How can you help people around you with eating problems?
Eating disorders affect so many people and we don't even know about them. Many people don't like to talk about their weaknesses in public and unless you are very close to them, you wouldn't even be able to guess they are battling some problem unless you are quite observant. And one of the most important things I have recently read is to always "remember that just because someone looks ok, doesn't mean they aren't struggling". Now its an obvious one but based on some recent interactions and my own history of problems, I deem this idea very important.
Society always affects the lives of individuals whether they know it or not. And since society is made up of individuals, you as an individual have the power to influence people as well. So let's discuss some ways of helping people with eating disorders at workplaces and making those workspaces, universities, etc easier for them.
- Avoid talking about diets and calories all the time. Many people nowadays are conscious of this stuff due to the media's created image of healthy and perfect men and women. This can be a trigger for many people and especially for the ones suffering from eating disorders. You can simply make their day worse by getting them into such a discussion.
- If someone does not have a cookie, don't ask questions about it. I have always been towards the underweight side of the spectrum and if you are anywhere below or above the perfect deemed level, and most of us are, you know how it feels being judged while eating. The constant questions about why don't you eat more at university or in a family gathering and having forcefully food shoved in your mouth is not benefitting at all. And if you are from anywhere in the subcontinent then I have even more sympathy for you.
- Commenting on people's food choices is not going to make them get healthy. Everyone has their goals set in terms of intake throughout the day. I see some friends of mine who eat a lot being questioned why do you eat all the time and those who don't eat that much being criticized for not eating healthy. Can it be more annoying?
- Categorizing, labeling, calling people names is the best way to ruin someone's day and make them hate you. This, I have faced a lot and so I cannot emphasize more that you stop doing this. Calling someone chubby, or a skeleton won't make them eat better. It will only make them obsess over what's wrong with them and for many, create stress. Stress makes some people eat more while others completely lose their diet, like me. So being a stressor in someone's life can only damage them further and make them want to punch you in your pretty face. You don't want that.
- Keeping an open door in terms of mental health discussions. Our South Asian society is still far behind in this regard. Mental health discussions are still considered taboo or less valued regardless of so many of us face them. Someone who talks about their mental issues is considered a weirdo, weak and less valued. Its time we understood the importance of mental issues and discussing them without judging people. All mental issues can be solved, and the best solution is having an accepting society and a group of friends/people around you. Be that helping hand in someone's life and you will see it come back to you at the time of your need.
Hopefully, now there will be at least one less person to elevate problems. Let us get sensitive and accepting towards people and their issues in life; let us build true connections!
Society always affects the lives of individuals whether they know it or not. And since society is made up of individuals, you as an individual have the power to influence people as well. So let's discuss some ways of helping people with eating disorders at workplaces and making those workspaces, universities, etc easier for them.
- Avoid talking about diets and calories all the time. Many people nowadays are conscious of this stuff due to the media's created image of healthy and perfect men and women. This can be a trigger for many people and especially for the ones suffering from eating disorders. You can simply make their day worse by getting them into such a discussion.
- If someone does not have a cookie, don't ask questions about it. I have always been towards the underweight side of the spectrum and if you are anywhere below or above the perfect deemed level, and most of us are, you know how it feels being judged while eating. The constant questions about why don't you eat more at university or in a family gathering and having forcefully food shoved in your mouth is not benefitting at all. And if you are from anywhere in the subcontinent then I have even more sympathy for you.
- Commenting on people's food choices is not going to make them get healthy. Everyone has their goals set in terms of intake throughout the day. I see some friends of mine who eat a lot being questioned why do you eat all the time and those who don't eat that much being criticized for not eating healthy. Can it be more annoying?
- Categorizing, labeling, calling people names is the best way to ruin someone's day and make them hate you. This, I have faced a lot and so I cannot emphasize more that you stop doing this. Calling someone chubby, or a skeleton won't make them eat better. It will only make them obsess over what's wrong with them and for many, create stress. Stress makes some people eat more while others completely lose their diet, like me. So being a stressor in someone's life can only damage them further and make them want to punch you in your pretty face. You don't want that.
- Keeping an open door in terms of mental health discussions. Our South Asian society is still far behind in this regard. Mental health discussions are still considered taboo or less valued regardless of so many of us face them. Someone who talks about their mental issues is considered a weirdo, weak and less valued. Its time we understood the importance of mental issues and discussing them without judging people. All mental issues can be solved, and the best solution is having an accepting society and a group of friends/people around you. Be that helping hand in someone's life and you will see it come back to you at the time of your need.
Hopefully, now there will be at least one less person to elevate problems. Let us get sensitive and accepting towards people and their issues in life; let us build true connections!
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