According to Current Psychiatry Reports, Eating disorders—including anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating— are the most lethal mental health conditions.

This is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Nearly one in ten Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime and more than 70% don’t seek treatment. The shame and stigmatization of eating disordersoften prevent people who are suffering from seeking help.   Without treatment, eating disorders can take over a person’s life and lead to serious, potentially fatal medical complications.

In honor of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, NAMI NC will host the author of a new research paper entitled “How the Idolisation of Health has Affected Body Image During the Pandemic” on Thursdays with NAMI.

Her study found that young adults either tightened or relinquished their control of food during pandemic

Lorna Pepperill is studying sociology, anthropology, and politics at Durham University in the UK. During her first year she was honored with a Laidlaw Scholarship, which develops leaders who are skilled researchers and embrace empirically informed decisions. Her research project included a survey and focus groups that explored individuals’ relationships with exercise, food, and social media. The results suggested that since the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals either tightened or relinquished their control of food. When travel restrictions allow, Lorna will visit North Carolina and shadow members of the research team at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Lorna’s goal is “to help those who have found the pandemic a particularly difficult time in terms of their relationship with their body.” Join us for a discussion of this relevant and timely subject.

Thursdays with NAMI starts at 7pm and is free and open to all. Join us via Facebook Live or click here to register to participate via Zoom and to view the schedule for future sessions.