Tamsin Speight and Rhys Watkins
NHS Wales Performance and Improvement
Seek Help Now is an innovative, year-long project designed to motivate individuals with eating disorders to seek help through a strategic social media awareness campaign. Studies suggest that over two thirds of people with eating disorders do not seek treatment which is concerning as the earlier a person with an eating disorder can receives help, the more likely it is that they will make a full recovery.
This project will focus on addressing the common barriers to help seeking such as stigma, lack of awareness, denial and access to services. It aims to create a lasting impact by promoting a culture of openness, support, and proactive help-seeking for eating disorders.
The social media campaign will provide information about eating disorders, self-help, and where to find support and professional help in Wales, making it easier for sufferers and their loved ones to reach out. This information will be available on the NHS Wales website to facilitate earlier recognition of symptoms and encourage timely help-seeking by reaching out to individuals in their everyday environments from a trustworthy source.
It is anticipated that this project will encourage early help-seeking in eating disorders and will benefit a wide range of individuals, carers, health professionals and society, as early intervention can lead to better treatment outcomes, faster recovery, and reduced severity of the disorder. Early identification and intervention can lead to more manageable cases, making it easier for healthcare professionals to provide effective treatment. On a broader level, reducing the prevalence and severity of eating disorders can decrease healthcare costs and improve public health outcomes.
