How to Start an Eating Disorder Support Group

An estimated 8 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder. One in every two hundred women in the United States suffers from anorexia nervosa while two to three in one hundred women suffer from bulimia as reported by the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. Sadly, only around one in 10 people with an eating disorder will seek help and up to 20 percent of anorexics will die of complications from the disease. Support groups can be very helpful to those suffering from an eating disorder, since it provides them with a way to meet others with similar problems.

Instructions

• 1

  Check your area to see if there are any existing support groups already in your area. Contact the Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Eating Disorders (see Resources), which maintains a database of groups to determine if there any near you.

• 2

  Look at your own schedule and gauge your emotional health. Do you realistically have time to spare to commit to planning, publicizing, coordinating and speaking events for the group? Will you have the time to meet with individual members when they have problems or concerns?

• 3

  Appoint a co-leader or someone who help you coordinate the group. This is especially important, since there will be days when you don't feel your best yourself, or you have relapsed or are struggling with your own eating disorder.

• 4

  Determine which type of meeting you have How long will it last? How long with the announcements and welcome take?

• 5

  Advertise your support group. Post the meeting announcement online or on Craig's List. Alternatively, contact your local hospitals and doctors' offices and ask if you can place flyers in the waiting room.