Surge in men getting help for eating disorders, report reveals
The number of men getting help for eating disorders has more than doubled in the past year.
Bodywhys, the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland, found 35% of people attending their support groups last year were men — a 128% increase compared to 2016.
The increase may strongly indicate men are beginning to feel more comfortable acknowledging eating disorders, the association suggests.
Its 2017 report also shows a doubling (106%) in the number of people attending the family and friends support group.
There was a 41% increase in emails last year compared to 2016, with almost three-quarters (73%) of such contacts for a ‘listening ear’.
Over half (51%) of callers to the Bodywhys helpline were using it for the first time.
Last year, 64% of people called the helpline for a listening ear and 26% for information. A further 10% were calling because they were in a crisis situation.
In 2016, 56% had called the service for a listening ear, 31% for information and 13% as they were in a crisis.
A gender breakdown of callers with an eating disorder showed that 90% were female, reflecting the generally accepted male to female ration of one to 10.
It also emerged 56% of calls were made by people with eating disorders and 37% from friends and family.
A reported 43% of calls were from 36 to 55-year-olds, the largest group of callers followed by 15 to 18-year-olds (20%).
As has been the case in recent years, most callers have had an eating disorder for over ten years. It emerged one in five callers were not in any form of treatment, a decrease on the 2016 figure of 51%.
There may be many reasons for this but it indicates that in 2017 just over half of the people who used our helpline have already taken that first step to recovery,” the report states.
A treatment breakdown shows 14% of callers have been to their GP, 7% are attending a psychotherapist or counsellor privately and 54% are under the care or a psychiatrist and/or attending a hospital or public mental health service.
There has been a 22% increase in the number of people engaged with public services, compared to 2016.
Training and development manager with Bodywhys, Harriet Parsons, said the rise in contact by phone and email showed that communication was a key starting point and a necessary part of the recovery process.
It is estimated 188,895 people in Ireland will experience an eating disorder at some point in their lives and that about 1,757 new cases occur each year in the 10-49 age group.
However, people can and do recover from eating disorders: “Eating disorders remain complex mental illnesses, affecting a person’s thoughts, behaviours and emotional and physical health. There is no quick fix, but there is support and understanding,” said Ms Parsons.
All support services are based on the ethos that an eating disorder is not about food or weight but underlying issues and feelings.
www.bodywhys.ie
