From Mental Health Commission of Canada
This week, the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), encourages everyone to take pause and consider the nearly one million people in Canada living with an eating disorder.
Eating disorders have the highest overall mortality rate of any mental illness — one in ten will not survive their disorder. Despite this sobering reality, eating disorders are poorly understood, inadequately treated, and underfunded. Many people living with eating disorders never receive a proper diagnosis. Of those who do, many do not have access to the comprehensive supports they need to overcome it.
But we are not powerless in the face of this reality. With timely, specialized treatment and support, recovery is possible.
The National Initiative for Eating Disorders (NIED) provides a variety of resources for both individuals and families affected by eating disorders, offering a light in what can feel like the darkest of tunnels. The National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) has a toll-free helpline and chat service to provide immediate support to anyone personally affected or concerned about a loved one. It is through the leadership of organizations like these that we can begin to change recovery from a possibility to a promise.
As Eating Disorders Awareness Week draws to a close, we must not let the sense of urgency wane. There is much work to be done to improve the outcomes for people with eating disorders, but with focused effort and collaboration, the future is hopeful.
Louise Bradley
President and CEO, Mental Health Commission of Canada
Contact
Media Relations
Mental Health Commission of Canada
613-683-3748 / media@mentalhealthcommission.ca
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