eliminate the number of students affected.
These programs are not only intended for people who struggle with eating disorders but also to promote mental and physical health and wellness. There are volunteer opportunities, as well as presentations available for people who simply want to learn about eating disorders and positive body image. SMU should welcome S.W.A.D.E. as a resource to the community, a wonderful way to get involved on campus, as well as a chance to bring awareness to our campus about an extremely deadly and prevalent disease.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Sally Neff
posted 3/08/08 @ 3:45 PM CST
Good article and I hope ALL the young women heed this advice..
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