Getting help with an eating disorder

By Madison Donahue ’21, Staff Writer

Mental illnesses have become a pandemic alongside the current one. With the combination of the COVID-19 isolation and anxiety about the future, mental illness and health issues are at an all time high.

Eating disorders are commonly diagnosed in college students. With the stress of an increased workload, less structure and more focus on social pressures, it is common for students to experience an eating disorder. Anorexia and bulimia are two very common ones, with anorexia having the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Both disorders stem from a need for control over a stressful environment, and that is usually done through food restriction or over exercising.

With the COVID pandemic creating a lot of unknown factors for the future, it puts stress on college students, especially those who are entering the job market. According to the National Eating Disorder Association, full-blown eating disorders typically begin between 18 and 21 years of age. The association estimates that between 10 and 20% of women and 4 to 10% of men in college suffer from an eating disorder, and rates are increasing during the pandemic.

In a society that promotes being thin and being in shape is a feeding ground for mental issues, especially within college students. Restriction is used as a coping mechanism to deal with outside issues.

With the right help and advice, there are different ways to channel this need for control. Everyone has different needs and wants for recovery. The first step is to ask for help, which can be done on LVC’s campus.

“If a student struggles with or questions aspects of their mental health, their first step is to contact Counseling Services,” James Felty, director of campus health services, said. “Students can confidently meet with a caring professional counselor who will help assess their situation and, in collaboration with the student, help them determine how best to move forward.”

With this, there are different routes to take as to how to help a student out, since everyone requires different levels of it.

“Depending on the situation or need, some of the services that might be recommended are ongoing counseling, connecting with our 5050 Peer Helpers, joining one of our groups or other helpful interventions” Felty said. 

Regardless of the path a student takes, LVC’s trained professional staff and helpers are here to support them. To start the healing process, students can contact Counseling Services at counselingservices@lvc.edu or 717-867-6232.