Eating disorders are much more common in men than were previously thought. While men may describe their situations differently from women, their triggers for eating disorders are pretty much the same

Body image, self esteem and disordered eating

Body image is the mental picture you have of your body — what it looks like, what you believe about it, and how you feel about your body. Self-esteem is the “real” opinion you have of yourself — how you value and respect yourself as a person. Your self-esteem has a direct effect on how you take care of yourself, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Self-esteem and body image also exert influences on each other — it is hard to feel good about yourself if you hate your body! [source: nedic.ca]

When we hear terms such as bulimia, anorexia, eating disorders, or of concerns about body image, we rarely think of males. Yet in the past few years more males have been publicly sharing their experiences and struggles around their own eating disorders, perhaps in an effort to reduce the stigma associated with this illness in males. [source: nedic.ca]

There is a newly heightened awareness of eating disorders in males: Recent media and online blogs include personal stories about men’s struggles with eating disorders, excessive exercise, extreme dieting, and their body image problems. Such real life stories help us to understand the range of experiences facing males who have overcome, continue to struggle with, or in some cases succumb to, eating disorders. [source: nedic.ca]

We speak with Kevin Kokoska, an artist, consultant and clinical counsellor.

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About Kevin Kokoska

Kevin Kokoska is a registered clinical counsellor (RCC) with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. He is trained in both individual and group approaches to therapy that employ and repurpose the skill-sets of artists.

Kevin is also an artist himself. He writes, produces, and performs solo shows about mental health. Combining his clinical and creative interests, Kevin helps artists develop and prepare for projects while coaching them through the personal and professional challenges that arise along the way.

About BC’s Provincial Eating Disorders Awareness Campaign

British Columbia’s Provincial Eating Disorders Awareness Campaign (PEDAW): love our bodies, love ourselves, is launched every year from February 1-7 with activities and events taking place throughout the year. It is a province wide effort, brought to the province by Jessie’s Legacy Eating Disorders Prevention & Awareness Program, to raise awareness around prevention and early intervention of eating disorders as well as media literacy, resiliency, building healthy body image and self-esteem.

British Columbia’s eating disorders awareness campaign coincides with the national Canadian Eating Disorders Awareness Week. The theme for 2017 is “Eating Disorders Are Not a Choice”. The focus for both campaigns in 2017 will be to continue efforts to debunk the stigma surrounding eating disorders by spreading the message that eating disorders are not a choice. The campaigns and campaign followers will use the hashtags #notachoice and #EDAW2017. Event information can be found here.