Feb 20-March 3: Eating Disorder Awareness Week(s)

[Coffee.]

Hey Social Networking Team! As you guys know, I'm the new Social Networking Officer (yay!). I hope to get to work with you guys more, and get some awesome new ideas a'flowin. First thing to learn about me quickly, I think very ahead of time. So forgive me for "Hey guys, let's talk about this in August!" posts.

With that said, I wanted to bring up an idea for late February so we can start planning now, and get what we want to get done early to be able to plan everything awesomely. The last week of February will be Eating Disorder Awareness week, the theme this year being "Everybody Knows Somebody" meaning everybody knows SOMEBODY with an eating disorder. With that, I wanted to bring up the idea to take a vote, discuss, whatever we need to do about how we want to go about this. I really want a post about it, obviously. But if you guys remember in October, we did a weeklong post-a-day for Mental Health Week. Do you guys want something like that for Eating Disorders Awareness? Basically, give your opinion on how we should approach the posting for that week, what kind of articles do you want to post, videos, just list some awesome ideas for the week!

The downside is that I don't think this is an international thing. UK's is actually a week before this one, which is...annoying to say the least. Could these guys plan this a bit more international please, there are amazing international non-profits who would like to spread awareness. Duh.

So I'm going to leave some links for UK's and US/Canada's, we can think about all the kinds of ideas to spread awareness for two weeks, one week, once a week for both weeks, just once, WHATEVER. I just thought talking about it now will avoid "it's tomorrow oh crap" moments.

B-eat, UK Eating Disorder Awareness Week (19-25 of February)
NEDA, US and Canada Info (February 26-March 3)

Thanks guys! Wake up! Start posting more threads, even if it's something small. We're a team.

[Moxie.]

I really like the theme that's going along with the concept. I love the videos that are already posted on their website because they get the point across so well. Maybe we could use one a day? I dunno. I definitely think we should use the first 2. Along with the first one, we could post an article about anorexia, since it mentions that in the video. We could use the 2nd one to encourage users to talk about it, maybe by pairing the video with an article about getting help. This might be pushing it, but would writing someone's personal experience with an ED work? The 4th one is good, but I don't think it really has a purpose during the week. Maybe we could use it leading up to the NEDA week to let people know about it ahead of time. Sorry. I'm full of ideas and I'm trying to tone it down a bit.

[Coffee.]

Yeah, they make it quite easy for information! I'll look up more videos as well, I have a few accounts with some ED support sites. Make sure you post the links to your favorites because it's much easier with the links! We can start collecting favs.

We could take an article with a recovery story? Just make sure it's very recovery oriented. And there's a fabulous article in the NEDA one that is about starting a recovery blog, I think that one would be FABULOUS to include because a lot of our members have separate blogs (Such as Tumblr) and may be interested in doing stuff. Btw, NEDA has Tumblr. Just pushing my Tumblr idea more. Hahaha. Still something to think about.

Which week do you think we should do it? Should we do a post a day? Two weeks would be a little much, that's why if we do a post a day, we're going to probably have to pick one or the other. What we COULD do is do like, MWF for each week. So Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for two weeks in a row we can post some ED stuff? I'm just putting out different ideas for formatting the two week period thing. I'd feel bad if we only used the UK or US's awareness day. Why couldn't they put them together? Bad planning.

[Sincerely Yours ♥]

I think a post a day is a good idea, however I really don't think it would be that much. It wouldn't last long on the newsfeeds & it would really only show up on the TeenHelp page. I think doing it both weeks would be okay.

[Coffee.]

I kind of agree, the only thing keeping me is our lack of other topics. I know we shouldn't stay on one thing too long. I think it'd be great to show support. It's just hard to pick which week to do. We may want to pick the UK one, since Self Harm awareness day falls within Eating Disorder awareness week US. (March 1)

...Once again, I picked none of these times. If it were up to me, UK and US would have gotten together and decided on one week, and SH would be a completely other week. Argh ye all awareness month pickers!

[Moxie.]

Hahah, your frustration with the planning makes me laugh. I think MWF for two weeks would be good. It's giving a lot of information, without bombarding people with it. Also, I think we should encourage people to share the links that we post, so more people can get the message. Just throwin' that out there.

[Coffee.]

I'm taking initiative to officially say I think we're going to do this the United States/Canadian week (26-3). Reason being, the "theme" of their awareness is really cool (Everybody Knows Someody), and they have some really nice posts we can take from on the week. However, I"ll try to put one or two from the UK ones as well, just to be more open minded. I feel bad for doing this, but I really hope in the future the awareness weeks fall on the same week, because this is really obnoxious for international nonprofits. I just thought the MWF for two weeks would just be obnoxious to remember, and it would drag on longer than liking for our viewers.

Anybody find anything cool, feel free to post about it! We've got some time, but I hope to do a post every day during the week as we did for Mental Health Awareness week.

[Obliviate]

Okay so I am totally new to this social networking business... but I think it would be cool to post some recovery stories (I think there are quite a few on Youtube) or do '5 steps to recovery' or something along those lines.

[Evanesco]

I think it would be great to have a post a day. If we run out of stuff from their awareness stuff (although I doubt we will) we have some resources here on TH we could use.

We have an article about eating disorders: http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f81-e...ing-disorders/
Give some background information?

We also have an article on myths about eating disorders: http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f81-e...ing-disorders/
Quite an interesting read.

I don't know how to link to the videos seperately... But on TH we have three eating disorder videos. The second one looks interesting, it's about coping with eating disorders: http://www.teenhelp.org/videos/eating_disorders/

[Coffee.]

It's actually here! Well, in a few days. But we gotta start coming up with a good schedule for Social Networking posts! Does anybody have any requests of articles/blogs/stories? I know a few of you expressed interest in posting a recovery story or two. Any particular one you like? Feel free to start bombarding this with ideas. I may not take everything, since we only have 5 days, possibly 7 if we really want to do the 26th and 3rd of March as well, but having the most to choose for will make the week filled with the best possible ideas! I will come back to this later tonight/tomorrow and post everything I have collected of different websites/articles/foundations that we can use.

Thanks guys!

Edit later:

• Think Demi Lovato's Seventeen interview is a good thing to include? I think that'd be nice having a celebrity talking about her recovery.
  http://www.seventeen.com/health/tips...ating-disorder
  

[Evanesco]

I like the Demi Lovato thing.

I've already dug out the articles we have.

Here are a couple of support/information websites: http://www.eatingdisordersupport.co.uk/ http://www.b-eat.co.uk/

Something about overcoming binge eating disorder: http://www.casapalmera.com/articles/...-to-binge-eat/
I really think we should say something about BED and CED even if we don't use this particular link, because so many people forget that they are legitimate eating disorders as well.

[Coffee.]

Okay guys. Last night, you see, I wrote this whole thing…and TeenHelp went down. I was screaming at my computer while my roommate was asleep because I went “back” and it lost all of it. So just…understand my frustration? Alright.

I need QUICK responses from you guys, because I need to decide on a couple of things.
1. Are we doing 5 M-F posts or 7 Sun-Sat posts?
2. Which ones? (Below are 8)
3. Any corrections on them/additions that you would like better?

This should have been posted yesterday for more appropriate responding, so I apologize for late notice. I really hope I get a response, especially about the 5 or 7 prospect, because I’d love to be able to post on Sunday with at least some Brits still awake.

RECOGNIZE : Everybody knows somebody. This Eating Disorder Awareness Week, raise awareness about eating disorders. http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.o...-week-info.php (This one was so hard to get to the length limit. )

CHANGE: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, discover the truth about eating disorder recovery and ways to start your journey! http://www.eatingdisordersupport.co.uk/recovery/

EDUCATE: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, learn about different eating disorders and how to get help for yourself and others. http://www.b-eat.co.uk/get-help/about-eating-disorders/

QUESTION: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, question the status quo about how we view our bodies.

STAY STRONG: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, read about Demi Lovato's journey in recovery. http://www.seventeen.com/health/tips...ating-disorder

LOVE: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, learn how to help a loved one suffering from an eating disorder. http://www.voiceinrecovery.com/blog/...nd-loved-ones/ (This one us a supporter of us on Twitter, and I felt it appropriate to give her a shout out during this week )

INSPIRE: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, inspire others' recovery with fun quotes and pictures. http://recoveryreflections.wordpress.com/quotes/ (Another follower and supporter, and I was trying to find a way to shout out to her as well. More ideas from her blog would be appreciated!)

GROUP: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, learn about the power of community and about places where you can get help. http://www.cedarspringsaustin.com/tr...ter.html#group @Cedar_Springs (Another follower/supporter of TH)

RECOVER: This Eating Disorder Awareness week, discover the truth about recovery and why it is worth it for all. http://www.eatingdisordersupport.co.uk/recovery/

*Update: I'm apologizing for this, I will not be posting for seven days, I did not have time to properly post on Sunday, it would have been almost midnight for my UK friends anyway, and I felt it would be pointless to start Sunday when it would have barely been Sunday for a good amount of our followers. We can do 5-6 days, depending on how much you guys like the posts. I'll start this tomorrow morning. Very sorry lack of organization for this week, we've been talking about this for over a month, yet I somehow still fail to keep organized enough.

[Evanesco]

I think 7 posts, to make the most of getting a full week to talk about it (I'm big on eating disorder awareness, it's something that a lot of people think they know about but actually don't.)

I think we should start with something introductory. Either AWARE or EDUCATE. Actually, I think the aware one would be brilliant to start with, it introduces the whole week.

EDUCATE I think we should definitely post, and near the beginning of the week, because of the information it gives.

I love all of the ones you've posted so far. I can't choose! I'd need to see all eight to choose which one to cut, because we need 7 max, don't we?

Anyway, I think we should start with AWARE, posted today. Anyone else got any ideas?

[Coffee.]

I have posted the first post, and am planning to use the Educate tomorrow. Vote for your favorites, and I will probably be adding another option later today going along with Self Harm Awareness Day Thursday. I'd love feedback.

[Evanesco]

The link for GROUP doesn't work.

I love INSPIRE. QUESTION is really good because it's a bit different from the others.

[Coffee.]

Final first three posts:

KNOW: Everybody knows somebody. For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, raise awareness of the impact of eating disorders. http://bit.ly/z5nu4e

EDUCATE: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, learn about eating disorders and how to get help for yourself and others. http://bit.ly/zbAVAb

LOVE: This Eating Disorder Awareness Week, learn how to help a loved one suffering. http://bit.ly/wLCzgZ

And sorry, will edit the group one lateron, I just need to get the original link.

[Coffee.]

Next one, double Awareness, and was able to figure out a why to combine ED Week & SI Day. Thank you Demi Lovato for speaking out about your past demons and being super inspirational.

STRONG: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week and Self Injury Awareness Day, watch Demi Lovato's story and stay strong. http://bit.ly/xOz6FH

QUESTION: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, question the status quo about how we view our bodies. http://bit.ly/xZKQfT

[Coffee.]

Final posts:
KNOW: Everybody knows somebody. For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, raise awareness of the impact of eating disorders. http://bit.ly/z5nu4e

EDUCATE: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, learn about eating disorders and how to get help for yourself and others. http://bit.ly/zbAVAb

LOVE: This Eating Disorder Awareness Week, learn how to help a loved one suffering. http://bit.ly/wLCzgZ @Voiceinrecovery

STRONG: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week and Self Injury Awareness Day, watch Demi Lovato's story and stay strong. http://bit.ly/xOz6FH

QUESTION: For Eating Disorder Awareness Week, question the status quo about how we view our bodies. http://bit.ly/xZKQfT