Eating Disorders in Older Women – Deadly, misunderstood, and underestimated

One in seven Australian women will suffer from an eating disorder.

As part of my masters coursework I am writing a research paper on older women (over 35) who have eating disorders. Along with the dry old statistics I would like to include real stories from women who either have or have had an eating disorder.

All you need to do is send me an email (via the Contacts Page) telling me your story or give me just the headlines in the comments. I am most interested in:

• who is responsible for the prevalence of eating disorders in older women – media, culture, lack of awareness, pressure to stay young, etc.?
• what was your particular method — restricted eating, laxative abuse, over exercising, binge eating?
• how did you keep your eating disorder a secret from your loved ones?
• is the fitness/bodybuilding industry a cover for eating disorders?
• what are/were the physical and emotional consequences of your behaviour?
• how did you recover? what was the key to your healing?
• how can we stop this happening to other women?

You can be an anonymous source in the report or if you are happy putting your name to your thoughts, I will credit you in the bibliography. You can write as little or as much as you’d like – the only essay required is the one I’m writing. I will publish the final piece on my blog.

In order to meet my deadline, could I please have your information by the end of next week (20 May, 2011).

It would be fantastic to be able to draw on other people’s experiences as well as my own, and to get different perspectives on this issue. I look forward to hearing all your amazing stories.