Helping eating disorder carers a 'life ambition'

A Jersey eating disorder patient said helping carers through a new course was "a life ambition" for her.

Amy Dingle was about 12 years old when her relationship with food began to change and then in university she had to be admitted to hospital because of her falling weight.

She now is recovering from her eating disorder and works at Jersey Eating Disorder Support (JEDS) to help others.

The charity launched a course to educate carers on how best to support people with Dingle and she said "it's just been great to see so many carers come along".

The course has been subcommissioned by the government under the Listening Lounge Carer's Support Service and is free to attend.

Dingle said: "Living with an eating disorder is hard but to care for someone with an eating disorder is even harder."

She added: "Unfortunately eating disorders are something that affects the brain and can change a person to someone they're not."

Dingle said: "If I can say something that picks up a behaviour that is an indication that an eating disorder is starting to become quite entrenched and can save their child having to go for treatment elsewhere and completely disrupt their lives then this is worth it."

She also shares her own experiences with those on the course.

Dingle added: "Hopefully my story will give the message to others affected - just don't give up."

Karen Dingle, Amy's mother, supported her struggles and runs JEDS as well as the course alongside her daughter.

She said: "There's something really powerful about carers coming together and sharing experiences."

Karen added: "There's a huge amount of stigma around eating disorders and people don't understand them.

"I'm hoping carers they take away the sense of not feeling alone, that they're not the only person that is going through this, and that there is help out there".

Kevin McCauley attended the course to learn more about helping people affected by eating disorders.

He said "I find it amazing" and "it was really interesting listening to Amy's story because I identified quite a lot as I see some of those behaviours at home".

The government provides a range of support services and offers advice to those affected.

At the end of June, there were 51 people being supported by the government's Eating Disorder Pathway of Care.

But the government said it was unable to provide figures for the number of people diagnosed with an eating disorder each year because the dates of diagnosis are not available to report from a central record.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article help is available via the BBC's Action Line page.

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