Early intervention essential, says woman with long-term eating disorder

A woman who has suffered from eating disorders most of her life is applauding new programs launched by the Eating Disorder Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.

BodySense NL and Body Project Canada are aimed at early intervention, something Carla Ryan-Lamb, 33, said could have helped her more than 20 years ago.

"The first time that I actually purged was in university. I remember the bathroom stall, I remember everything. And I didn't even know I had an eating disorder until that happened," Ryan-Lamb said.

Ryan-Lamb, who has spent time in rehabilitation centres in recent years to treat her illness, said she wishes there had been programs like those announced Thursday when she was in school, so someone could have helped her identify her eating disorder sooner.  

The first time that I actually purged was in university.-Carla Ryan-Lamb

"It's life-altering and it's so hard once you're so far in, to try to beat it," Ryan-Lamb said. If they can educate and let people know how difficult it is, that would be amazing."

Ryan-Lamb is well enough to work, but describes herself as having an "active eating disorder" and is "recovering" rather than recovered.

New programs aimed at younger women

BodySense NL is geared toward helping young people involved in local sports by holding workshops to educate coaches and parents about eating disorders and body image issues.

Body Project Canada is a national program that focuses on body-acceptance for women in university and high school. 

The Eating Disorder Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador hopes the new programs will reduce the number and severity of eating disorders in the province.

"After 10 years of focusing on creating awareness and providing support to families, caregivers and health professionals the time has come to implement a long term prevention initiative to our mandate," Vince Withers, chair of the foundation said in a release.