To the Editors:

It has been brought to the attention of Active Minds at Oberlin that some students have been worried about the nature of the posters around campus intended to raise awareness for National Eating Disorders Awareness week. Students expressed concern that some of the posters may, in fact, act as triggers and cause those suffering from eating disorders to relapse. We want to assure fellow students this was not the intention of the posters. Conversely, coupled with our tabling in the latter half of the week, our goal was to promote not only awareness, but also the resources available to those currently struggling with eating disorders.

The National Eating Disorders Association hotline (1-800-931-2237) operates between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time. In addition, we encourage all students to utilize the Counseling Center as a resource. The Counseling Center has crisis consultation hours Mondays and Tuesdays from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. and Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 1:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. Appointments can be scheduled with the Counseling Center by calling (440) 775-8470.

If you need assistance outside of normal business hours, Safety and Security can assist. They can be reached 24 hours a day at (440) 775-8444. Their emergency line is also available 24 hours a day and can be reached by calling (440) 775-8911.

We encourage students to continue to have a conversation about issues relating to mental health, including those related to various eating disorders. If you have questions, concerns or need assistance in locating resources, please reach out.

Active Minds meets weekly from 8–9 p.m. in Wilder 202. We can be contacted at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Active Minds at Oberlin

–Patrick Doherty
–Katie Malone
–Brenna Larson
–Matt Benenson
–Alessandra Ferrer
–Carolyn Michaels