To raise awareness for eating disorders, you should make sure you're educated.You can volunteer your time to help raise awareness, such as through nonprofit organizations or on your own.The National Eating Disorder Awareness week is sponsored by the Neda.
Step 1: Do your research.
To be effective at raising awareness, you need to know your material.If you have experience with an eating disorder, reading about how it affects other people can be helpful.You can help educate others by reading up on eating disorders.The NEDA's site is a good place to find more reliable information.The best information can be found on.gov, edu, and org sites.There are lots of eating disorder resources.
Step 2: There are eating disorder events.
Conferences, seminars, and other events are held across the country to provide information on eating disorders.You can learn more about the problem, as well as meet other people who want to raise awareness.You can gain first-hand knowledge about eating disorders if you attend support groups as a participant or observer.Go to your local colleges to find out more about the events.You can check with the local counseling centers.Eating Disorder Hope is an event that some national organizations organize information on.
Step 3: There are materials to pass out.
It is helpful to have something the person can read if you want to talk about eating disorders.If someone asks for more information, the NEDA has handouts that you can print out and have on hand.
Step 4: Talk to your friends and family.
It is possible to incorporate information about eating disorders into your daily life."I wish I had an eating disorder" is an example of an ignorant comment.You can respond with a kind, but informative comment, such as, "Anorexia is actually a terrible disease."It causes many deaths a year.Please don't make light of it.
Step 5: Tell your story.
Sharing your experiences may help other people recognize that you might have a problem.If you have a story to tell, it will help people understand where you're coming from.It's a good idea to get what you want to say in advance so you don't feel vulnerable.Write your story down.You should spend a little time editing the story after you've gotten it out.It should be short enough to connect with people.Most situations will be too long for anything more than a couple of paragraphs.You can use your story on social media.
Step 6: Walk to raise awareness.
Eating disorders are one of the causes that use walks to raise awareness.Use their website to find a NEDA walk near you.You can bring one to your area if there isn't one near you.Walking for a cause raises awareness.It gets media attention because so many people are together.You are asked to raise money by getting people you know to sponsor you.Keep your spiel short and sweet when approaching friends, family, and co-workers.You could say, "I'm participating in the NEDA's walk to raise awareness for eating disorders."My family members have been affected by eating disorders, so this cause is important to me.Next month is the walk.Would you be willing to sponsor me?
Step 7: Work for a nonprofit.
There are many organizations that raise awareness for eating disorders.You can help the cause by working with those organizations.You can help raise awareness by volunteering your time at one of these organizations.To find out if there is a group like that in your area, contact your local organization.Eating Disorder Hope has a national directory that you can use.Don't worry, you will have something to offer if you volunteer with these organizations, they need a wide variety of volunteers.
Step 8: You can talk to your government representatives.
You can raise awareness by talking to your government officials.It's important to call or write when a piece of related legislation is up for a vote because they have the power to make a difference for people with eating disorders.Stay in touch with advocacy organizations to find out what legislation is up for a vote.You can join a mailing list for an advocacy organization.Call your representatives.Talking to city council members about initiatives in your area is a way to work at the local level.You can work on the state and national level by contacting your senators and representatives.You will be put in touch with a staff member if you call your representatives.They know where you live if you give them your zip code.Add why it's important to you when you discuss why you're calling eating disorders.The staff member will give the information to the representative.You can write an email or letter.Give a short anecdote about why it's important to you, and state why you're writing.The addresses for your representatives can be found online.
Step 9: Start a blog.
One way you can help is to start a website.A blog is a series of posts that you share with the internet.All you have to do is put together what you want to say, and you're good to go.It is a good idea to have a focus.You can focus on sharing your personal journey with an eating disorder or on how eating disorders affect a certain population, such as high school students.If you want to make videos, you can start a "vlog" on a site such as Youtube.Your vlog can be used to raise awareness and connect with other people.
Step 10: National Awareness Week requires work with a partner organization.
Each year, National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is held to raise awareness for eating disorders.The larger association, the NEDA, has many local partners.You can help raise awareness with one of these partners.On the NEDA's website, you can find partners.If you don't live in the US, look for an organization that deals with eating disorders.To find groups in your area, check with your local nonprofits and your library.Clinics may have information as well.If you can, try to find one that is associated with a bigger organization.If you don't have a group in your area, start one.
Step 11: Make social media work for you.
Social media can be used to spread the word about eating disorders.You can use your voice to encourage others to get screened, or you can share information about disorder.During the National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, the NEDA makes it easy for you.You can share the images on platforms such as Facebook.You don't need to write one yourself because they have sample messages.You can use these messages anywhere in the world, but you can also create your own.
Step 12: Posters are used to spread information.
Posters can be used to help raise awareness.You can spread the images around your school, office or city with the help of the NEDA.Make sure you get permission to post them first.You don't need to be in an area with an NEDA organization.You can use the posters anywhere in the world, but you can also find similar support in your own country.You can make your own posters.
Step 13: There are host events.
During this week, you can host events to raise awareness.If you want to promote the event, you could ask a local expert to come and speak at your school or office.If you are opening it to the public, use social media to promote it.