During Friday, new guidelines for eating disorders were presented, which should raise the level of knowledge about the disease and ensure that you receive good care and support, regardless of where you are in the country.
Something that has been needed for a long time according to Maja Engström, who previously had an eating disorder.
– It’s a little late. It should have come sooner. We have talked about it for a long time, she says.
According to the National Board of Health and Welfare, over 200,000 people have some form of eating disorder, and there is also a large number of unknowns. For the first time, the authority has now presented national guidelines for care and support for the disease with the hope of improving care.
Maja Engström got her eating disorder when she was in high school. She is happy that the guidelines are in place, but wished they had already arrived when she was ill.
– I can think that it is a little late. It should have come sooner. We have talked about it for a long time. But it is needed and this has been needed for a long time, she says.
“I never realized how sick I was”
The guidelines should also spread knowledge about different types of eating disorders. Although Maja eventually crashed at school and BUP was connected, she could not understand that she had anorexia.
– It started to be talked about that I had an eating disorder. A word that I had difficulty understanding and recognize myself in. I never realized how sick I was until after I had recovered, she says.
“Knowledge was very low”
That the transition between children’s healthcare and adult healthcare must be improved is also something that is highlighted in the guidelines. Something that Maja would have found very helpful.
– Within adult psychiatry, I felt that knowledge was very low. I felt that they were almost afraid of me as a patient. That they did not dare to ask certain questions.
Today, Maja has recovered from her eating disorder and works to help others with eating disorders.