As it is still January, which definitely feels like the longest month of the year, it’s safe to say that many of us have fallen off the wagon when it comes to our New Year’s resolutions of healthy eating. On this episode of The Insight Matters Podcast, we are exploring the topic of body image.

Joining Dil and Anne Marie is Harriet Parsons of bodwhys.ie. Harriet is the Training and Development manager for bodywhys.

Founded in 1995, Bodywhys is the national voluntary organisation supporting people affected by eating disorders. Its mission is to ensure support, awareness and understanding of eating disorders amongst the wider community as well as advocating for the rights and healthcare needs of people affected by eating disorders.

In this episode, Dil, Anne Marie and Harriet discuss the state of Ireland in terms of eating disorders (an estimated 200,000 people in Ireland have an eating disorder); triggers for people with eating disorders; as well as the feelings of control and empowerment that an eating disorder can give someone, and the difficulties that this can cause when trying to get rid of the eating disorder.

They also discuss distorted body image, and how this is a feature of all eating disorders; the ideal of the woman’s body, and how it has changed over the years; the failure to recognise eating disorders as a mental health problem; the challenge of eating disorders, considering that we can’t stop eating, the way an alcoholic can stop drinking alcohol; as well as the best ways to work with people with eating disorders from the point of view of the therapist.

For more information about eating disorders, check bodywhys.ie.

If you need to talk to someone, call us now on 01-891 0703 or email info@insightmatters.ie for a confidential discussion and initial assessment with one of our senior therapists. Alternatively please fill in the online booking form (www.insightmatters.ie/book-online/) and we will contact you within 24 hours.