OPINION

Evan Weaver breezeopinion@gmail.com EDITOR EMAIL @Breeze_Opinion

Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at breezejmu.org.

A “respect-everyone” dart to the students who’ve been calling Liz Wheeler’s April 26 event hate speech.

From someone who thought the event was respectful and logically coherent, and that calls for its cancellation were totally misplaced.

A “bummer” dart to my boss for not letting my coworker and I buy matching tracksuits.

From someone who doesn’t want to use their own money.

EMMA SELI compromising controversy

As a JMU student who struggles with anorexia, it can be extremely difficult to receive help and adequate treatments. With the consistent stress of school, jobs and social life, it’s incredibly easy to relapse. The reality is eating disorders are dangerous, and suffering from one can lead to death. While it’s a mental illness, the physical effects on the body are dire.

Eating disorders are heartbreakingly common on college campuses, with both male and female students struggling with anorexia or bulimia, according to a study published by the Journal of College Health. Academic and social pressures, along with societal stigmatization toward eating disorders and other mental illnesses, significantly contribute to this problem. Seeking help can be incredibly difficult, especially when many colleges aren’t adequately equipped to provide care and support to students suffering from these issues.

A “where-is-everyone” pat to the Wheeler event for drawing everyone to East Campus.

From someone who didn’t have to wait in line at Chick-fil-A.

An “I’m-confused” pat to the JMU’s Student Government Association for supporting the JMU vision and Wheeler’s event, and dart for it then repudiating its support.

From a libertarian who’d never heard of Liz Wheeler.

In the same study — which used a sample of 1,168 undergraduates, 674 females and 494 males, reflecting the demographic characteristics of the college student population in the U.S. — it was found that 13.5% of female undergraduates and 3.6% of male undergraduates tested positive for eating disorders.

It’s necessary for universities to be acutely aware of this issue and provide the means of help and recovery to students suffering from these dangerous disorders. Anorexia and bulimia don’t just affect our bodies, they affect our minds and influence practically every aspect of our lives.

However, society’s stigmatization of disordered eating strongly discourages individuals from seeking much-needed help. The lack of appropriate treatments and other resources also significantly contributes to this issue.

JMU’s Counseling Center provides some assistance to those looking to get help for their disorders, providing information on symptoms and links for students to use. This includes a listing of potential symptoms, a self-assessment survey, links to information on receiving treatment and group counseling, and additional information on nutrition, personal fitness and body positivity. However, difficulty in accessing resources from the Counseling Center can be discouraging to students seeking help, especially when asking for help is tough in its own right.

The stigmatization of eating disorders and mental health is a devastating part of our society. I struggled with my eating disorder for roughly two years before I sought help because I thought it was just like any other mental illness. I figured it would solve itself eventually until I realized the serious nature of eating disorders. If it weren’t for my parents and doctor, I may not have returned to JMU last fall semester. I was lucky enough to have a support system, but that’s relatively rare. Many people suffering from eating disorders may not have family, friends or doctors supporting them through the intense process. Finding help is by no means easy.

According to the Toledo Center for Eating Disorders, there’s a “strong stigma” surrounding disordered eating that the struggles someone experiences are voluntary or about vanity. The Toledo Center also says this makes many people who could benefit from treatment at a skilled eating disorder guidance program avoid seeking help.

An article from the Journal of American College Health examined the pervasiveness of eating disorders among college students and the high correlation between eating disorders and other mental health issues, as well as the reasons individuals often delay seeking help and the difficulties associated with access to treatment. This includes stigmatization toward eating disorders, denial of existence, lack of availability of treatment and mental health professionals, and issues concerning affordability and access to insurance.

In the same article, the authors stress additional factors that come into play when seeking treatment, like the stigma associated with eating disorders, a lack of a sense of urgency and motivation, a lack of access to treatment and the denial of illness — all of which are prevalent in eating disorders.

One JMU student, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of their eating disorder, said college has worsened their eating disorder and that it’s difficult to receive help.

“It’s extremely hard to find time to eat between classes, work and studying. It’s also hard when so many people around you carry unhealthy eating patterns and don’t know it,” the student said. “There are also so many to compare yourself to, which is very triggering. The same goes for society: Eating disorder culture is built into our lives, and with social media, it’s even harder to escape those ideologies.”

The student sought help from the Counseling Center and, while they said they found the staff incredibly kind, they had to stop attending appointments due to the Center’s consistent lack of availability.

“The counseling and health center are hard to schedule with, and there are no widely shared options for those who may need to take extended breaks for mental health care,” the student said.

The Center has introduced a new virtual mental health option this year, TimelyCare, to help ease the burden however.

When inpatient treatment is necessary, school often gets in the way. However, JMU has the HOPE (Help Overcome Problems with Eating and Exercise) Team to provide outreach to students with these issues.

According to its page on JMU’s website, the goals of the HOPE Team are to “provide students who are suffering from eating and exercise disorders with an on-campus resource to give them what they need in terms of education, evaluation, and eventual recovery.”

The HOPE team provides students with resources to help combat problems with eating and exercise. This includes links to the Counseling Center for therapy and assistance, JMU dieticians, physicians and fitness experts.

Faith Fischetti, a JMU student who has personal experience with eating disorders and volunteers for the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) helpline, notes that, in general, college life affects disordered eating habits and many people may not even recognize their unhealthy eating patterns.

However, recognizing these patterns is hard, just as seeking help is. Fischetti said she was lucky to have the support system of friends, family and doctors to cope with her eating disorder — noting her unique position as a NEDA volunteer is part of the support system for others struggling.

“Since a lot of us are broke and may not eat as much as we should due to the price of groceries, someone who is really struggling may not get the support they deserve as early as they deserve it,” Fischetti said. “It is also challenging to reach the step where you recognize that you need help, and it’s even harder to ask for it.”

Unfortunately, on June 1, NEDA is being switched to an AI chatbot, which will de-personalize the experience and negate what Fischetti calls one of the benefits of working with NEDA: her words and expertise helping “at least one person see the beauty within themselves.”

“Throughout my conversations on the helpline, I have noticed that a lot of contacts appreciate talking to a real person,” Fischetti said. “The personalized conversation shows that the individual is being listened to and that their specific situation is understood.”

NEDA has a program called “Campus Warriors,” and Fischetti recommends that it comes to JMU. The program is a way for students passionate about spreading awareness for eating disorders to come together and increase knowledge and start conversations about eating disorders on campus, Fischetti said. NEDA also conducts walks in various cities to support its efforts.

Spreading awareness on the prevalence of eating disorders is essential, especially among college populations. So many of us struggle with eating disorders, and it’s incredibly difficult to identify the patterns associated with disordered eating. It’s even harder to seek and receive treatment. Colleges across the country, including JMU, must help to combat this serious issue and increase access to necessary resources.

Everyone deserves support and everyone deserves help.

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