National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is Feb. 21-27

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, Feb. 21-27, is a perfect time to challenge your assumptions and broaden your knowledge about the serious mental illnesses known as eating disorders.

Eating disorders are not to be overlooked - they have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness in this country. Eating disorders can lead to serious physical and psychological complications and impact normal functioning, processing, and daily activities. Eating disorders do not discriminate. They impact people from all age, ethnicity, and gender groups.

Eating disorders are complex, multi-causal mental illnesses that impact an estimated 30 million people in the United States. And these numbers do not reflect those who struggle with disordered eating behaviors and attitudes, or body dissatisfaction.

Eating disorders are not lifestyle choices or fads, and instead are real, crippling conditions that have serious consequences for one's physical, emotional, and mental health. The three most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

It is important to know the signs and symptoms of eating disorders. Some symptoms include, but are not limited to: preoccupation with food, weight, or one's body; compulsive exercise; withdrawal; constant fear of gaining weight; refusal to eat except for tiny portions, or only drinking calorie-free drinks; lack of menstruation; eating alone or in secret; eating large amounts of food in short periods of time; and abuse of diet pills or laxatives.

Eating disorders are serious, and those suffering from them need professional help. There are a variety of treatment options available that range from intensive inpatient treatment to local support groups.

At TriCity Family Services in Geneva, they offer a comprehensive, outpatient, family-based approach to treating eating disorders that recognizes parents as the best resource for their child's or adolescent's recovery. They also offer a support group for parents. For more information about eating disorders and their treatment, please visit www.tricityfamilyservices.org or call (630) 232-1070.

Eating disorders are treatable. There is hope, and the more that we educate ourselves regarding eating disorders, the stronger our united fight against these illnesses will be.

The goal of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (#NEDAwareness Week) is to put the spotlight on the seriousness of eating disorders and to improve public understanding of their causes, triggers and treatments. By increasing awareness and access to resources, we can encourage early detection and intervention, which can improve the likelihood of full recovery for millions.

The 2016 theme is "3 Minutes Can Save a Life."

This year, the National Eating Disorders Association is focusing on the importance of early intervention and encouraging the public to complete the free online eating disorders screening at screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/NEDA. Taking 3 minutes to complete the screening will help determine if it is time to seek professional help.

For more information about National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, visit nedawareness.org.