NEDA Week: busting isolation, bringing awareness

By EMILY PAOLICELLI
Co-Executive Editor
ABIGAIL GUENTHER
Staff Writer

Multiple entities on the Saint Rose Campus are taking a stand against eating disorders. The Counseling Center sold small knit cup holders, or cup sweaters, last month in the EAC to support the National Eating Disorders Association. Disordered eating habits will be discussed during a talk which will take place on Friday, March 13.

In celebration of NEDA week, the Counseling Center set up a table in the EAC with cup sweaters available for sale. For $5 each, small, colorful, round knit sleeves were available for patrons to purchase and slide over their own cups and mugs. Joining the cup sweaters on the table were numerous flyers containing information regarding different eating disorders and some resources that can help anybody who may need it.

“In total so far (including pending orders) we raised $186 through donations and cup sweater sales, which will all be donated to NEDA,” said Briana Spina, a junior psychology major, in a text message. Spina spearheaded the event alongside Sabrina Balbuena and Alan Martell of the Counseling Center.

“Eating disorders are disorders of isolation,” said Spina. “I set up the table with a list of treatment resources and some information about different eating disorders, and this gave me the opportunity to open up a dialogue with other students about their own stories.”

The cup sweaters were not simply an easy craft to sell, either; Spina said she had an extensive rationale behind the product.

“I…figured that making the cup sweaters would be a way to bring people together and foster a handmade connection between the people who made the sweaters and the people who bought the sweaters,” said Spina.

Though the knit cup sweaters were fuzzy, they met their match in the EAC lounge that week: students were also able to enjoy the company of many therapy dogs.

One therapy dog owner in particular took the cause to heart as eating disorders had directly affected her family.

“This was important to me because my daughter had an eating disorder and was very sick,” said Jennifer Ruderman.

Ruderman’s therapy dog, Molly, jumped on everybody who came in her vicinity, ready to give them emotional support. Though Ruderman and Molly travel all over the Capital Region to provide their services, Ruderman said it was especially important to them that they were present for the event at Saint Rose.

“If there’s anything I can do for anyone with an eating disorder, or parents of somebody with an eating disorder… it’s so hard,” said Ruderman.

The topic of eating disorders is not isolated to NEDA Week, however. Professor Ross Krawcyzyk will be leading a talk on March 13 to address disordered eating.

Krawcyzyk, a psychology professor at Saint Rose, said he hopes for the event to take the form of a question and answer discussion followed by an open conversation. The topic of the conversation will address disordered eating, Krawcyzyk said, and will provide science-based information about nutrition.

“[Diets] can get very anecdote based rather than science based, so we’re hoping to have a science-based discussion,” said Krawcyzyk. Because of these anecdotes and other misinformation presented by diet culture, many can be influenced to engage in disordered eating habits that may not meet the criteria for a diagnosable eating disorder. However, the concern is still serious enough to be addressed.

“One thing we can hopefully get the message across, just because somebody doesn’t have symptoms that look exactly like an eating disorder doesn’t mean they don’t have some issue or some warning signs or would benefit from a healthier attitude towards food,” said Krawcyzyk.

This upcoming discussion will be the second that Krawcyzyk has held on campus. The first took place three years ago, in conjunction with the Athletic Department. Krawcyzyk emphasized the importance of these interventions on college campuses especially.

“College is the age of onset for a lot of symptoms,”said Krawcyzyk. “It’s the first time that a lot of people are responsible for their own food.”

The event will be held on Friday, March 13 at 5:30 p.m. in Albertus 216.