COMMUNITY mental health worker Susan Smith is the guest speaker on Wednesday for the Manx Eating Disorders Support Group.
Ms Smith will talk about eating disorder services available in the Isle of Man and her presentation will be followed by a general group discussion.
The group, now a registered charity which was established last November, is for sufferers only but anyone who has an eating disorder is welcome to attend.
Georgie Shelley, from the group said they hoped to be able to expand at some point in the future.
‘We hope we may be able to establish a second group for carers which would also meet once per month,’ she said.
‘We are recruiting more volunteers so the more volunteers we have the more we can do.’
The group meets monthly at the Centre for Information Resource Care and Assistance which is on level two of Chester Street car park in Douglas, which Miss Shelley said was conveniently central for people attending.
Ms Smith will discuss support available from mental health services for example from dietitians, pyschologists, counsellors or occupational therapists.
‘People can just turn up on the door and admission is free,’ Miss Shelley said.
‘We normally try to have some structured activities at our monthly meetings, taking account of different coping mechanisms like challenging negativity and welfare issues generally.’
She said the sessions were normally rounded off with informal discussion.
‘It’s good to have an activitiy because it gives a focus. We like to concentrate on recovery and taking positive steps.
‘It’s not really advice-giving or therapy so much as support among ourselves and meeting people in a similar position and it is highly confidential: we emphasise that from the start.’
The UK eating disorders charity Beat (formally known as the Eating Disorders Association) has given full training to those running the group.
Eating disorders can include binge or compulsive eating as well as anorexia, bulimia and others unspecified. The meeting is on Wednesday September 12 at CIRCA, Level 2 Chester Street car park, Douglas. 6.30pm to 8pm.
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