BSC requires students with severe health problems to seek help

A student may be required to seek professional help if physical or psychological health problems place that student's life in potential danger; impairs her/ his ability to maintain an academic program; or when his/her behavior is a serious disruption to others. Examples of such health problems include, but are not limited to, symptoms of serious mood disorders, serious medical condition or serious eating disorder.

Students may be mandated to seek assessments by appropriate medical and/or psychological professionals. The Counseling Center director (or designee) or the clinical director of Health Services (or designee) will coordinate referrals to the appropriate medical or psychological professionals. The student will be required to sign necessary releases to permit communication between all professional referrals including the Counseling Center clinical director or clinical director of Health Services and appropriate college administrators. The director (or designee) will then consult with the appropriate college administrators regarding the student's ability to safely continue in college programs such as, but not limited to, residence life and housing, athletics, academics and international study abroad. In the case where a resident student is transported to the hospital for urgent psychological treatment, the consultation must occur prior to the students return to campus housing. If the student does not agree to participate in medical or psychological treatment, his/her ability to continue in college programs will be jeopardized and the student may lose housing and participation in academic programs.

Eating Problems and Eating Disorders

Many college students experience problems with eating and body image. The eating disorders, anorexia and bulimia, typically start in teenage years as a normal attempt to diet but gradually lead to an intense preoccupation with food and body size. Often people struggling with food feel out of control with their lives, their bodies and their relationships. Many experience mood swings, depression and anxiety. Students with eating disorders may be mandated to participate in outside, ongoing psychological, medical and nutritional treatment.

Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and intentional, excessive weight loss. Anorexics have an intense fear and hatred of fat and they usually overestimate their weight, seeing themselves as fat even when emaciated. They may be able to work or study and have some social life but eventually they function far below their potential.

Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by a secretive cycle of binging and purging. Binging involves the rapid consumption of large quantities of food (more than one would usually eat in a meal), while purging involves the attempts to rid the body of this food by vomiting, laxative abuse, compulsive exercise or fasting. Bulimia can range from a mild and infrequent response to stress to an uncontrollable, debilitating and destructive pattern that absorbs nearly all of a person's time, energy and money. Body weight typically varies from normal to overweight.

Binge Eating Disorder or Compulsive Overeating is characterized by periods of uncontrolled, compulsive or continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full. While the binge is not followed by an attempt to purge, the person may engage in frequent dieting or occasional fasts. As with bulimia, after binges people often experience intense feelings of guilt and shame. Anxiety, depression and loneliness are not uncommon for binge eaters. Body weight may vary from normal to mildly overweight to obesity.

Help is Available

An important step in addressing any problem is to first become aware of one's behavior and its impact on one's life. The best way to prevent an eating disorder is to seek help early, when the first signs emerge such as preoccupation with food, dieting, weight or body image. Consulting with one of the professionals on campus can help students assess whether they have a mild or moderate problem or a more serious eating disorder as well as how to deal with the issue. The Counseling Center staff (508.531.1331) provides confidential appointments for assessment, counseling and referrals. The Health Services staff (508.531.1252) provides support and assessment by offering general medical screenings, health education and referrals to a nutritionist.

How to Help Someone Who Has an Eating Disorder

Here are some suggestions to follow if you suspect someone you care about has an eating disorder:

• Let the person know that you are concerned and you care.
• Encourage her or him to seek professional help from a therapist, nurse practitioner or physician.
• Tell the person about campus resources.
• Don't nag about eating or not eating.
• Avoid making comments about the person's appearance. Comments about weight gain may be interpreted as criticism, while comments about weight loss may be received as a compliment.
• Consult with your resident director, staff at the Counseling Center or Health Services about how you can help.
• You can offer support, but remember that the ultimate decision and responsibility rests with the person with the eating disorder.

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