And the Winners Are...

Joy C!
Thaleia K!
Christina Z!
Chloe F!

I chose the winners of my giveaway at random, as all the awareness stories I received were fabulous. I am so proud of all your efforts.

When Joy hears negative body talk she stops it and takes her nieces on Operation Beautiful note drops! Go, Joy!
  
Middle Eastern Dance (belly dance) helped with Thaleia's recovery, so she is excited to use that as a medium to raise awareness. She is planning a dance showcase that will raise money for one of my favorite ED associations. As part of the program, she will provide information and resources. Yay, Thaleia!

Christina got a tattoo of the National Eating Disorder Recovery symbol. Friends are often intrigued by what it means and she shares her story of success. She says she makes sure that she is never ashamed by what she has been though and makes sure people know they are not alone. She shares this blog with friends that are struggling and has made her voice heard in smaller venues such as with co-workers, in school assignments, and classroom chat. Thank you, Christina!

Chloe says in Northern Ireland there is little to no awareness of eating disorders, so she has arranged to meet with Fixers.org.uk to start her own campaign called 'Can you stomach it?' The campaign is all about eating disorders and the issues that surround them in her own country as well as other countries. She has written articles for her University magazine, started a blog, and has begun talking more openly about her eating disorder on Facebook and with people. Great work, Chloe!

Joy, Thaleia, Christina, and Chloe - Please send me a FB message, Twitter direct message, or email with your contact info so I can mail you your e/d awareness bracelet. If I do not hear from you by the end of the week, I will attempt to contact you directly, but I do not have an email address for all of you. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the jewelry!

For those of you who would like to purchase an eating disorder awareness bracelet, you can do so here at my friend Mellissa's Etsy shop: Noor's Handmade Products

Each of the winners of my giveaway will receive one of these 4 unique bracelets:

And remember - awareness can continue all year long!

EDAW13: Don't Wait, Accept the Invitation

It's brief. If you have 2 minutes, watch. And remember.

And don't forget to participate in Arielle's EDAW Giveaway if you want to win 1 of 4 eating disorder awareness bracelets. Details (and photos) here: http://tearstowords.blogspot.com/2013/02/arielles-eating-disorder-awareness.html

Arielle's Eating Disorder Awareness Giveaway

I'm having a giveaway. Get ready!

Watch the brief video for instructions and get to it! :-)
Items provided by Noor's Handmade Products

I'm having a giveaway - to participate, send me a YT message, email, FB message, tweet, blog comment, or video with your brief awareness story!

Day #1: I Write About Eating Disorders Because...

...because eating disorder recovery, advocacy, and activism is My Life's Work (and I'm not joking when I say that)...because I believe that Hope is where healing begins...because I love to share and teach and HELP.

While I may have a unique understanding as a recovered individual, I can also offer a professional perspective from a social work standpoint as well as that of an ANAD Support Group Leader, ANAD Resource Person, and speaker. I mold all of those together for my work as an Eating Disorder Recovery Blogger...and that work, though unpaid and on the web, is very important to me. Part of my blogging style is to post regular videos on specific eating disorder topics, because I recognize the impact of seeing the face (and hearing the voice) behind the words. I'm passionate and I'm passionate about showing my passion!

 I write about eating disorders because for me, every week is Eating Disorder Awareness Week. I want to give voice to pain, stigma, problems, hope, solutions, fear, education, encouragement, and celebration. I want to be a voice for those who are not able to use their own. I want to be a voice in order to show others what they can do to use theirs! Being a leader in this area is vital and fills my life with purpose. I write about eating disorders because I care about you, about the ones you love, about the society and the world at large.

I write about eating disorders because THERE IS A NEED.

I don't write for me. I write for YOU.

31 Day Blogger Challenge!

The    HUNGRY   FOR   CHANGE    BLOGGER    CHALLENGE    starts tomorrow!

 

I will be using my voice throughout the entire month of May by participating in the Hungry for Change Blogger Challenge. 

 

What it will mean:

 

I will display 31 blog posts prompts on the topics of eating disorders (one for each day in the month of May), along with a post of my own. The aim is to spread awareness, education, and encouragement for recovery from eating disorders, so clearly I'm on board!

So stay tuned, and watch for a new post every day in the month of May. 


Here's to Change,
Arielle

Video Catch-Up

A little behind providing you with the Wednesday videos, guys. Sorry about that. They are always up religiously on Wednesdays, but I sometimes forget to post them here too.

Here are my last 2 Wednesday videos. Topics are "What I Tell Others" and "High Expectations" respectively. I specifically recommend this week's video, in which I talk about dealing with our own high expectations, how to cut ourselves some slack, how to not set ourselves up for failure, and how to work with these expectations we've set for ourselves. It's something so many people struggle with and I'm glad I got to touch on it.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS



WHAT I TELL OTHERS

Eating Disorder Workshop: For Parents Looking for Answers

Just a quick announcement:

I will be co-leading a Parent Workshop this fall in my area, for parents of children or teens with eating disorders. A wonderful woman asked me to do the workshop with her and I am happy to participate. Follow the details on the flyer to sign up or spread the word. Flyer below. Click image for enlargement.

This is for anyone in the Lehigh Valley area, so if you are a concerned parent or know someone who is, definitely think about registering!

The Culture of Thinness

An article I wrote for Deconstruction Magazine a couple years ago:

Eating disorders and poor body image have become rampant in recent years, and the media has stimulated the increase in the life-threatening diseases that come under the heading of disordered eating. The numbers of people who have body image issues are staggering. Television, magazines, and even film play a large role in the development and maintenance of eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and compulsive eating…and they help create body image problems for many. The rise in eating disorders affects women’s lives most of all because they remain the major sufferers. Recently, new hindrances have presented themselves to women with the potential for developing eating disorders, such as pro-anorexia websites and diet product marketing. And trust me, we have enough hindrances without getting hit with more. I for one have personally dealt with the pain and problems this article talks about, so I write from experience and a growing anger with the media. The culture of thinness is prevalent in Western society—a culture that continually focuses on women and their bodies.

Putting aside for a moment what helps to cause eating disorders and body image issues, there is still the matter of health and the consequences of these things for women. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa especially, have serious dangers associated with them…and an unhealthy body image is no pleasure with which to live. Women are dying from problems like this—women with options, women with lives, women with these problems that have conquered so many—thanks in part to the media. While there is no simple “cure” for eating disorders or unhealthy body image, there are solutions to the problems that influence these things. There is not only an opportunity to help women struggling with these issues, there is an opportunity to prevent these issues from ever happening at all. Women with any type of eating disorder are generally those with other psychological issues or low self-esteem—but what gives them this low self-esteem?

While the media is surely not the sole cause of eating disorders or body image problems among women, it does play a tremendous role in the way women feel about their bodies. Body image is an issue that is often directly related to eating disorders, especially anorexia and bulimia. Television frequently displays women who are considered the standard of beauty; we don’t often see unattractive or overweight women in lead roles. Today’s standard of beauty generally includes being thin, tan, and picture-perfect in every way. As if this were not bad enough, the commercials on television do not bring much relief; diet products are continually marketed all day and all night so that women scarcely have a chance to feel comfortable with themselves. The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness (AEDA) lists that the diet related industry was a 50 billion dollar a year enterprise in the year 2000. Since this style of marketing is so ubiquitous, many women are left to assume that their bodies are not on par with the societal “ideal.” The American Anorexia/Bulimia Association (AABA) states that as of 1998 the most common behavior that leads to an eating disorder is dieting. How many women do YOU know who are on a diet?

Magazine photos and advertisements, like those in Cosmo, Glamour, and Seventeen act in much the same way. Even women’s magazine articles tend to focus on weight, appearance, and beauty over fitness and health. Society labels beauty as women’s main “thing” in life. More than success, intelligence, or personality, beauty is the goal that is set for women of all ages to achieve. Women are often judged by appearance alone, and this includes weight. For example, many women feel that if they cannot get a date, it must mean that they are too fat or too ugly. You seldom hear a woman saying she couldn’t get a date because she’s too smart, right? These messages which the media render can be detrimental to the psychological well-being of women of the Western world. Adolescents are the main consumers of women’s magazines and diet products. They are also the target audience of television shows and movies that portray thin and gorgeous women as the “ideal” or the norm. It is obvious that these messages do indeed have an effect on their audience; according to the Eating Disorders Coalition for Research (EDC) 40-60% of high school girls diet and 30-40% of junior high school girls worry about their weight.

Since the 1960s, focus on women and body has increased considerably. What led to this change? All kinds of media, for instance, skyrocketed; television, movies, and advertising became about looks and fashion whereas in earlier years it was not such a big issue. Pressure on adolescent girls to fit in has soared as well. Not only has this pressure increased, but it is continually on the rise. The depiction of women’s sexuality (or the dominance of women as sexual objects) also influences women and the way in which they view themselves and each other. Young girls particularly have come to understand that to become a woman means make-up and style and being pretty. Women in Western culture, in order to be women, must fill a role that has already been created for them. Just as society views women, so women learn to view themselves. They may become overly critical, discontent, and acquire low self-esteem in the process of trying to measure up to impossible ideals (or simply ideals that simply aren’t who they are and/or who they should be).

Not only are positive themes associated with thinness, but there is a distinct stigma associated with fat. According to Western culture, thin is wonderful and fat is horrible. This stigma alone can influence the choices women make and the actions they take. Since fat is something disgusting, women who are "overweight" or feel that they are overweight may be distressed. If this daily distress becomes bad enough, many women may develop self-damaging behaviors or eating disorders. All the negative messages surrounding fat can cause women to have negative feelings about themselves, and these negative feelings can increase until women feel what is known as body hatred. And who do they have to thank?—the media.

Remember when I mentioned that since the 1960s focus on women and body has skyrocketed? Well, it should be no surprise to find then, that the incidence of eating disorders has doubled since the 1960s. Shock and frenzy often follow eating disorders in the news and public, but instead of merely addressing and re-addressing the problem, something can be done about it. First on the list might be “fixing” the media. Despite the fact that girls and women often feel inadequate compared to many of the unrealistic and pervasive images the media presents, these images still remain the basis for beauty in our society. Not all media is like this; there are images of natural, full-figured, and beautiful yet imperfect women out there, but this is certainly not what women most often see. The majority of ideas and images in media of Western culture drives home that a lovely and likable slender appearance is much more important than being smart, successful, or healthy. Even if it remains difficult to purge society of these images, combining them with positive ideas about intelligence, careers, social issues, and health would at least be an improvement. It’s also pretty vital to promote health and fitness as opposed to body size.

According to the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness, over half of females between ages 18-25 who participated in a recent survey would rather be run over by a truck than be fat, and two-thirds surveyed would rather be mean or stupid. This statistic alone is enough for alarm. It is clear that eating disorders, eating disordered behavior, and body image problems have become an epidemic. Body image issues are increasing in younger age groups—as young as seven-year-olds. In the past, eating disorders were mainly an issue for white middle to upper class women, but in recent years the issue has increased in diverse ethnic and socio-cultural groups, according to the Eating Disorders Coalition for Research (EDC). Furthermore, the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry states, “The number one wish of girls 11-17 years old is to lose weight.” When a wish like this becomes so prevalent, the issue of body image and the media needs to be addressed. There is no reason why so many girls and women should die from eating disorders—or live a life of suffering and pain.

(c) Arielle Lee Becker

Taking a Step

Each day, I wonder how I got to where I am now. And then I remember: I fought my way here with words and realizations and a dream of happiness. I used my writing to express what was going on inside my body. Inside my head. Inside my heart. I set reasonable goals that--even though they didn't seem reasonable at the time--acted as beacons of light in a vast darkness.

Every struggle I dealt with made me stronger. It sounds cliche, but it's true. And with every new thread of strength I gained, I had a better foundation on which to build my health, my happiness, and MY LIFE.

It takes really opening your eyes. Really seeing. Understanding the feelings within. Being honest with who you are and who you want to be.

You might say, "Well, I really want to be thin, or thinner, or prettier, or more fit, etc. But you only say that because you think it will make you happy. It won't.

And besides, that's just focusing on your body, not your soul. Your soul...your mind...your SELF is the essence of you. Maybe you can achieve a goal of being thin or whatever it is you desire to be, but you may lose your self in the process. Or you may never find it.

Do you really want to live your life in an empty shell? Even if that shell happens to be pretty, or thin, or fit, etc.?

Reach into yourself...and pull your self out...

And I promise, you'll look BEAUTIFUL.

Tell Your Tale Tuesday (# 3)

I recieved an email from a woman named Kira Bloom this week. I am copying the email here so all of you have access to what she shared with me. I am also posting a few images of Karin Collins' beautiful, WEARABLE artwork. How nice! She is LA based, but her items are available online. This art has a story behind it and the "Every BODY Is Beautiful" Online Fundraising Auction event sounds wonderful. And of course, it's a great cause.

Here is the email that was sent to me; I hope you all will read it!

These are the pendants Karin Collins donated for the auction.

These are just a couple of the spoon pendants on her website that are for sale.

Hello Arielle! Please consider this important health/lifestyle/fashion/charity item for coverage on your Actively Arielle blog at some point during the month of November!

Acclaimed Los Angeles-based wearable art designer Karin Collins (please see her inspiring health-related story below and at http://www.spoonfedart.com/) is once again promoting and participating in the annual National Eating Disorders Association "Every BODY Is Beautiful" Online Fundraising Auction, which is running from November 1st through December 2nd, 2007. There are a number of fantastic items up for sale, including jewelry, clothing, tote bags, spa packages, beauty products, celebrity-autographed collectibles, vacations, music, books, art - and many more great items will be added as the auction progresses! The event is being chaired by music superstar Sara Evans and features many other celebrity contributors!

The delightfully diverse auction offerings include a trip to Tokyo, a backstage concert meet & greet with Sara Evans, a manicure in Beverly Hills, yoga classes in Seattle, an iPod Nano, an autograph/clothing package from American Idol singer Carrie Underwood, a one-of-a-kind customized guitar signed by Bo Diddley, tickets to the Regis & Kelly show, a Disney Snow White animation cel, an Orioles jersey autographed by Cal Ripken, Jr., a weekend in Malibu, and much much more....

Please let your audience know that they can go to this link for the scoop on this great event: http://www.blogger.com/www.nationaleatingdisorders.cmarket.com

And please do take a moment to check out Karin Collins' latest SpoonFed Art work (and the brand new look of the website!) at http://www.spoonfedart.com/!

Karin's gorgeous wearable art spoon necklaces - made from actual spoons! - are gaining popularity all around the globe (see a sampling of our press clips below)! AOL Style recently referred to Karin's pieces as "staggeringly beautiful pendants with a soul," and as NYLON magazine writes, SpoonFed Art is "...an imaginative jewelry collection that takes wearable art to a new level... The L.A.-based designer hacks the handles off ordinary utensils and fills them with all things sticky, shiny, and bright... Wear one, and you\'re guaranteed to cause a few mouths to open."

Karin originally started making her SpoonFed Art pendants as a very personal art-oriented therapy to overcome a serious eating disorder she\'d been battling for almost 20 years. Karin is entirely free of her eating disorder now, and she continues to contribute to and spread awareness of the National Eating Disorders Association to keep the focus of her SpoonFed Art business on the reason it was started - to help heal.

For more information on the inspiring story behind SpoonFed Art, please see this profile of Karin on Yahoo! Health: http://health.yahoo.com/topic/mentalhealth/inspirational-stories/article/capessa/63_karinc

...or this SpoonFed Art article from the LA Weekly: www.laweekly.com/la-vida/la-vida/the-art-of-spooning/14389/

Karin Collins has donated three of her SpoonFed Art pendants to the NEDA fundraising project, including an exclusive NEDA-commissioned one-of-a-kind necklace featuring the NEDA logo. Last year's one-of-a-kind NEDA Logo pendant from SpoonFed Art sold for $370!

Please let your audience know that they can go to this link for the scoop on this great event: http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.cmarket.com/

Karin Collins is available for interviews and can be reached at Karin@SpoonFedArt.com and her number is 310-467-8648.

Please feel free to use any of the images from the NEDA auction and SpoonFedArt.com sites in your coverage of this event - or let me know if you'd like higher-res jpegs of the three pendants Karin contributed to the auction!

Thanks so much! Hope all is well!

Kira Bloom

SpoonFed Art

Kira@SpoonFedArt.com

SpoonFedArt has recieved awesome reviews in many popular magazines like Jane, Venus, Vision, Health Magazine, and TONS of others. Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

Arielle

Cards for Life's More Difficult Issues

I know this is an old article (by a few months), but I wondered if perhaps some of you hadn't heard about it. I think it's pretty cool and definitely shows awareness of issues.

Hallmark's new line of cards (including ones for those struggling with eating disorders)

What do you think about this?

Arielle

Starting High School, Starting College

Found this article earlier this week. I know it's a bit of a generalization (as most things are), but I basically agree with it. I know for me, starting college was what made my eating disorder "come out," so to speak. This article doesn't have too much of a point, but it does prove that eating disorders are being recognized, so I'm very glad of that.

Any thoughts about this?

Arielle