By
Brooke Wonders
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Therapists, nutritionists at UA Campus Health offer range of advice
Rachel Martin spent 20 years of her life battling eating disorders and wants other people affected by the illness to know they are not alone.
Even though National Eating Disorder Awareness Week closes out today, UA's Counseling and Psychological Services staff, including Martin, is still concerned with getting the word out about eating disorders.
"I didn't have a lot of help. I had to do a lot on my own," said Martin, a dietetics graduate student and certified nutritionist. "In the '60s and '70s, eating disorders weren't well-studied."
Now, however, resources are more easily accessible. Martin is a nutritionist at UA's Counseling and Psychological Services center, located on the second floor of the Campus Health building.
"I went into nutrition because of my experience with disorders - I wanted the opportunity to work in the area where I suffered," she said. "It put me in a position to relate to the stories people were telling me."
Eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating or any combination of these. As many as 10 million women and 1 million men across the country suffer from eating disorders.
Lisa King, a Counseling and Psychological Services therapist, said college-aged women are still vulnerable to disorders like anorexia or bulimia.
"Most people, especially freshmen, come to college at the third stage of the body-image continuum. They are food-preoccupied, trying to lose that 15 pounds to fit into a bathing suit for Spring Break," she said. "They don't realize that they are at risk of developing a disorder."
King said help is available from therapists, physicians or nutritionists. Initial advice from nutritionists is most popular, she said, because many people find them least threatening.
"From there, we can refer them to other physical or psychological services," she said.
"I talk to a lot of RAs, hall directors, sorority members - people want consultation for their friends," she added.
Martin said she believes that CAPS is a "wonderful" resource, and her story is proof that recovery is possible.
"I did have some therapy, which helped significantly, but it was mostly focused on family dynamics - which were the underlying cause of my disorder - not on the disorder itself.
"It's a long road to recovery, but I believe that 100 percent recovery is possible," she said.
CAPS offers assessment of illness and short-term counseling sessions, and will refer serious cases to community doctors for long-term treatment.
Martin stressed the need for people affected by eating disorders who have not yet sought help to do so as soon as possible, with no shame.
"Don't be embarrassed, don't be reluctant to get help. You're not going to tell most professionals anything they haven't already heard," Martin said. "You're not alone. Just go to a walk-in CAPS session - it's a first step."
For people seeking help for their eating disorders, there is a free, weekly support group Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. at University Medical Center. To make an appointment at CAPS, call 621-3334.
