The UK’s eating disorder charity Beat is partnering with NHS Lothian CAMHS to provide a peer support programme for young people experiencing eating disorders and for parents and carers of people with the illnesses, thanks to funding received from the Scottish Government of £100,000 over three years.
1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder and these illnesses cost families an average of £32,672 a year in travel expenses, lost income and other costs.
Families can provide vital support for eating disorder sufferers and guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend that Family-Based Therapy is usually the most effective method for first treating anorexia and bulimia in young people.
To ensure that parents and carers have the knowledge and support they need, Beat is organising a free service that will match parents whose children have recovered from an eating disorder with other families in Scotland whose child is still in treatment. Parents will be paired for six months and receive weekly telephone calls to offer advice and support.
Beat is also providing moderated online peer support for young people via weekly emails. Volunteers who have recovered from an eating disorder are paired up with other young people who are currently experiencing these difficulties with peers in recovery from an eating disorder. This is available to all young people between 14-25 years across Scotland.
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One teenager said that through the peer support programme they realised “Someone had been through the same things and survived. Advice was useful but what helped most was communicating with someone who understood how much an eating disorder affects the lives of the whole family.
Another said, “It is such an incredibly lonely experience to have an eating disorder, talking to someone else made me feel less alone.”
Beat’s Director of Services Caroline Price said, “Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that affect people of all backgrounds, ages and genders. Families can provide vital help for loved ones suffering with an eating disorder and it is essential that they get the information and support they need.
“With the support of NHS services Beat’s training can empower parents and help them work together with medical professionals and sufferers themselves for a full recovery for their loved ones.”
Dr Fiona Duffy, Consultant Clinical Psychologist from NHS Lothian CAMHS said, “Eating disorder affect approximately 1.25 million people in the UK with the majority of individuals being treated on an outpatient basis.
“We know how stressful and isolating either experiencing, or caring for someone with an eating disorder can be and are therefore very excited to partner Beat with this project. The benefit of online moderated peer support is that we can reach people from all over Scotland to reduce the sense of isolation that they may experience.”
Chief Medical Officer for Scotland Dr Catherine Calderwood said: “This service was initially piloted last year and the feedback we had was hugely encouraging. That’s why the Scottish Government has committed £100,000 to run the project for a further three years.
“We want to make sure that those diagnosed with an eating disorder, and their families, are supported, and given hope of recovery, whatever their circumstances.
“This peer support service will help tackle feelings of isolation and loneliness by opening lines of communication between people who have relatable experience, improving hope of recovery and general wellbeing for everyone involved.”
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