*NEDA = the National Eating Disorders Association*

NEDAwareness Week 2016 is upon us, and this year’s theme is “3 minutes can save a life. Get screened. Get help. Get healthy.”

At first glance, I’m not sure how I feel about this notion. My hesitation comes in with the idea that a simple screening is enough to fix the problem. It seems too simple for such complex and confusing disorders. Screenings are great. I’m not saying we should stop encouraging people to get screened. But, I worry that some of the sickest people are in such denial over their state that a simple three minutes screening isn’t going to prompt them to action. They might not even get a result saying they could have an eating disorder (ED) because of such strong denial.

I’m not sure how I feel about reducing eating disorders to a three minute questionnaire that tells us “you’re good,” or “you might have a problem, you should get help for that.” It doesn’t seem right to me to think simple questionnaires are going to solve this problem. It takes so much more.

Let me back up though.

NEDA is a wonderful organization that does so much work advocating for research and awareness for what is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue in our society— eating disorders. NEDAwareness Week is this amazing thing that happens during the last week of February (mental health awareness month) every year and always sheds so much light on an issue that we as a society like to ignore because it’s easier that way. So many people would like to continue making their jokes about being “anorexic for a week” or “catching bulimia for a day” or being so glad they had the “strength to not get binge eating disorder.” Many people would rather support diet-culture and off-handedly use eating disorders as adjectives and “contagious” illnesses than take the time to learn the reality and find new jokes and jabs.

All of that goes to say, my hesitance about the theme does not stem from any negative views towards the organization that came up with said theme. My resistance comes in with the possibility that people will take this theme the wrong way.

I’m not so sure than three minutes really can save a life. I think that three minutes can play a vital role in saving a life though. I think that early intervention is important. I think screenings are helpful. I think this theme is still relevant and important. I think it encourages people to jump in and do something instead of being overwhelmed by where to start. I think it gives people that place to start.

I just fear that it doesn’t give them a place to go beyond that. So you take a screening and might have an eating disorder, or you convince a friend you’re worried about to take a screening and he/she might have a problem. Okay. What next? Those three minutes can help start a conversation, but so much more goes into a lasting recovery. Support from friends and family, proper treatment, and a lot of hard work and time.

I suppose that what I’m trying to say here is that three minutes can help, but it’s really what comes after those three minutes that saves a life. Maybe that’s nit-picky and hyper-critical, but I guess that’s what you get with detail-oriented people like myself.

So get screened, by all means. It’s free, quick, convenient, and so simple. It’s a great first step. Even if you don’t have an eating disorder, just going through the questions might help give insight into the thought patterns and processes of someone who does have an ED. Don’t stop there though. If you’re struggling, actually take the next step and reach out. Or if you’re concerned about someone, take the next step and reach out to them. Start that conversation, start connecting, start catching on, because it’s really the actions that come after those three minutes that are going to save a life.

For more information and resources, visit: NEDA’s Website

To get screened: click here

For advice about supporting someone with an eating disorder: check out this video

For ideas about how to spread awareness this week: check out this article

And as always: feel free to ask me questions and/or come talk to me!