Matildas star Katrina Gorry shares her tips on being kind to your body

It’s a time that many people look forward to. Meeting family and old friends for the first time since last year and coming together to celebrate over food and drink. But for people living with eating disorders, it can be a minefield that sparks anxiety whenever we think about it.A recent study found almost half of the general population “dreads the festive season”. The Butterfly Helpline always reports a spike in calls from people looking for support through the festive season and this year, with numbers already especially high due to COVID-19 lockdowns, they are expecting even higher volumes of contacts.In this episode of Butterfly: Let’s Talk, host Sam Ikin finds how people in recovery prepare and deal with all the triggers of the season. Nicki Wilson from F.E.A.S.T says preparation is essential, not just for the sufferer, but for family and friends who want to make sure everyone has a good time. Butterfly’s Manager of Treatment and Support, Michelle Sperling, has some practical tips that everyone can follow.We also hear from three brave people in recovery who share their experiences from when they were struggling and how they cope with the increased stress and triggers that come with the holiday season.Over a million Australians are currently experiencing an eating disorder, and less than a quarter are getting treatment or support. And it’s becoming increasingly clear that eating disorders are often under-diagnosed. Everyone who experiences an eating disorder has a unique story to tell.The Butterfly podcast is produced, hosted and edited by journalist Sam Ikin, who has lived experience of binge eating disorder, in partnership with Butterfly.To find out more about eating disorders, visit the Butterfly Foundation website www.butterfly.org.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 Dec 202026min

Even though we don't fully understand all the causes of eating disorders just yet we do know that recovery is possible. From a biological point of view, certain genes which affect food intake, appetite, metabolism, mood, and reward pleasure responses could play a part. We also know that certain personality traits could make people more vulnerable. Things like perfectionism, neuroticism, and low self esteem. So short of genetic engineering or a personality transplant, do we really have any chance of recovery?The good news is that there are many factors we can control and they can make all the difference.In this episode Sam Ikin talks to people who have been there and recovered to find out what works for them.Mia Findlay, for example, found recovery from her eating disorder after seven long and painful years. Now she works to help others get there as a recovery coach.Rupert suffered as a teenager and into early adulthood but is now proud to say he has recovered. It was a long and rocky road and he encourages anyone who is walking the same path to look at little setbacks part of the process.Astrid Welling suffered for almost 30 years before she even realised that recovery was possible for her.Over a million Australians are currently experiencing an eating disorder, and less than a quarter are getting treatment or support. And it’s becoming increasingly clear that eating disorders are often under diagnosed. Everyone who experiences an eating disorder has a unique story to tell.The Butterfly podcast is produced, hosted and edited by journalist Sam Ikin, who has lived experience of binge eating disorder, in partnership with Butterfly.To find out more about eating disorders, visit the Butterfly Foundation website www.butterfly.org.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Nov 202023min

What do you think of when you hear the words “eating disorder''? The chances are, eating disorders are not what you think. If you’ve experienced one yourself or know someone who has you’re off to a good start. Eating disorders are an extremely broad and diverse category of mental illness and most people are not aware of how prevalent they are.This episode is being released for Mental Health Month 2020 and with eating disorders being the complex mental health issues that they are, we're going to go back to the basics. Even if you’ve experienced an ED or you know someone who has, you’re probably not aware of how wildly varied they can be.Over a million Australians are currently experiencing an eating disorder, and less than a quarter are getting treatment or support. And it’s becoming increasingly clear that eating disorders are often under-diagnosed. Everyone who experiences an eating disorder has a unique story to tell.The Butterfly podcast is produced, hosted and edited by journalist Sam Ikin, who has lived experience of binge eating disorder, in partnership with Butterfly.To find out more about eating disorders, visit the Butterfly Foundation website www.butterfly.org.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 Okt 202028min

Social media is a huge driver of body image issues and young people are particularly at risk. Packed with unrealistic images and ideals, social platforms can be an incubator for mental illness - including eating disorders.In this episode, we hear from young Instagram creator Jenna Abbasi who explains how social media affected her eating disorder. We also talk to Zak, a year ten student, about how he manages his social media experience to stay body positive. And we hear expert advice from Danni Rowlands, Butterfly’s National Manager of Prevention Services, Suku Sukunesan, an expert researcher in Applied Social Technology at Swinburne University, and Cara Webber from the eSafety Commission.Content warning: This podcast talks about eating disorders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3 Sep 202030min

Katie is in recovery from an eating disorder, and says her struggles with body image and disordered eating were triggered in high school, when she began to feel on “on the outer” from her straight peers.One million people in Australia will struggle with an eating disorder during their lifetime, and a significant number belong to the LGBTIQA+ community. Yet only 25% of those living with an eating disorder will ever seek help because they don’t fit the stereotype.Kai, who identifies as trans, developed an eating disorder that suppressed his puberty, because he thought only women got eating disorders. Mitch came out as gay in the middle of a relapse of anorexia, but was told that his identity was just a symptom of his being unwell.The history of discrimination against LGBTIQA+ people, along with not enough trained professionals to serve this community, is why many do not get the treatment they need. The good news is there are people working to change that. In this month’s Butterfly: Let’s Talk podcast, we talk to Katie, Mitch and Kai about their recovery, and to Dr. Scott Griffiths and Tarn Lee - two insightful professionals who work in the space. Let’s talk.The Butterfly National Helpline is free and confidential, and we encourage anyone who thinks they may need help with their body image or eating—or just want to find out more—to call 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673) or visit butterfly.org.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6 Aug 202024min

Men, we need to talk. The stereotypical eating disorder sufferer is a young, wealthy, white woman, but there’s a lot of evidence telling us that the stereotype is inaccurate.Based on current numbers, one in three people living with an eating disorder are men, and there are a lot of men suffering in silence. In this episode of the Butterfly podcast: Let’s Talk, one of the country’s top eating disorder researchers, Dr Scott Griffiths from the University of Melbourne, says there could be a significant number of dudes with eating disorders we don’t know about.“Men are really reluctant to go and see a doctor in the first place,” he tells us.That rings true for the three men we profile in Episode Two of Butterfly: Let’s Talk, including Carlton and Melbourne Football star Brock McLean.The truth is, anyone, from primary school kids to middle-aged men—including sports stars like McLean—can get an eating disorder. This mental illness doesn’t discriminate.“I grew up in a very old school family,” he tells us. “No complaining, no wingeing. If anything went wrong you just had to suck it up and get on with it.” Experts say that traditional ideas around masculinity discourage men to seek help when they know they have a problem.The Butterfly National Helpline is free and confidential and we encourage anyone who thinks they may need help with their body image or eating—or just want to find out more—to call 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673) or visit butterfly.org.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

7 Juli 202026min

There is a critical shortage of adequate support for people affected by eating disorders who live in regional and remote areas. We can all relate to feelings of frustration and distress after months of living in isolation during the COVID-19 event. But for people who live in remote and regional areas, the experience of isolation from desperately needed services and treatment will continue long after the pandemic has passed.In this episode, we talk to three people who all have very different lived experiences but who have all experienced the tyranny of distance. Butterfly CEO Kevin Barrow joins the show to give his insights into why someone's postcode can make such a massive difference to their chances of recovery and what Butterfly is doing to bridge the gap.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11 Juni 202026min

Over 1 million Australians are living with an eating disorder, but less than a quarter of those receive treatment or support. This show connects you with experts, people with a lived experience and their families and carers. Whether you're affected personally, you're caring for a friend or family member, or if you want to find out more, the Butterfly Podcast is the best place to start.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

29 Maj 20201min