Press Release
1 March 2010
Teens speak out on eating disorder and lack of professional services
Headliners journalists in Northern Ireland speak out on the reality of eating disorders in a self–examining documentary as part of an eating disorder awareness campaign.
Teenage journalists Claire and Zoe speak about their personal experiences of eating disorders in the documentary sponsored by the Arts Council Northern Ireland and the Youth Council for Northern Ireland.
“I first had an eating disorder when I was 12. My mom had just died and I had a social worker...
I didn't realise it actually had me under control and I couldn't stop it. I didn't even have to make myself sick anymore, it was an automatic reaction," said Zoe.
“My grand dad died and through the grieving I wouldn’t eat much... because I was so close to him, he was like my second dad. I didn’t mean for it to go as far as it did, but it did.
“Taking part in the documentary helped boost my confidence and build my body image,” said Claire (19) who’s had anorexia for three years.
Through their documentary, Claire and Zoe hope to raise awareness of the challenges people with eating disorders face.
“It’s a serious matter that people don’t take serious. People think they’re just doing it to get attention and when they do they’ll stop. But it’s doesn’t, it goes on longer than that,” Claire added.
In a BBC Newsline interview Claire said she had to wait a year for a consultation with a healthcare professional before she could start treatment, “it was very hard to wait that long and suffer in silence, even though you have your friends and family, there’s that missing link of having professionals.”
“There needs to be a lot more medical help...We need at least twice as many therapists, but there are so many cuts across the board and unfortunately there are long waiting lists” said Jacqui King from Eating Disorder Association Northern Ireland.
ENDS
Notes to the editor
For more information or to request an interview, contact Media and Communications Officer
Yemi Lufadeju
E: yemi.lufadeju@headliners.org
T: 0207 7749 9360
About Headliners
Headliners is a UK media agency which inspires and encourages the personal development of young people through journalism.
Through Headliners, young people are trained to research and write stories on issues that are important to them for publication and broadcast in national and local newspapers, magazines, television, and radio and online.
For more information, visit www.headliners.org
