COVID AND EDs

We’re now two years into the pandemic, and the toll it continues to take is great. In addition to the hundreds of thousands of lives lost, we’ve needed to cope with the significant and prolonged disruption, uncertainty, and stress that COVID-19 has introduced.

The impact of the pandemic on individuals and families experiencing eating disorders, in particular, cannot be overlooked. In many cases, those who were already struggling have experienced even more intense symptoms, and others who were previously in a stable recovery have found themselves struggling again. Others still have found themselves dealing with an eating disorder for the first time. It has never been clearer that there are millions of people who need attention and care for these serious, complex conditions.

In many ways, the pandemic created a perfect storm for eating disorders to develop. Dr. Mark Warren, Chief Medical Officer at Accanto Health, the parent company of Veritas Collaborative and The Emily Program, explains: “When our rituals and routines are disrupted, it is harder to eat. When we are isolated, it is harder to eat and easier to engage in eating disorder behaviors. When our stress is high, our urges are high. When our social contacts are low, our ability to get support is diminished. When the focus of our society, and indeed the world, is a deadly virus, it is easy to forget the other ways in which we suffer.”

Still, hope and healing are possible. People are reaching out for eating disorder treatment in greater numbers, and we are constantly looking for ways to expand care to those in need. With telehealth and in-person options available at The Emily Program and Veritas Collaborative, we are fully committed to keeping clients, families, and staff safe as we deliver a full continuum of comprehensive, evidence-based care.