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NEWS
| October 2, 2003
Health
Eating disorder group meets
1 student participates in the
group’s first support gathering for victims.
By Jessica
Smith
Contributor to The Shorthorn
Despite having a turnout of one, a new eating disorders support
group will continue meeting to address the concerns of students.
Kinesiology assistant professor Diane Wasson said advertising for
the support group began Tuesday, so a large turnout was not expected.
The group will continue to meet Wednesdays in 604 Nedderman Hall,
she said.
Exercise science junior Pam Stauffer said she was glad such a group
was available for students like herself.
“The research clearly states this is needed,” she said.
“This is an excellent opportunity for students.”
The Campus Recreation Department began a support group in 1994,
when Stauffer said she spoke with Associate Director Sharon Carey
about the need for it. When the former Quest Wellness director left
the university in 1996, the group went defunct, Wasson said. The
group wasn’t revived until Carolyn Lutter, the department’s
assistant director, was hired in May, she said.
The support group provides students at risk for an eating disorder,
those suffering from one or those concerned with eating and body
image a confidential place to talk about their problem and help
them “react to situations in a healthy way,” she said.
However, if a student really has a problem with an eating disorder,
they will be referred to a doctor, she said.
“This is not meant to replace medical treatment,” Wasson
said.
Lutter said a support group for these individuals is needed because
eating disorders are so prevalent today and rarely talked about.
Wasson agreed, saying the number of people with eating disorders
is larger than the number of those with other illnesses.
“If you were to compare the number of incidents of SARS to
the number of incidents of eating disorders, it would pale in comparison,”
she said.
Stauffer said she values communication because people with disorders
often isolate themselves out of shame. Most people don’t admit
that they purge or don’t eat, Wasson said.
They can’t even express their feelings, she said. In the mid-1990s,
she ran a treatment group for Parkside Medical Services in Ohio.
During one meeting, Wasson did a “feelings check” and
asked the participants how they were feeling. They didn’t
respond.
Later, she brought in cardboard cutouts of food and asked them to
select one and tell the group how they felt. Holding the cutouts,
group members then told Wasson their feelings of happiness, frustration
or anger. One of the participants was disgusted with the whole spectacle
after realizing that the group couldn’t express a simple feeling
without the food, Wasson said.
After that exercise, though, they could speak openly about it.
Wasson said recovery is possible but takes time. The patient must
learn to break habits that lead to the eating disorder.
CORRECTION
This story should not have implied exercise science
junior Pam Stauffer had suffered an eating disorder.
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Types
of Eating Disorders
All types of eating disorders are chronic, psychological
illnesses that can be triggered by family history or
by certain personality traits, such as perfectionism.
Anorexia Nervosa
People with this disorder often have a fear of gaining
weight and restrict the amount they eat. Patients also
usually exercise excessively, even to the point of injury.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimics will eat larger than normal amounts of food
and then attempt to purge the food through vomiting
or laxatives.
Binge Eating Disorder
This is similar to bulimia, except binge eaters do not
purge what they eat. Both bulimics and binge eaters
feel like eating is beyond their control.
— Source: www.webmd.com
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