Several years ago, The Lutheran Foundation hosted an excellent conference on mental health and the church at the Grand Wayne Center in downtown Fort Wayne.
Speakers from all walks of faith throughout the country shared their professional expertise and lived experiences. It was a packed-out event for pastors, leaders, healthcare workers, and residents of Northeast Indiana and beyond.
A few months prior, Lofthouse films came to my house and professionally filmed me sharing Daniel’s story.
The conference opened with that video.
Then, my husband Kurt and I were invited, along with our pastor Ron Hawkins, to the stage where Pastor Ron opened in prayer.
The Conference was incredible—and Kay Warren was the keynote speaker. (Kay and her husband Pastor Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life,” also lost a son to suicide.)
However, I had so much angst about my weight that day. I was an anxious mess concerning the number on the scale that morning!
That’s what years of exposure to diet culture will do to the brain.
Ironically, I was at a mental health conference—and eating disorders weren’t mentioned that day—not even as a topic for one of the breakout sessions.
In the United States, eating disorders are the second leading cause of death amongst ALL mental illnesses. (Opioid addiction leads the way.)
We must educate ourselves before another generation succumbs to them.
Eating disorders take someone’s life every fifty-two minutes in this country. . . and that number is significantly under reported. Most healthcare providers and coroners don’t recognize eating disorders—unless possibly, someone is severely under weight. (Unfortunately, eating disorders are overlooked by communities of faith as well.)
This oversight is no one’s fault. . .but it is everyone’s responsibility to become aware of them before they destroy more lives.
“Dear friends, I pray that you may be in good health even as your soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2)
Emily Boller, wife, mother, artist, and author is on a mission to create expressive works of art in her lifetime; and to bring awareness to the potentially harmful traps of diet-wellness culture.
In her free time, she loves to chase sunrises, grow flowers and vegetables, and can homemade soups.