Last night was stressful (to stay the least) for most of America. As we recover from this year’s intense election cycle, self-care must be a priority. Check out these helpful tips from six NEDA staffers below.
Considered the deadliest mental illness in the United States, clinically-significant eating disorders will affect approximately 20 million women and 10 million men at some point in their lives. And according to recent statistics, 20 million people in the European Union alone have an eating disorder, with a staggering cost of €1 trillion per year.
Dr. Lesley Williams is a certified eating disorder specialist, family medicine physician and positive body image advocate. She co-owns Liberation Center, an eating disorder treatment facility, in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Williams is dedicated to ensuring that all women and men that struggle with eating and body image issues receive the help that they need to overcome and live happy, healthy lives. Dr. Williams regularly educates other healthcare professionals about the diversity and dangers of eating disorders.
Happy November, everybody! Below are this week’s noteworthy news headlines from across the web.
Why “taking time to check in with yourself” is vital to self-care.
What is the difference between short-term and long-term self-care and how can this knowledge help us combat mental illness?
Little bunnies, robust lions and occasional sloths—all is par for the course in Disney’s latest animated hit, Zootopia. I won’t spoil it for you, promise, but for those of you who haven’t seen it, it’s not just about cute animals.
Themes like racism make Zootopia more an adult movie than a kids’ cartoon, but it’s the fleshed-out characters that really make it shine. This is depicted best in thick-skinned male co-protagonist Nick Wilde, who at one pivotal moment says, “I promised myself I would never let anyone know that they got to me.”
Becca Gastfriend, better known as beccs, is a singer/songwriter who released her EP, Unfound Beauty, on September 21st. The EP focuses on beccs’ personal experience with an eating disorder and revolves around themes of recovery, self-doubt, and healing. Originally from Boston, beccs is a Brooklyn-based musician who specializes in piano and creates music with an alternative and soulful style. Through her music and jaw-dropping vocals, she encourages her listeners to be vulnerable and self-aware, and helps normalize personal pains and desires.
Millions of fans know Zayn Malik as one-fifth of One Direction, the multiplatinum boy band that took over the world (basically). After breaking out as a solo artist in 2015 and debuting his own hit studio album this year, Malik is now speaking publicly about his painful struggle with an eating disorder during his time in One Direction.
It's probably no surprise that major magazines talk about the body and appearance very often. Fashion and beauty definitely have their place as art forms and means of self-expression, so in no way do I think our freedom to explore different styles should be taken away.
Sometimes, doing my makeup in the morning is the only thing that calms me down on stressful days. Experimenting with my fashion choices has opened up a whole new realm of body positivity and personal style for me as well.
Can you believe that it’s the last Friday of October already? Check out another week of important news headlines below.
This past Wednesday, NYC community members came together to raise mental health awareness in a stigma-free space through the power of quilting.
If you’ve seen mainstream reporting on eating disorders recovery, you’ve probably seen the all-too-common “before and after” pictures. Typically, the images are shown side-by-side in a manner uncomfortably similar to ads for Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers.