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Eating disorders ‘thrive in isolation’: Coronavirus quarantine has led to a nearly 80% increase in calls for help, experts say – USA TODAY

Sep 12th, 2020

The coronavirus is causing major stresses in households. Here's a look at how the country is doing and tips on how to cope with mental health issues. USA TODAY

Eating disorders thrive in isolation. Which explains why health experts have seen a surge in people seeking help amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The National Eating Disorders Association has reported steep increases, up to 78% duringsome months, in the number of calls and online chats compared to a year ago as millions of Americans quarantine to slow the spread of the virus..

"The pandemic has created an elevated sense of anxiety for everyone. For people with eating disorders, it is even more pronounced," NEDA's CEO Claire Mysko told USA TODAY.

Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental illnesses that affect a person's eating behaviorsregardless of age, sex, gender, race, ethnicityand/or socioeconomic status.

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They're also connected with other mental health diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, trauma and substance abuse. The recovery process cantake months and typically involves relearning normal eating habits, coping skills and, most importantly, building a support system.

Psychologists often recommend people with eating disorders"to connect and to build community, and the important public health recommendations around physical distancing are actually in contrast to what people learn in recovery," Mysko said.

Claire Mysko at the National Eating Disorders Association's gala in New York City in May 2018.(Photo: Family handout)

"Connection is key because eating disorders really do thrive in isolation," she said.

The pandemic has also affected people who were not previously diagnosed with an eating disorder but were negatively impacted by their thoughts on food, weight, fitness and dieting, Mysko said.

In Los Angeles, the group practice Eating Disorder Therapy LA has also had an increase in patients. The practice's director, Lauren Muhlheim, told USA TODAY they've been getting a lot of referrals from the outpatient treatment program at the University of California San Francisco.

"We definitely sawa lot of people who really started exercising excessively and that seemed to exacerbate and trigger eating disorders in a certain portion of people," Muhlhein said.

The "cultural messaging" on social media during the pandemic has also affected members of the eating disorders community,Mysko said.

"COVID 19" and "Quarantine 15" are both plays on "freshman 15," referring to the 15 pounds thatstudents gainduring their first year of college.

While some health experts fear that weight gain during the pandemic can lead to health risks like obesity,Mysko said there are many influencers and companies capitalizing on that message.

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People with eating disorders "are feeling not only the negative impact of being isolated but also this pressure around, 'How do I have the 'perfect body'in quarantine?' and it's having a really negative impact in our community," Mysko said.

Muhlheim agreed.

"Eating during a pandemic is normal and gaining weight during a pandemic is fine, too," said Muhlheim, author of "When Your Teen Has an Eating Disorder: Practical Strategies to Help Your Teen Recover from Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge Eating."

"Having survived a pandemic is a success," she said.

Here are some tips and resources:

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, you can call theNational Eating Disorders AssociationHelplineat 1-800-931-2237, text "NEDA" to 741-741 orclick tochat.

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Original post:
Eating disorders 'thrive in isolation': Coronavirus quarantine has led to a nearly 80% increase in calls for help, experts say - USA TODAY

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