Together we can tackle eating disorders

Illustration: John Tiedemann

COVID-19 is exacerbating Australia’s existing mental health crisis. Daily life has changed for us all, each one of us feeling at least slightly on edge as we adjust to a reality that shifts with every government press conference. Research led by Professor Jane Fisher shows that mental health problems are at least twice as prevalent now as in non-pandemic circumstances.

For the million Australians experiencing an eating disorder and their loved ones, life is particularly tough. The Butterfly Foundation – a not for profit that supports people living with eating disorders and body image issues — has experienced almost a 120 per cent increase in webchat contacts to our national helpline.

Psychological distress is particularly high for the communities we serve because eating disorders thrive in isolation. Butterfly recently surveyed people with eating disorders and their carers across the country, and found about two-thirds of those with eating disorders reported that COVID-19 has affected their ability to seek treatment and support.

Many contacts to Butterfly are from adolescents and young people, the groups most at risk of developing an eating disorder. With suicide the leading cause of death among young Australians aged 15-24, it is critical that vulnerable young people can access the support and referral that they need in a timely way.

We know that early intervention is best — prospects for full recovery from eating disorders are highest for those who receive treatment within two years of its onset. Yet factors such as stigma, shame, low mental health literacy, fear of change and cost can delay help-seeking. About a quarter of sufferers experience a severe and long-term illness. Eating disorders also carry an increased risk of premature death due to long-term medical complications and increased rate of suicide, with suicide being the second leading cause of death among those suffering from anorexia nervosa.

Behind every statistic about eating disorders is a deeply personal story. At Butterfly we hear these individual stories every day, when families in need of care reach out for help.

In the present system of care, the total economic cost for treating a person with anorexia nervosa is about $100,000 per year. The introduction of new Medicare Benefits Schedule items for eating disorders last year has made a significant impact on access to treatment, but there is still much more to be done to ensure equity of access for all.

For those whose eating disorders are enduring and more severe we need more than just government investment; philanthropy must be part of the long-term solution. Mental health attracts just 4 per cent of private philanthropic funding — by comparison, for every $5 given to cancer charities, mental health charities receive just $1.

For Butterfly, the need is great. With initial investment from the Federal Government, Butterfly Foundation and our charity partner, endED, are developing Australia’s first community-based residential facility, transforming the way eating disorders are treated and building the longitudinal clinical and economic evidence to support the roll out of similar facilities around the country.

Our facility will provide a holistic, individualised treatment program drawing on a range of evidence-based therapies, with a high staff-to-client ratio. A multidisciplinary team will provide 24/7 intensive care and support in a home-like environment, meeting a critical gap in the system and reducing the need for expensive and repeated hospital admissions.

Yet without philanthropic investment this game-changer cannot be realised. Butterfly’s board has personally committed $3.5 million to the facility that will transform the lives of so many and be a catalyst for system change Australia-wide.

But we cannot do it alone.

Butterfly needs $12 million to run the facility for the three-year pilot program, to be able to provide open access to those most desperately in need of support.

Philanthropic leadership in driving social impact has never been so critical. I believe that with philanthropic investment we can create positive systemic change to a mental health condition that has stubbornly gripped a nation, directly affecting one in 10 Australians across the life course.

Worsening mental health is the shadow pandemic that is following COVID-19. There is no better time for those who can support better mental health to do so.

David Murray is the chair of Butterfly Foundation, the national charity for Australians impacted by eating disorders and body image issues. Their national helpline 1800 33 4673 (1800 ED HOPE) is available seven days a week from 8am-Midnight (AEST).