EATING DISORDERS AND EXAM STRESS.

The typical life of a student involves meeting deadlines, completing assignments and sitting exams which at times, can cause us all to feel pressured and stressed. It is very normal to feel this way and most people just about manage to pull themselves through to the finish line, but in doing so, this can have a significant impact on their eating habits, triggering or contributing to an eating disorder [3]. BEAT Charity did a survey in 2013 which found that around 32% of university students in that year had been diagnosed with eating disorders which shows that this is something that should be addressed. [2]

HOW CAN EXAM STRESS AND PRESSURE LEAD TO EATING DISORDERS?

With no question or a doubt, exams and deadlines are important, however because of the stress and pressure, they can lead to self-neglect. If they are affecting your general self-care regarding both your mental & physical health, seeking for ways to manage this should be your number one priority. If your mental & physical health is deteriorating, this can in turn affect your performance at university, hence why it is so important to make sure that you are ok [5].

Sometimes you may not know that you are developing or experiencing an eating disorder. As mentioned before, it is normal for everyone to go through stress now and again, so here are a few signs below to consider when making the differentiation between an eating disorder & the normal eating behavior of a student. This can help you or help someone you know who may be at risk:

  • Negative comments/thinking regarding your weight & appearance [4]
  • Avoiding food, hiding or lying about food you have eaten whether it be a lot of food or not enough [4]
  • A feeling of a lack of self-control [4]
  • Physical weight loss or gain [4]
  • A sense of distress or withdrawal from things that you love [4]
  • Eating more than usual to relieve stress [1]
  • Exercising more than usual to relieve stress that goes beyond your personal limits [1]
  • Loss of appetite due to overworking because of stress/pressure [1]
  • Missing meals or having no time to cook & eat in order to continue studying [1]

Financial strains at university can also be a contributing factor to why you may not be eating properly. If this is something that is affecting you please ask for help and speak to someone that you can trust or contact your University Student Well-being Centre or Helpline.

HOW TO DEAL WITH STRESS

  • Create daily & weekly timetables that work specifically for YOU.

This allows you to manage your time appropriately, giving you time to study, cook & eat as well as free time to relax and do something you enjoy. This will help you to feel in-control and less overwhelmed. This also involves maybe creating meal plans to ensure that you’re eating the right food. You can even cook every other day and eat leftovers from the day before! [5]. Here is an example of a weekly timetable & meal plan that you can use and adjust to fit your schedule.

  • Find a hobby.

Ensure that you take regular breaks during study periods to do something that you enjoy, whether it be simply watching TV or joining a society at university that interests you. Don’t overwork yourself [5].

  • Find someone you can trust to talk to.

It can be viewed as not important, weird or awkward to speak to someone about your struggles, but this is a key thing. Look for a family member, friend or counselor who will be able to support you and encourage you during times where you can’t encourage yourself. It’s nice to get things off your chest sometimes! [5]

  • Focus on and love yourself.

It’s not always easy when you don’t like the way that you are but remember that you are one of a kind and there has never been, nor will there ever be anyone exactly like you. There’s beauty in what you see as being an imperfection. Focus your mind on the positive things about yourself, the things you have achieved. If you can’t find anything, ask those around you to tell you what they love about you! Write these things down where you can see them & remind yourself about them everyday until you believe it! Don’t compare yourself and your achievements with others, do what works for you & keep to your pace [5].

 

If you feel you, or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, please reach out for help by booking an appointment with your GP and also there are many organisations which offer support for individuals and families suffering from an eating disorder:

Written by Munashe Mapiye
3rd Year MPharm Student

References:
[1] BEAT (2019). Eating Disorders & Exams. Norwich: BEAT Eating Disorders. Available from BEAT (https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/recovery-information/eating-disorders-and-exams [accessed 28 October 2019].
[2] BEAT (2019). Universities. Norwich: BEAT Eating Disorders. Available from https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-involved/universities [accessed 31 October 2019].
[3] BODYWHYS (2019) Eating Disorders & Exams. Dublin: The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland. Available from https://www.bodywhys.ie/understanding-eating-disorders/key-issues/eating-disorders-exams/ [accessed 28 October 2019].
[4] Jacobson, R (2019) Signs a College Student May Have an Eating Disorder. New York: Child Mind Institute. Available on: https://childmind.org/article/signs-a-college-student-may-have-an-eating-disorder/ [accessed 28 October 2019].
[5] Young Minds (2019) Exam Stress. London: Young Minds. Available from https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/feelings-and-symptoms/exam-stress/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMImuewmJC_5QIVh63tCh0ZKQ2jEAAYAiAAEgIAGfD_BwE [accessed 28 October 2019].

EATING DISORDERS AND STUDENTS

Moving away from home, to university is a very exciting feeling. Living with new people, making new friends, studying a course that you have a deep interest in and making memories that you’ll cherish for years to come.

However, unfortunately for many students their time at university can be negatively affected due to suffering from an eating disorder.

HOW DO EATING DISORDERS AFFECT STUDENTS?

Eating disorders can start for many reasons. Information from people who have experienced eating disorders, suggests that it started as wanting to be ‘healthy’. Naturally, people started noticing their weight loss and, the compliments followed. The compliments led to an even increased motivation to continue losing the weight, which led to a spiral effect, especially in the case of anorexia and bulimia [2].

Living in a shared accommodation with students on different courses to you, may mean that you may not all eat at the same time, due to different timetables. Unlike living at home, where you tend to eat meals together, university may allow you to skip meals, or get into a cycle of binge eating and purging, and there is no one there to notice this problem developing therefore can allow this behaviour to continue for longer without question. [2].

It is important to note that it is not uncommon to develop a combination of eating disorders. For example: binge eating disorder and bulimia. This involves binge eating until you are uncomfortably full [1] and being able to make yourself vomit regularly without others noticing [5]. 

If you have already been diagnosed with an eating disorder, it is important to plan ahead, making a meal plan and a study timetable (please see the section on exam stress and eating disorders for a sample timetable), to ease your time at university. This will help avoid you getting anxious or worried, feelings that may trigger your eating disorder to flare up. It is also important to try develop a support system at university, people who you can confide in and ask for help, and remember that your lecturers and university student wellbeing centre want the best for you and are happy to help.

If you are concerned that you or a friend may have an eating disorder it is important to seek help. Register with the university doctor, to ensure you have access to health care to support you. If you believe a friend is suffering from an eating disorder encourage them to seek help, and always remember to be understanding and supportive. If they suffer from binge eating they may feel that they are in a cycle and that they can’t seem to find a way out, assure them that with help and support, it will get better [5]. 

ADVICE

  • If you have an eating disorder it is important to let the university know so they will be able to support you as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
  • Sign up to the university GP, so if any issues arise you will be able to access health care advice.
  • Don’t leave your friends out, try and make plans that don’t involve eating, as this can be a stressful situation for them.
  • Be organised, and plan ahead to help manage stress.
  • Don’t comment on people’s weight or size, you never know what they might be going through and how these comments may affect them, even if it is a compliment.
  • Remain understanding and supportive of friends at all time.

If you feel you, or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, please reach out for help by booking an appointment with your GP and also there are many organisations which offer support for individuals and families suffering from an eating disorder:

Written by Aeesha Ibrahim
3rd Year MPharm Student

References:

[1] NHS (2018). Eating disorders. London: National Health Service. Available from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/eating-disorders/. [accessed 21 October 2019].
[2] Harvey-Jenner, C (2017). ‘Food, uni and me’: How to cope when an eating disorder takes over. California: Hearst Magazine Media. Available from http://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a12443859/eating-disorders-university-anorexia-symptoms/. [accessed 21 October 2019].
[3] Student mind. (2019). Student Eating Disorder Fact Sheet. Leeds: Student Minds.Available from http://www.studentminds.org.uk/uploads/3/7/8/4/3784584/student_eating_disorder_fact_sheet.pdf. [accessed 21 October 2019].
[4] BEAT (2019). Universities. Norwich: BEAT Eating Disorders.Available from https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-involved/universities. [accessed 21 October 2019].
[5] BEAT (2018). ‘But you hardly eat anything?’ Binge eating, Bulimia and me. Norwich: BEAT Eating Disorders. Available from https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/your-stories/binge-eating-bulimia-and-me. [accessed 21 October 2019].

 

 

 

EATING DISORDERS: FEMALES

During some research, we found that eating disorders mainly affect young women aged between 13-17 [2]. Therefore, in this latest post we are going to raise awareness of how eating disorders affect women and the tell-tale signs that may suggest you or someone close to you is developing/suffering from an eating disorder. As always, helplines and websites will be available at the bottom of the post.

A fact that is probably not surprising to you, is that eating disorders are most prevalent in females. It is thought that a total of 1.25 million people suffer from an eating disorder in the UK [1], with 75% of the sufferers being female [1]. In general, females are 10 times more likely than men to suffer from bulimia or anorexia [3]. But it’s not limited to these two disorders, females can also be affected by other eating disorders such as binge eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (AFRID) and other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) [1].

So, what are the signs that could indicate the development of an eating disorder in you or someone close to you?

THEY COULD BE EMOTIONAL [4]:

  • Attitudes and behaviours indicating weight loss e.g. dieting
  • Feeling uncomfortable eating around others
  • Checking the mirror for perceived flaws
  • Withdrawal from friends
  • Skipping meals or eating very small portions

OR PHYSICAL [4]:

  • Having noticeable weight fluctuations
  • Suffering with irregularities in menstrual cycle e.g. missing periods
  • Suffering from dry hair and skin
  • Brittle nails
  • Fainting and dizziness

As well as these, different eating disorders have distinct warning signs. Examples include:

ANOREXIA NERVOSA [4]:

  • Displaying dramatic weight loss
  • Obsession with dieting, weight and calories
  • Cannot maintain an appropriate body weight for age and height
  • Excessive exercise

BULIMIA NERVOSA [4]:

  • Binge eating
  • Purging e.g. frequently visiting the bathroom after meals and showing signs of vomiting
  • Excessive water intake
  • Dental problems
  • Fear of gaining weight
  • Loss of control over eating

Watch a video on Jodie’s anorexia recovery story below:

It is no surprise that problems with body image play a significant role in the maintenance and development of eating disorders, with poor body image being mainly associated with females [5]. According to the 2016 Girl Guiding Survey on young girl’s attitudes about shape and weight showed that most were insecure about their looks [5]. Also, it was recorded that by the age of 10, 8 in 10 girls all agreed that looks were more important than ability [5], with most girls reporting weight as a main concern [5]. The main culprit for this mind set is the rise of social media and the ‘fat-calling’ that comes hand in hand. It’s these harmful words and behaviours that lead to weight stigma later in life, which has a detrimental impact on young women and their views on the ‘ideal’ body image. With such an emphasis on obtaining the ‘perfect’ body, it leads people to develop an unhealthy relationship with food and eating in general which is why eating disorders are so prevalent today.

Females are more likely than males to deal with poor body image by dieting, as society has made us perceive we only have the ‘perfect body’ when we are ‘thin’. But in reality, dieting itself has many emotional and physical side effects that people don’t really speak about [5].

HELP AND ADVICE IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SUFFERING FROM AN EATING DISORDER[7]:

  • Don’t blame yourself- stay positive and fight self-critical thoughts
  • Don’t go through recovery alone- friends, family and healthcare professionals are here to help
  • Put yourself first
  • Do not lose hope- with support a full recovery is possible
  • Open up to friends and family
  • Be patient with recovery- it is not easy and can be a lengthy process but a full recovery is possible

USEFUL TIPS ON HOW TO SUPPORT A FRIEND WITH AN EATING DISORDER[6]:

  • Offer support e.g. offer to join them to appointments or help them with day-to-day tasks
  • Continue to involve them in plans and activities (as eating disorders can make people feel very isolated). Although be careful not to make plans that centre around food.

If you feel you, or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, please reach out for help by booking an appointment with your GP. There are many organisations which offer help for individuals suffering from an eating disorder and support for their family and friends. 

Written by Lucy Gardner
3rd Year MPharm Student

 

References:
[1] Beat Eating Disorders (undated) Statistics for Journalists. Norwich: Beat Eating Disorders. Available from https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/media-centre/eating-disorder-statistics [accessed 25 October 2019].
[2] National Health Service (2018) Eating Disorders. London: National Health Service. Available from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/eating-disorders/ [accessed 27 October 2019].
[3] Royal College of Psychiatrists (undated) Anorexia and bulimia. London: Royal College of Psychiatrists. Available from https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders/anorexia-and-bulimia [accessed 25 October 2019].
[4] National Eating Disorders Association (undated) Warning Signs and Symptoms. New York, United States: National Eating Disorders Association. Available from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/warning-signs-and-symptoms [accessed 26 October 2019].
[5] National Centre for Eating Disorders (undated) Body Image. National Centre for Eating Disorders. Available from https://eating-disorders.org.uk/information/body-image/ [accessed 27 October 2019].
[6] Beat Eating Disorders (2017) Supporting Somebody With an Eating Disorder. Norwich: Beat Eating Disorders. Available from https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/recovery-information/supporting-somebody [accessed 25 October 2019].
[7] Very well mind (2019) 11 Do’s and Don’ts for Eating Disorder Recovery. Very well mind. Available from https://www.verywellmind.com/things-to-stop-if-you-have-an-eating-disorder-1138275 [accessed 28 October 2019].

 

EATING DISORDERS: MALES

As you may already know, the misconception surrounding eating disorders is that they only affect women; however, males being diagnosed with an eating disorder are becoming more common in recent years.

“It is now thought that 25% of individuals battling an eating disorder are male [2]”.

Due to the stigma surrounding males suffering from eating disorders, many go undiagnosed, therefore this may be an underestimate.

So why? Why do men find it so difficult to ask for help? To tell a friend? To tell a family member they are struggling?

When you think about eating disorders most people automatically think of women and their obsession with losing weight and attaining the perfect body, but what about men? Men can often hide their problems with excessive exercise and gym training which can therefore result in extreme weight loss, as men are less likely to reach out for help in case they are stigmatised as ‘weak’.

The number of individuals diagnosed with an eating disorder has increased by 15% since 2000 [1]. For males this could be due to exposure to the forever growing male orientated media which focuses on men’s health and fitness, this is seen heavily on social media with accounts dedicated to fitness showcasing male models with perfectly chiselled muscles and ‘healthy’ diets that focus purely on protein content. This highlights the pressure that is placed on young males to train hard in the gym to achieve the muscular physique which is deemed desirable and attractive in today’s society. This image is easily accessible to young men as gym memberships are more affordable and protein supplements are readily available as they can be picked up from local supermarkets [4].

[3]
However, similar to eating disorders in young women, the occurrence of an eating disorder in a young man can often be linked back to a specific trigger or event that occurred in their lives such as[4]: 
  • Being bullied at school or college for being overweight
  • Playing a sport that requires extreme weight control
  • Suffering from a loss at home
  • Exam stress/pressure
  • Change in career

But remember, an eating disorder is when you obtain an unhealthy relationship with food, which doesn’t just involve eating too little, it can involve eating too much [7].

A recent report discovered the prevalence of Anorexia nervosa among men is 19 per 100,000 and Bulimia nervosa is 29 per 100,000, highlighting bulimia as more common in male sufferers than Anorexia nervosa[4].

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder in which the individual binge eats (eats a lot of food in a short amount of time) and then ‘purges’, forces themselves to be sick, abuses laxatives, or exercises excessively to try preventing themselves gaining any weight [5]. Often a symptom of Bulimia is having a fear of gaining weight and being very critical of one’s body shape and weight, which explains why it is the most common eating disorder in men as society’s image of the ‘perfect male body’ is lean without an ounce of fat [5]. Upon striving for the perfect body, bulimics enter a Binge-purge cycle, which can have simple triggers such as hunger, exam stress or sadness [5]

SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR[5]:

  • Fear of putting on weight
  • Thinking about food a lot
  • Feeling guilty and ashamed, and behaving secretively
  • Avoiding social activities that involve food such as going out for a meal
  • Feeling like you have no control over your eating
  • Sore throat from being sick
  • Self-harming
  • Eating a lot of food, rapidly
  • Going to the bathroom after eating, and often returning looking flushed
  • Excessively or obsessively exercising
So how can YOU prevent yourself from developing an eating disorder?

THE SELF HELP GUIDE[6]:

  1. Monitor what you are eating: add a section into your university diary where you can record what you have eaten that day- this will help you notice patterns .
  2. Make realistic meal plans: Plan what and when you want to eat that day to help regulate your eating and prevent binging.
  3. Learn what triggers your binging or excessive exercising: this could be a social media post, unrealistic body image on TV/film and block these out, as this will prevent the cycle.
  4. Identify underlying causes: is there anything going on at home? Is exam stress too much? Are you suffering with health issues? – tackling these may stop an eating disorder developing or progressing so please don’t feel like you can’t ask for help.

If you are recovering from bulimia, it is important to look after your health during this process, here are some help tips to help you during your recovery journey;

HEALTH TIPS[6]:

  • Avoid brushing teeth straight after vomiting- as this can wear down enamel and use a non-acidic mouthwash.
  • Make sure you attend your regular dentist appointments.
  • Avoid acidic food and drink such as fruit juice, during a binge and after purging.
  • Don’t smoke.
  • Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. 
If you feel you, or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, please reach out for help by booking an appointment with your GP. there are many organisations which offer help for individuals suffering from an eating disorder and support for their family and friends. 

Written by Jasmine Northen
3rd Year MPharm Student

References:
[1] Anorexia and Bulimia Care, (2019, A). About Eating Disorders. Bristol: Anorexia Bulimia Care. Available from http://www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk/about/about-eating-disorders [accessed 07 October 2019].
[2] Anorexia and Bulimia Care, (2019, B). Statistics. Bristol: Anorexia Bulimia Care. Available from http://www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk/about/statistics [accessed 07 October 2019].
[3] Cartoon image of bodybuilders, (2019). Online: Freepik. Available from https://www.freepik.com/premium-vector/cartoon-characters-strong-muscular-bodybuilders_4413022.htm#page=2&query=bodybuilder&position=17 [Accessed 28 Oct. 2019].
[4] National Centre for Eating Disorders, (2019). Eating Disorders In Males. Surrey: National Centre for Eating Disorders. Available from https://eating-disorders.org.uk/information/eating-disorders-in-males/ [Accessed 28 Oct. 2019].
[5] National Health Service, (2017). Bulimia. London: National Health Service. Available from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bulimia/ [Accessed 28 Oct. 2019].
[6] National Health Service, (2017). Bulimia – Treatment. London: National Health Service. Available from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bulimia/treatment/ [Accessed 28 Oct. 2019].
[7] National Health Service, (2018). Eating disorders. London: National Health Service. Available from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/eating-disorders/ [Accessed 28 Oct. 2019].

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THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is an ingrained part of our lives, 45 million people in the UK use social media [3] and instagram’s monthly users hit 1 billion this year, which is a huge increase from 1 million users in 2010 [1]. 78% of the UK’s internet users have a Facebook account and as a nation we spend on average 1h 50minutes a day using social media, and but as students we know this can be significantly more [3].

We are constantly bombarded with images that portray the ‘perfect life’ and the ‘perfect body’ when in fact this idea of ‘perfect’ doesn’t exist in real life. We are relentlessly trying to achieve this idea of perfection that we are sold despite it being unrealistic for the majority of us, and the gap between how we look, and how we think we should look is growing, and this can have a massive negative impact on our mental health.

In a survey carried out by the Royal Society for Public Health [2], young people stated that four out of five social media apps made their feelings of anxiety worse, while heavy users of social media; that spend more than two hours a day on social media, are more likely to report poor mental health.

“Exposure to thin ideal portrayed by social media is linked to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating”[5]

Before a picture is posted on social media there are hundreds of shots taken in different lighting, at different angles, the ‘perfect’ one is chosen, before it is edited and filtered. Only then is it posted to social media in order for us to show exactly what we want to show.

We then critically compare our lives and our bodies to others without even realising it, leading to feelings of low self-esteem and severe lack of confidence as our internal voices negatively state ‘I will never look like that’ and ‘I wish my life was like that’. This can impact negatively on our body image and affects both men and women, with 70% of 18-24 year olds stating they would consider having cosmetic surgery [2].

While it cannot be said that social media directly cause eating disorders it does influence the relationship we have with food. We are presented with images of the ideal body shape, which ingrains the idea that if we looked like this our lives would be better. This ‘ideal’ is unachievable for the majority of us and can result in people turning to dangerous eating habits [4] such as restrictive eating or lead to binging .

Social media can also be great, it helps us to keep in touch with friends and family we don’t see often, it provides a platform for self-expression and can also be a place that provides a sense of community and support. Therefore we are not telling you to delete all your social media accounts ASAP but instead use it more mindfully [5]. So below we’ve listed some tips to make your social media use more positive.

  • FILTER (no not that kind) out the falseness. Remember that not everything you see is on social media is real life.

  • DON’T COMPARE yourself to others and remember you are worth more than your weight!

  • UNFOLLOW people that provoke negative thoughts and instead follow those who spark joy and happiness, below we’ve included links to some accounts that we love and are all about spreading positivity

  • LIMIT TIME spent on social media, start slow for example not using social media after 9pm, only allow yourself to check social media once every few hours, or maybe even leave your phone at home every now and then.

POSITIVE INFLUENCERS WE RECOMMEND:

 

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This is me.. I stand up tall to everything I have faced. My past does not define me. Losing my mum, dad, daughter, surviving domestic abuse, eating disorders and other various life experiences do not define me. I use all of this to grow, and then I use my growth to help you all grow. I still stand up tall. Nothing will knock me. I am beautiful, worthy, courageous, sad at times, an empath, feel pain of others, choose to smile when I know I can’t. I see the good in people when I’m blinded by it. I have fed mouths that have spoken sh** about me. I have wiped tears of those that have caused mine. I have picked up people that have knocked me down. I now stand up tall, and know everything I stand for and my truth. I ask you to do the same. Never change who you are because of hurt you have experienced. Whatever pain you have encountered from the cause of someone else, just know that it’s a reflection of them and not you.. ❤️❤️ ‘I raise up my voice; not so that it can shout, but so those without a voice can be heard.’ – Malala ❤️❤️ @blisssanctuaryforwomen #BlissAmbassador

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It’s been amazing to see so many fantastic posts already today for #worldmentalhealthday; awareness is growing and the stigma is slowly diminishing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’d always originally thought about mental health in the context of mental illness. It was always ‘us’ and ‘them’. Mental health for me was a clinical diagnosis, and as long as I didn’t fit the criteria for diagnosis I was ok. It was a post by @thepsychologymum last year that really changed how I saw things. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We don’t ignore our physical health until there’s a problem, we recognise the benefit of things like exercise, sleep, nutritious food… so how come it’s so hard for us to recognise mental health in the same way? Even if you don’t fit the criteria for an official diagnosis, your mental health is important. It’s important to recognise that there are things we can do to improve it, no matter who we are or what situation we are in. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I also really resonated with @publichealthengland’s #everymindmatters campaign this year. They found that 83% of people reported experienced early signs of poor mental health including feeling anxious, stressed, having low mood or trouble sleeping in the last 12 months. Even when some of those are a natural situational response, there is ALWAYS benefit in what are sometimes simple things designed to help. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stop thinking your mental health doesn’t matter. You deserve care and compassion, no matter the severity.

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If you feel you, or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, please reach out for help by booking an appointment with your GP and also there are many organisations which offer support for individuals and families suffering from an eating disorder:

Written by Amy Anderson
3rd Year Mpharm student

References:
[1] Constine, J. (2018). Instagram hits 1 billion monthly users, up from 800M in September. San Francisco: TechCrunch. Available from https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/20/instagram-1-billion-users/ [accessed 07 October 2019].
[2] Cramer, S and Inkster, B.. (2017). Status of Mind, Social media and young people’s mental health. London: Royal Society for Public Health. Available: https://www.rsph.org.uk/uploads/assets/uploaded/d125b27c-0b62-41c5-a2c0155a8887cd01.pdf. [accessed 25 October 2019].
[3] Dubras, R. (2019). Digital in the UK: Data and Learnings for 2019. London: We are Social. Available from https://wearesocial.com/uk/blog/2019/03/digital-in-the-uk-data-and-learnings-for-2019. [accessed 25 October 2019].
[4] Jade, D. (2019). Media and Eating Disorders. London: Eating Disorders. Available from https://eating-disorders.org.uk/information/the-media-eating-disorders/. [accessed 25 October 2019].
[5] National Eating Disorder Association. (2018). Media and Eating Disorders. New York: National Eating Disorder Association. Available from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/media-eating-disorders. [accessed 25 October 2019].
[6] Sekar, M. (2019). Dangers of Social Media. London: Priory Group. Available from https://www.priorygroup.com/blog/the-dangers-of-social-media-and-advice-on-eating-disorders. [accessed 25 October 2019].