We are committed to bringing eating disorder awareness to the general public so that prevention and evidence-based treatment can be recognized. We are working together to make specialized eating disorder treatment accessible to everyone. A few of the main challenges in the fight against eating disorders include the increasingly high costs of treatment, lack of specialized care, and the associated stigmas that inhibit change in our society. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, but can be successfully treated to complete remission. Sadly, only 1 in 10 eating disorders receive treatment, and 35 percent of those who get help receive specialized treatment. The exact treatment needs of each person can become very costly; however, most insurers will not cover long-term treatment, and some routinely deny adequate coverage of eating disorders on the grounds that there is not enough evidence on how best to treat them. The stigma that eating disorders are self-inflicted and sufferers only have themselves to blame is widespread and increases the reluctance to ask for help - it is even proven to affect the amount of allocated government funding for research. We must act to help those with eating disorders get the expert care they need, increase public awareness to break down prejudice, and advocate for research advancement!
