Welcome to the blog space of the Looking Glass community, where we post our own and others’ reflections and perspectives on eating disorder issues, journeys of recovery, and other helpful tips and tools.
There is no one personality type that is more susceptible to developing an eating disorder than others. There are common characteristics that many, including myself, seem to share. Being a people pleaser was one that contributed to my past struggles.
Eating disorders affect many lives and can have long-lasting physical, psychological, and emotional consequences. Fortunately, many former ED sufferers will go on to live “normally”—pursuing higher education, careers, love, and family. Many recovered/recovering women who have struggled with eating disorders in the past will experience the numerous joys and pains of being pregnant and becoming mothers.
We don’t all work in an office that has a water cooler, but it’s a guarantee that these “water cooler conversations” are still taking place. These are the conversations you and your colleagues engage in when you’re taking a break from your work-related tasks. They take place in the lunchroom, your cubicles, at the printer, in meeting rooms, and the trip to grab your afternoon caffeine pick-me-up. They’re everywhere and they’re hard to avoid.
I struggle with binge eating disorder but when I talk to people everyone tells me my disorder isn’t as bad or as serious as other people who struggle with anorexia and bulimia. Is there really a hierarchy of eating disorders?
As the Looking Glass Volunteer Coordinator, it makes my heart soar to see volunteers all across Canada being recognized and celebrated during National Volunteer Week! Volunteers give so much more than just their time: they give their passion, their drive, and their spirit. At the Looking Glass Foundation, our volunteers make it possible for us to offer the kind of meaningful support that can have such a profound impact on eating disorder sufferers, their families, and their communities – programs that simply could not happen without the generosity of volunteers.
I want to talk about something we don’t discuss enough. I want to talk about shame.
Shame. It’s definitely not the most pleasant sounding word is it?
If shame were an image, what would it look like? Dose it conjure a specific picture for you? A memory of a past experience? Perhaps, it conjures nothing. Any and all reactions to shame (seeing it, hearing it, feeling it) are normal, because shame elicits various responses across different situations from different people.
On March 31st, we hosted our 13th Annual Fundraising Gala. What a magical night it was. Over 330 guests joined us at the Rocky Mountaineer Station for this spectacular event. The theme, Making Magic Happen, flowed throughout the evening – from the decor, to the words of our speakers and volunteers, and the roving magicians who surprised our guests with their tricks!
The numbers of Canadians, youth and adults, with eating disorders are on the rise. With at least 1.5 million affected, the importance of fostering a community who cares couldn’t be more crucial.
The LGF community is built on individuals whose lives have been touched by the tragedy of this disease. Whether it was their own personal struggle, or the struggle of someone close to them; they know the pain and suffering first-hand.
Calories have been in the news.
As of January 1st 2017, many major restaurant chains in Ontario are now required to post calorie counts beside their menu items, and perhaps not surprisingly, everyone seems to have an opinion about that.
As a community of compassionate people dedicated to a world without eating disorders, we understand the impact of empowering those who are breaking through to the other side of this illness. Each year, the Looking Glass Foundation awards $15,000 in scholarships and bursaries to BC students who have received treatment, or are currently receiving treatment, for an eating disorder. Our scholarships underscore three distinct strengths in overcoming an eating disorder: Persevere; Pursue Your Passion; and Rise Above.
Looking Glass Foundation respectfully acknowledges that our work takes place on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
For resources and information
about eating disorders contact the Looking Glass Foundation:
