Athletes and Eating Disorders
Hi again, it’s me Naomi. If you are reading this it means you are reading my You and the World second blog post. The first one was a general background about the You and the World project and my topic, which is Athletes and the toll it takes on their mental state about their body image. If you would like to view it click here. It will give you the background on my topic along with visuals and some links to websites I think are very helpful, in understanding more about my topic.
For some first hand research I sent a survey out to Friends and Family, on both the school network and Facebook. The results I got were extremely helpful and I thank anyone that took part. In the survey I asked a series of questions about Athletes and what goes on inside their minds. With the results I realized that quite a few people that while being an athlete have had encounters with body image troubles. Some have only thought it themselves but others have actually been told by a coach (or coach figure) that they had the wrong body image for the sport. To see the results to my survey click here.
I also ask a few of the coach figures at my school. To see the results click here. I wanted to learn if they had an opinion on the topic. The athletes are the ones that are going through this but it is the coaches that have the power to change it. They are the ones that can reassure the teen that they are perfect exactly the way they are. Of course they are also the ones that have already been the athlete so they know what it feels like to be in that position, and should know how to treat the situation.
From the responses I got I realized that people in my own school have gone through this. I knew when I started this project that this was a real world topic, obviously that’s why I chose it, but I didn’t think it would be so close to me. The responses I got from the teachers reassured me that people were getting the help they needed. I think the way the second teacher handled the situation might have been the best way to handle it. When you think something may be going on confront them. There isn’t really any other way for an adult to respond to a situation like that. If it had gone any differently I don’t think I would have agreed.
When someone has an eating disordered no matter if it is due to sports or not there are always common thoughts.
(This is just something I think speaks to anyone who has ever doubted themselves.)
Even after learning all of this I would still like to know how it has shaped these people’s lives. I think the thing people forget about when making surveys and reading them that these people are responding to the survey that they have experienced these they actually went through this. I think the way I want to make an impact on this topic is to make a presentation to my advisory about this issue. I plan to make a keynote presentation to them, I think it would consist of all the research I have gathered and my opinion. I think other people should also go out and be an agent of change for the issue.
Thank you for reading my second blog post the third is soon to come. To read my annotated bibliography click here.
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