The People Who Fall Through the Cracks of Eating Disorder Treatment

I went into a emergency room for what I thought was a physical side effect of anorexia finally catching up to me. I was wrong. I’m “perfectly healthy.” Also, not “sickly thin.”

So they send me home.

No psych consult, no full work up, no referral. Because unless you are what the media portrays as anorexic, you must be fine.

It makes me feel like I have to try to get sicker for people to help me. There are treatment centers that will only help you if you are “sick enough.” What about people like me? Where’s my help? It’s not fair that those who are fighting to hold on, but don’t look the part, fall through the cracks. Eating disorders have the highest death rate of all mental illnesses. So why not help those who need it before they get to the point where they “look” like they need help? So many doctors, nurses and basically all medical professionals are so uneducated about all eating disorders and miss the warning signs or fail to see how bad the person is struggling. The system is truly failing us and something needs to be done.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, you can call the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline at 1-800-931-2237.

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Thinkstock photo via eugenesergeev