World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10th each year to raise awareness about critical mental health agendas. This year’s theme, ‘Mental Health is a Universal Human Right,’ serves as a reminder that everyone deserves to receive quality mental health care, and that the rights and well-being of people with mental illness should be respected in all parts of the world.
Eating Disorders and Mental Health
Eating disorders, which include conditions like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, significantly impact individuals’ mental and physical well-being. World Mental Health Day serves as a vital reminder of the importance of raising awareness about mental health issues, including eating disorders. This day encourages open conversations, education, and support to reduce stigma and provide resources for those affected by these disorders.
By addressing eating disorders within the broader context of mental health, we can work towards fostering a more empathetic and informed society that promotes overall well-being for everyone.
Mental Health Resources
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.
- Mental Health America (MHA): MHA is the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting the overall mental health of all.
- NoStigmas: NoStigmas is a safe space for mental health advocates, survivors, loved ones, and Allies to connect through honest conversations grounded in lived experiences.
- Project HEAL: Project HEAL’s programs break down systemic, healthcare, and financial barriers that millions of people in the U.S. face when trying to heal from their eating disorder.
- Eating Disorder Hope: EDH is an online community that offers resources, education, support, and inspiration to those struggling with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, body image issues, and a myriad of other disordered eating behaviors.
- National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFCC): NAFCC operates community-based, non-profit, volunteer-supported free clinics serving the people without or with little health insurance.
- Hotlines:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
- Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration: 1-800-662-4357
Resources for the BIPOC Community
- Asian Mental Health Collective: AMHC aspires to make mental health easily available, approachable, and accessible to Asian communities worldwide.
- Melanin & Mental Health: Melanin & Mental Health connect individuals with culturally competent clinicians committed to serving the mental health needs of Black & Latinx/Hispanic communities.
- National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network: NQTTCN is a healing justice organization that works to transform mental health for queer and trans people of color.
- Therapy For Black Girls: Therapy for Black Girls is an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls.
- Loveland Foundation: The Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls.
- Black Emotional and Mental Health (BEAM): BEAM is a national training, movement building, and grant making institution that is dedicated to the healing, wellness, and liberation of Black and marginalized communities.
- Latinx Therapy: Founded in 2018 with the mission to destigmatize mental health in the Latinx community.
- South Asian Mental Health Initiative and Network: SAMHIN, was formed in 2014 to address a broad range of mental health needs of the growing South Asian community in the United States.
- Renfrew Blogs:
Resources for the LGBTQIA+ Community
- Trans Lifeline: Trans Lifeline is a grassroots hotline and microgrants 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis – for the trans community, by the trans community.
- The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project is a nonprofit organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ community.
- Pride Counseling: Pride Counseling provides a platform for the LGBTQ community to get the help they need affordably and conveniently.
- Renfrew Blogs:
- Hotlines:
- Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
- LGBT National Hotline: 888-843-4564
- LGBT National Youth Talkline: 800-246-7743
Resources for Students
- Active Minds: Active Minds supports mental health awareness and education for students by promoting mental health via peer-to-peer dialogue and interaction.
- To Write Love On Her Arms: TWLOHA is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide.
- Renfrew Blogs:
- Eating Disorders in College: Why Are Students Especially Vulnerable?
- College and Eating Disorders: Adjusting to Campus Life
- Eating Disorder Recovery at College: 10 Tips for Staying on Track [UPDATED]
- Eating Disorders in College Athletes: 10 Warning Signs & 10 Actionable Tips
- Eating Disorder Recovery During Summer Break: 7 Useful Tips for College Students
Conclusion
Remember that seeking help and support is a sign of strength, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution for everyone. It’s important to find resources and approaches that resonate with your personal needs and preferences. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, reaching out to a qualified mental health professional is always recommended.
Renfrew Specific Events
Join us on Tuesday to recognize World Mental Health Day in a variety of free live and on-demand events.
Instagram Live
Date: Tuesday, October 10th at 12 pm EST
IG Live: Join Ashley Vicari, LPC, Professional Relations Manager at The Renfrew Center, for an insightful conversation about the significance of raising awareness and promoting education around mental health. A mindfulness activity will be shared with the community as well. Remember, you are not alone in this journey.
No registration required.
Virtual Meal Support Group
Date: Tuesday, October 10th at 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Join Alumni Services Coordinator, Erin Birely, LCPC, for a connecting lunch via Zoom. For many in school or the work force, lunch breaks may often be getting replaced with meetings, time for phone calls, doctor’s appointments, or catching up on work. With a focus on this World Mental Day on giving ourselves a recharge, we want to embody this through a connecting and recharging lunch experience. Participants will bring their own lunch to have with Erin and other alumni as they connect on recovery as well as general topics and interests. Let yourself have a break and connect with others who are doing the same while nourishing their body and their recovery.
Virtual Art Group: Creative Wellness and Self-Care
Date: Thursday, June 8th 5:00 pm – 6:15 pm
Join Sondra Rosenberg, ATR-BC, and Kyle Congdon, ATR-BC, Creative Arts Therapists at The Renfrew Center of Philadelphia in a virtual experiential art workshop. In this interactive workshop, we invite an exploration of the different dimensions of self-care and wellness and guide you through a process of making art to enhance these aspects of your life. Please have drawing, painting and/or collage elements ready for personalized creative expression
Thoughts Reappraisal Tutorial: Change Your Mindset, One Thought at a Time
Date: On Demand, Tuesday October 10th only
Our thoughts play a large role in our mental health. How we think influences how we feel and how we feel influences how we think. This cycle can became automatic and difficult to change, especially if we find ourselves thinking and feeling more negatively about ourselves. While many seek therapy to address just this, there are some fundamental skills that can help anyone start to break out of unhelpful thought patterns. Join us for an on-demand opportunity to learn more about the role of thoughts in our mental health and acquire tools to begin making changes, one thought at a time. This tutorial, led by Ashley Moser, LMFT, CEDS, will be available on-demand on Tuesday, October 10th only.
Tracking Emotions Tutorial: How To ARC: Becoming Your Own Emotional Expert
Date: On Demand, Tuesday October 10th only
Awareness is the first step on the road to sustainable change. Learn how to effectively use the ARC, a concrete tool designed to mindfully track the triggers, emotional components, and the outcomes that reinforce and maintain maladaptive cycles. Allow emotional experiences to naturally unfold, while letting go of the need to judge, change, or avoid inner experiences. Validate, normalize, and add context to emotional responses by identifying the oppressive systems, historical contexts, and cultural influences embedded in earlier antecedents. Use the ARC to enhance clarity around patterns in the present moment with the goal of interrupting these cycles in the future. This tutorial, led by Samantha DeCaro, PsyD, will be available on-demand on Tuesday, October 10th only.
Additional FREE Resources and Activities Provided by The Renfrew Center
- Journal Prompt
- Mood Tracker
- Self-Care Scavenger Hunt
- Alumni Testimonial
