Delta Phi Epsilon (DPhiE) held their annual Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) Vigil to raise campus awareness of eating disorders on Wednesday, October 1.
Sam Rivera, a senior business management major and sister of DPhiE, opened the ceremony by speaking about the purpose of the ANAD Vigil.
“Its purpose is to raise awareness to those who may not fully understand the devastation of eating disorders,” Rivera said. “It allows people to understand and relate to the stories and experiences of those who actually suffer from these disorders.”
The vigil began with a video clip that informed the audience of statistics such as 81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat, and 80% of women say media make them feel insecure. The purpose of the video was to promote body confidence and share the startling truth about eating disorders.
DPhiE also provided three speakers who shared the stories of their own struggles with eating disorders, explaining to the audience that those who are affected by eating disorders are often right in front of us.
“I was completely blown away by the speakers’ testimonies,” said Alexis DeCarvalho, senior sister of Alpha Omicron Pi who attended the event. “One of the most important things I learned from each testimony is that there’s not just one representation of what an eating disorder looks like.”
Another video clip was shown at the vigil from the Dove Real Body Image. The clip involved an artist, drawing a woman, without seeing her, as she described herself. Then the artist drew the woman again, but this time based on a stranger’s impression of her.
When the two pictures were shown side-by-side, the drawing based on the woman’s description of herself was less attractive than the way the starnger described her.
“The video clips were extremely powerful,” said Alexis Aceti, a senior biology major and sister of Zeta Tau Alpha “It really shows that as women we tend to only see our imperfections and see ourselves differently than the way others see us.”
This year, being the third year this event has been held, DPhiE decided not to charge admission, but still raised $300 in donations benefitting the sorority’s philanthropy, ANAD, to support those suffering with eating disorders.
“Since 1976 ANAD has been dedicated to the prevention and awareness of eating disorders by providing many multifaceted programs, such as vigils, auctions, and walks,” said Rivera. “ANAD looks to support and help suffering individuals and their families, and has centers all over the nation so that people can get the physical, mental, and emotional help that they need.”
“The event was able to bring light to a problem that is often kept in the dark,” said Aceti.
“I would absolutely recommend anyone to attend this event,” said DeCarvalho. “Whether you’re healthy, struggling with the disease yourself, or know someone who finds themselves battling it, it’s extremely important to raise awareness and become educated about it.”
“If you are struggling with an eating disorder and seeking help,” Rivera said, “Student Psychological Services on the third floor of the Student Center provides counseling for any type of struggle a person may be going through.”
PHOTO COURTESY of Sam Rivera
