Resources
Thankfully, help is much more readily available now than in the late ’80s when I was wrestling with my eating disorder. If you or someone you know is struggling in any of the areas mentioned in this book, there is no need to battle alone. Please reach out for help.
Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (https://adaa.org/)Find local resources to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.
National Mental Health Hotline (https://mentalhealthhotline.org/), 1-866-903-3787 This (noncrisis) hotline provides access to resources related to mental health.
National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (https://988lifeline.org/), text or call 988 It offers support for those actively at risk of attempting suicide or self-harm.
Drug and Alcohol Addiction
Alcoholics Anonymous (https://www.aa.org/) or Narcotics Anonymous (https://na.org/) Find links to resources or meetings in your area.
American Addiction Centers (https://alcohol.org)Read an overview of the condition of alcoholism, plus in-depth discussions.
National Association for Children of Addiction (https://nacoa.org/)This advocacy group offers a wide variety of resources for children of alcoholics.
Eating Disorders
Eating Disorder Hope (https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com)The site offers up-to-date information and articles on eating disorders and resources for those who wish to recover.
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (https://anad.org)Find free peer support groups for people of various backgrounds struggling with eating disorders.
NEDA (https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org), 1-800-931-2237 Support, resources, and treatment options are available for those struggling with eating disorders. This number can be called or texted.
Overeaters Anonymous (https://oa.org)Find peer support in your area.
Renfrew Center (https://renfrewcenter.com/)Eating disorder treatment is available.
Reducing Weight Stigma
National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (https://naafa.org/)This nonprofit wants to protect the rights of and improve the quality of life for overweight people.
Sexual Assault
National Sexual Violence Resource Center (https://www.nsvrc.org/)The directory offers help to victims of sexual assault.
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (https://rainn.org/), Hotline 1-800-656-4673 RAINN offers ways to support a loved one who has disclosed their sexual assault. The confidential number provides immediate emotional support and ways to access long-term psychological, legal, and medical support.
You may also want to check out:
About-Face (https://about-face.org) This site has been promoting body acceptance since 1995 and featured early links to the author’s articles and activist website Dreamer-Girl.com in their Gallery of Winners. Dreamer-girl.com has been pared down, but the author can occasionally be found slipping Ms Yuck stickers on particularly egregious ads in and around NYC.
AdBusters Media Foundation (https://www.adbusters.org/)Check out spoof ads at this website by the creators of Buy Nothing Day and Kalle Lasn’s Design Anarchy.
Guerrilla Girls (https://www.guerrillagirls.com)These badass anonymous artists use activist art to expose gender and ethnic bias and corruption in art, film, politics, and pop culture.
Jean Kilbourne (https://jeankilbourne.com/)Jean Kilbourne’s pioneering work regarding women and advertising includes her classic, eye-opening presentation Killing Me Softly.
Bonus Suggestion
Write a poem to your body. And make it a love poem! Or create your own artwork or essay, slapping back at harmful starvation imagery and the malignant money-hungry media. Shine your own unique and special and lovely light into the darkness! I’d love to see what you create! Contact me through my website: Lboylecrompton.com.