Tamsin Speight and Joshua Beynon
NHS Wales Executive
Seek Help Now is an innovative, year-long project designed to motivate individuals with eating disorders to seek professional help through a strategic awareness campaign. Studies suggest that a significant proportion of individuals with eating disorders do not seek treatment, and it’s estimated that only about 10-20% of those with eating disorders receive treatment. Research has shown the earlier a person with an eating disorder can receive treatment, the more likely it is that they will make a full recovery.
This project will focus on addressing the common barriers to seeking treatment such as stigma, lack of awareness about the disorder, denial of the severity 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
Eating disorders often carry significant stigma, which can prevent individuals from seeking help. This project will develop new ways to reduce stigma through a social media awareness campaign that will provide information about eating disorders, how to access help, thereby making it easier for sufferers to reach out. This will facilitate earlier recognition of symptoms and encourage timely help-seeking by reaching out to individuals in their everyday environments.
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.
