Eating Disorders Awareness
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rates compared to any other mental disorder. According to figures, 24 million people, regardless of their sex or age, suffer from some eating disorder in the USA.
In most occasions, if treatment starts in an early stage, it may be effective. However, that’s not always the case. Reasons that cases are left untreated include lack of experience, non-psychiatric specificity fields and inability to detect signs and symptoms of the disease. At the same time, in Greece, units that specialize in eating disorders are only found in Athens, making more difficult the access to diagnosis and treatment.
Based on the above, HelMSIC considered important to inform medical students about this growing problem. They are given the chance to acquire basic knowledge through a two-day seminar and a movie. The seminar focuses on the causes and treatment of the diseases, mental condition of the patients and diminishing myths concerning this issue.
The main objectives of the program:
- To provide knowledge about symptoms, epidemiology of the disease and risk factors
- Sensitization regarding the psychological state of people with eating disorders
- Training in approaching people with high risk behaviors for eating disorders that aims to interconnect them with a specialist
Partners: Hellenic Centre for Eating Disorders
