Eating Disorders

The NEDA or National Eating Disorders Association is a nonprofit entity, which supports people who have eating disorders. The thrust of the organization is to campaign for more research funding, better access to excellent treatment, and prevention so that these eating disorders can be understood and treated. The organization works with volunteers and partners in creating programs and tools to help those asking for assistance.

Established in 2001 as a resulting merger between American Anorexia Bulimia Association and Eating Disorders Awareness & Prevention, NEDA has formed alliances with the Anorexia Nervosa & Related Disorders as well as the National Eating Disorder Organization.

The NEDA Parent Toolkit is for everyone who wants to learn more about the ways he can support a friend or family member who is suffering from an eating disorder. It provides basic information like common myths; glossary; signs, behaviors, and symptoms; ways to be supportive; how to begin a discussion with a person having an eating disorder; how to get help; advices from parents who have children with eating disorders; reasons why communications between parent and school are difficult; and online resources useful for eating disorders.

The toolkit also discusses about treatment information such as available treatments; proofs that a treatment works; ways to search for an appropriate treatment setting; levels of care and treatment settings; what to ask the facility’s care team; what to ask a therapist; what to ask providers of treatment privately; databases online useful in searching for a suitable treatment; ways to take of oneself while taking care of a person with eating disorder; and confidentiality issues. Insurance issues are also included in the toolkit like how to navigate and understand insurance issues; COBRA rights checklist; letters which can be used in writing insurance companies; and ways to manage the appeals procedure.

See: www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/information-resources/