Eating Recovery Center Announces 2nd Annual Eating Recovery Day With "Don't Miss It" Campaign to Advance the Fight Against this Life-Threatening Disease

With a range of activities timed to Eating Recovery Day and beyond, "Don't Miss It" carries this message even further. It asks people everywhere to speak out. It also asks those who have battled an eating disorder – personally or as a family member or friend – to share the warning signs they identified that triggered them to seek help. "Don't Miss It" is also a call to those who have overcome an eating disorder to share what they've been able to enjoy again in life, so others know recovery IS possible and worth it.

Through this campaign, ERC will continue to bring new awareness to this issue and hope for those affected. Select "Don't Miss It" campaign activities surrounding Eating Recovery Day include:

• Social media call-to-action leading in to and on Eating Recovery Day, using #DontMissIt
• Educational materials distributed around the country to ERC locations, healthcare providers, college campuses, and more
• New "Family Support Center," a digital platform with resources for caregivers to help provide critical support to their loved ones after completing treatment. This Family Support Center will be available to all caregivers and includes an educational center, success stories, a calendar of support groups and educational opportunities, among other resources
• Media campaign to increase awareness via ERC's digital/social reach as well as earned media placements
• Local market speaking events featuring ERC clinical staff and alumni
• Patient art contest depicting a positive message surrounding the hope for recovery, with a winner to be announced on Eating Recovery Day

ERC will also launch a dedicated hotline on Eating Recovery Day to address questions or concerns from those who may potentially have an eating disorder and provide their loved ones with help and guidance. The hotline will be open on Tuesday, May 2nd from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. MDT. The number is (877) 411-9552.

THE REALITIES AND THE WARNING SIGNS – "DON'T MISS IT":
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, with nearly one person in the U.S. dying every hour. Sadly, the warning signs are often identified when it's too late or the person has experienced irreversible effects. In fact, if left untreated, eating disorders can lead to or contribute to heart disease, osteoporosis, infertility, and other life-altering side effects.

It's often believed that eating disorders are a choice or that they only affect a small number, or a certain kind, of people. The reality, however, is that they are genetically-based mental illnesses. They affect 30 million Americans, representing individuals of all backgrounds, ages, genders, races/cultures, and more.

Warning signs include those that are psychological and emotional, not just physical. Some of these warning signs can include:

• Sudden, dramatic weight loss or constant weight fluctuation
• Constantly feeling cold – even in warm weather
• Negative self-talk, especially about one's body
• Changes in mood or the desire to interact with others socially
• Compulsive or excessive exercising
• Frequently engaging in conversation about food
• Avoiding certain foods that were once loved
• Unusual behaviors at meal times – practicing food rituals or avoiding meals altogether
• Using the bathroom right after a meal, or other signs of purging (swollen cheeks, marks/scars on knuckles – a.k.a. "Russell's sign")
• Evidence of hoarding food, empty food wrappers or containers, or the disappearance of large amounts of food in a short time

With "Don't Miss It," ERC continues to inspire change in the fight against eating disorders, bringing awareness and the best treatment options from the nation's leading experts to those who need it most.

In addition to the hotline on May 2nd, for more information about ERC, call (877) 789-5758, email [email protected], or visit www.eatingrecoverycenter.com to speak with a Masters-level clinician.

About Eating Recovery Center
Eating Recovery Center (ERC) is the only national, vertically integrated, health care system dedicated to the treatment of serious eating and related disorders at any stage of the illness. ERC offers best-in-class treatment programs for all patients, no matter their age or gender, struggling from: anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, eating and weight disorder, unspecified eating disorders, as well as comorbid, co-occurring and dual diagnoses. Led by the world's leading experts in eating disorder treatment, ERC provides a full spectrum of eating disorder recovery services through an unmatched network of multiple locations across seven states.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Rachel Albert
Krupp Kommunications
[email protected] 
212-886-6704

SOURCE Eating Recovery Center