NEDAwareness Week (#NEDAwareness) is Here!

The day we’ve all been waiting for is just around the corner — NEDAwareness Week kicks off Monday!

Building off last year’s success and continued relevance, we want you to #ComeAsYouAre again for NEDAwareness Week 2020! From February 24th to March 1st, we encourage our community to embrace this year’s theme, Come as You Are: Hindsight is 20/20, by reflecting on the positive steps you’ve taken — including those stemming from setbacks or challenges — toward accepting themselves and others.

HOW CAN YOU BE INVOLVED?

Great question! There are several action items NEDA is hoping you’ll take part in during NEDAwareness Week. Here’s the rundown:

Join the Movement. #ComeAsYouAre, and help us build a movement to raise awareness and support those affected by eating disorders! This #NEDAwareness Week, we are asking you to join a movement to help us take action to improve the public’s understanding of eating disorders—their causes, dangers, treatments, who they affect, and more. Wherever you are in your journey— regardless of your body shape, weight, race, gender identity, ability, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or your stage of body acceptance and eating disorder recovery—your experience matters and your voice deserves to be heard. Join us now!

Share Your Story. By sharing our stories of what we have learned as we go through our eating disorder and body acceptance journeys, we can continue important conversations and prioritize inclusivity and true representation of who struggles. Share YOUR journey! We want to hear about how you’ve grown to embrace this year’s NEDAwareness Week theme—Come As You Are: Hindsight is 20/20. Tell us what you’ve learned and how things have changed during your own personal journey.

Ask Your Lawmaker for Support. Your lawmakers want to hear from you about the issues you care about! Sending a message to your elected officials will help us advocate for more money allocated to research and eating disorders prevention in schools. It only takes a minute to take action, and it can have a powerful impact!

Facebook Live Events. For #NEDAwareness Week, we are hosting two Facebook Live panel discussions. The first (Tuesday, February 25th) will include eating disorders professionals focusing on the eating disorders field, including the gaps, how far we have come, and opportunities for growth. The second (February 27th) will focus on the societal progress and opportunities for growth in relation to eating disorders, body acceptance, diet culture, and weight bias. Learn more here and plan to tune in!

Social Media. Don’t forget to tag us on social media using #NEDAwareness and #ComeAsYouAre. Find shareable graphics and messages here.

Become a Collaborator. NEDAwareness Week is a collective effort of professionals, health care providers, students, educators, organizations, and individuals committed to raising awareness of eating disorders. Collaborators share resources with their communities and engage in the #NEDAwareness social media campaign. Sign up to be a collaborator here.

Get Screened. If you have concerns that you might need help for eating or body image concerns, take a first step to getting help. You can take our screening here.

For recovery resources and treatment options, please visit our help and support page. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, call  ANAD’s Helpline at: (888) 375-7767 or the National Alliance of Eating Disorders Helpline at: (866) 662-1235.

If you are thinking about suicide, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. In crisis situations, text “NEDA” to 741741 to be connected with a trained volunteer from the Crisis Text Line.

Thank you for helping us spread our Come as You Are: Hindsight is 2020 message this NEDAwareness Week! For more ways you can participate, including ideas for posting on social media, feel free to visit our NEDAwareness page.