A lot has happened this year as I’m sure you are all aware! Mental health cases have risen and yet there is still such stigma surrounding it. You have the people who are extremely passionate about it, and want to help others, reduce the stigma and make it acceptable to talk about mental health problems. Then there’s the people who throw terms about because they think it makes them look “cool” and can make pointless comments because they’ve no idea what they are actually talking about. Finally and sadly, there’s the people that shame others because of mental health problems, troll, verbally abusive, dismissive, confrontational and to put it nicely a total pleb of a person.

I’m no longer ashamed to say I suffer with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Though this isn’t about that.

I’m thankful I haven’t experienced what an eating disorder is like, I cannot even begin to imagine the hell people must go through when suffering with any of the different types of EDs. I’ve studied about it, I know people who have been through, or going through it and although personally I don’t relate that doesn’t mean I can’t talk about it and help others raise awareness, support others and try stop the stigma.

There is a HUGE variety of mental health problems (there’s even ones you probably have never heard of!) So here I am to talk about eating disorders. I’m not an expert, I freely admit that – but I know enough to support others both within themselves and campaigning.

Meet Hope Virgo

A Multi-Award winning mental health campaigner and founder of #DumpTheScales. It was only this year I crossed “social media paths” with Hope and I’m so glad I did because she is a wonderful person and an absolute credit to the mental health community. Which is why I am absolutely delighted to be able to help her in the next phase of her #DumpTheScales campaign. There has been an increased rate of eating disorders throughout lockdown and so it is more important now than ever to get on board with this campaign.

The next phase is called #LetsTalkEDs allowing us to see an educational video about having a conversation about eating disorders. Hope’s aim is to empower people to speak up, and letting people know that they don’t have to be experts to talk about eating disorders. Which is why I am happy to help, I’m not an expert in the slightest but it is important that we talk and it is even more important to listen because listening is key.

Did you know that someone dies from an eating disorder every 62 minutes? That is approx 24 people a day. 168 people a week. 672 a month. Roughly over 8,000 people a year. This is heartbreaking. We need YOUR help.
Please show your support by getting behind the campaign.

This next phase of the #DumpTheScales campaign launches on October 12th. Mental health awareness isn’t just for one day of the year, one month. It’s a lifetime and for those suffering…. a life sentence. So please, please show your support and join me with supporting Hope with #LetsTalkEDs.

Follow Hope on twitter here.
Check out her website here.
Hope has written a book being incredibly honest of her struggles with anorexia, if you’d like to purchase her book Stand Tall, Little Girl you can do so by clicking here.