National Eating Disorder Awareness (NEDA) Week (February 26 through March 4) is here! Eating disorders are the most deadly of all mental illnesses, with anorexia having a 10 percent mortality rate. These tortuous diseases need to be discussed and treated. Luckily, this is the perfect time to step up and open a discussion about it.

For those of you who are unsure what eating disorders are, they are defined as, “serious conditions related to persistent eating behaviors that negatively impact your health, your emotions, and your ability to function in important areas of life.” This definition is very broad and objective because eating disorders do not have a model image. There are many different types of eating disorders, such as: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED), and Additional Eating or Feeding Disorders. Although different, all eating disorders are deadly. I think it is important to realize that all of the previously stated eating disorders are not fad diets, phases, or lifestyle choices. They are complex, devastating, and potentially life-ending conditions that affect 20 million women and 10 million men at some point in their lives in the United States alone.

With all of these cases, most are likely to not be reported, and the likelihood for physical and emotional recovery decreases as time passes without treatment. So why are eating disorders something we want to look past or push under the rug? In today’s society, diet culture surrounds us. We see it in advertisements for “skinny” snacks and “diet” beverages. We see it in the media with photoshopped images on the cover of magazines and campaigns with size zero models. Most importantly, we see it within ourselves. A recent survey reported that 42 percent of first through third graders wanted to be thinner. When children begin to think like this at such an early age, it seems logical that as they grow their image of beauty becomes smaller and smaller, until it eventually disappears into nothing.

This is where NEDA week comes in. Every year there is a new theme and in the past, they have used campaigns addressing the “I Had No Idea” and “Everybody Knows Somebody,” factors. The idea that eating disorders are all around us and without a conscious, educated eye we may never be able to recognize the suffering, give the proper medical treatment to the sufferers, and understand how we can learn and grow from our knowledge we gain on this subject. We all know someone and it’s our job to understand how to properly help before it is too late. This year’s theme is encouraging everyone to get screened: “It’s Time To Talk About It.” It’s all about shattering the stigma and giving everyone access to care.

Don’t know how to get involved? Don’t worry because the opportunities are endless! Most importantly, screenings are free online and only take three minutes to complete and support resources can be found on NEDA’s website. Another way to get involved is by NEDA Walks that raise awareness, education, and fundraise to give 100 percent profit to research and recovery. More ways include social media involvement with hashtags like #NEDAwareness and shareable images and graphics, and hosting awareness events in your area!

It’s 2017 and we are still struggling with accepting and learning about mental illnesses. Why is that? We have people who believe they are fake. Possibly made up in human imagination? Others believe that they exist, but aren’t as serious as suffers may portray. Then, we have the people who either suffer from a mental illness or have a loved one suffering, who have witnessed these horrible illnesses firsthand. So why do we have to wait until we meet someone with a mental illness or even wait until we get diagnosed with a mental illness to accept that they exist?

Now don’t get me wrong, mental illness awareness has come a long ways from “certified crazy” definitions and life sentences in psychopathic institutions because society simply did not want to deal with what was going on. But we can always improve our awareness and never forget, we all know someone who is struggling.

Be understanding. Be educated. Be gentle. Get involved!