Despite this, eating disorders and trauma often go hand-in-hand - research shows that people who have experienced childhood trauma are more likely to develop eating disorders than people who have not. It’s also difficult to find a therapist who specializes in eating disorders, as most universities and therapy training programs do not include eating disorder content in their curriculums. Few free or subsidized options exist and those that do typically have long waitlists. Many people also face barriers to accessing therapy for their eating disorders.

, a not-for-profit group where people aged 17 years old and up can go for support. Kaitlyn Axelrod is a social worker and psychotherapist, as well as the program and outreach coordinator at Waiting lists have become frighteningly longer, and Most people with eating disorders suffer fromįinding help can be difficult, not only in childhood, but also in adulthood when getting support in recovery is something that an eating disorders sufferer has to fund alone. Children and adolescents are increasingly at risk for eating disorders, and in Canada, between 12 and 30 per cent of girls and nine and 25 per cent of boys aged 10 to 14 report restricting nutritional intake in order to lose weight. Eating disorders are mental health illnesses, with a reported 10 to 15 per cent mortality rate, the highest overall mortality rate of any mental illness. Reports that approximately 1,000,000 Canadians have been diagnosed with an eating disorder, and that closer to 2,000,000 have sufficient symptoms for an eating disorder diagnosis.

The National Initiative for Eating Disorders (NIED) Eating disorders have a huge impact on Canadians.

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