Eating disorders are not a choice, experts warn

THE pandemic has intensified eating disorder struggles with support services reporting a tsunami of calls to their helplines and the Federal Government has responded with a cash injection

The pandemic has intensified eating disorder struggles with support services reporting a tsunami of calls to their helplines.

Demand to Butterfly Foundation’s national helpline was more than 25 per cent higher from January to June than the previous six month period and the foundation’s online webchat service has seen a surge of 116 per cent in the last year.

It comes as Olympian Lisa Curry and former Ironam Grant Kenny are this week mourning the loss of their eldest daughter, 33 year-old Jaimi, after it emerged she waged a private battle against an eating disorder before her death.

Jaimi Kenny died this week after suffering an eating disorder. Picture: Facebook

Eating Disorders Queensland has also received a 54 per cent increase in calls during the pandemic.

“Isolation can be a trigger as can the need to take some control at times when it seems things are not in your control,” EDQ general manager Belinda Chelius told The Courier-Mail.

In response to the cries for help the Federal Government has announced a $450,000 cash injection to the Butterfly National Helpline.

“The helplines are vital services for people wrestling with eating disorders. Eating disorders can be very deadly and much of society is unaware of their dangers,” Ms Chelius said.

“Sufferers often have other psychiatric disorders and years of restricted nutrition can break down the organs. But still many people in the community think that eating disorders are a choice and people will grow out of them but this couldn’t be more wrong. Nine per cent of the Queensland population is struggling with some kind of eating problem and they are all kinds of people,” Ms Chelius said.

“But I have to emphasise that recovery is very possible and no two cases are the same. Early intervention can make all the difference,” Ms Chelius said.

The Butterfly Foundation reports that mortality rates for anorexia nervosa are among the highest of all mental health disorders in young people and middle aged adults. One in five anorexia deaths are due to suicide.

Compromised immune systems, kidney failure, osteoporosis and heart problems can all lead to fatality.

Other disorders are bulimia nervosa, which is binge eating followed by purging and Binge Eating Disorder, which is bingeing without purging and the most common eating disorder. There is also Other Specified Eating Disorder when someone doesn’t fit the criteria for the other disorders.

A Butterfly Foundation spokeswoman said that people may develop an eating disorder due to a genetic vulnerability, psychological factors or even just different personality traits like perfectionism or obsessive compulsiveness.

www.eatingdisordersqueensland.org.au

Butterfly National Helpline: 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673)