Issue date: 3/10/08 Section: Money/Health

Media Credit: MCT

It's no secret that many girls struggle with their weight.

Senior Liza Huber understands. In high school, she spent a month in the hospital undergoing treatment for anorexia. In addition, she spent a year and a half in out-patient treatment.

"It's not like a cold where you have it and you get over it," she said. "It's like you are always recovering. I don't have an eating disorder right now, but I will always be a recovering anorexic."

Though not too many people knew about it, the last week in February was Eating Disorders Awareness Week. And ironically, almost all of the young women on campus are directly affected by it.

Judy Blackstone, a counselor at UW-Eau Claire's Counseling Services, said it is very hard to tell the exact number of Eau Claire students who struggle with eating disorders as many do not come to Counseling Services, and instead work with outside sources or don't tell anyone.

Both women and men come through their door for treatment, Blackstone said, although right now, especially on college campuses, it is overwhelmingly women.

Eating disorders are definitely an issue on our campus, said P.J. Kennedy, director of Counseling Services. He said Counseling Services offers a very helpful screening instrument on its Web site that allows students to see if they are at risk for an eating disorder or other mental health issues.

"I would really like to increase student awareness of that," Kennedy said.

Blackstone agreed. She said the screening self-test is a good tool for students who are not sure if they need counseling for their eating disorder.

Although Counseling Services is there to help, Blackstone said someone battling an eating disorder may need additional help from a psychiatrist, physician or a dietician, along with the regular counseling or group work.

"All of us in college are worried about if we are going to be successful in life and it is so unclear," Blackstone said. "Everything I see, whether it is video, or television, the only women that are going to be successful are thin."

Blackstone added it's very easy for someone to believe the one thing they can control is their weight, then things will get better for them.

"Of course this is false - just go to the mall and you can see people of all shapes and sizes are happy," she said.

Huber said when she came to Eau Claire she joined the former Students Against Eating Disorders campus organization. She said it was a way for her to find a support group since she didn't know what kind of an effect college would have on her eating disorder.

Continued...

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