Browsing by Subject "syömishäiriö"

The idealized values of the media and especially social media are challenging to handle for a young person’s developing self-image and self-esteem. The ideal body featured in the media and its attempt to convey the “ideal lifestyle” can be harmful especially for children and young people. Eating disorders are common diseases and their growth is thought to be affected by social media. Children are already increasingly suffering from eating disorders that affect children's lives extensively. Eating disorders are serious and often long-term illnesses whose prognosis is improved by early intervention and treatment. Eating disorders affect younger and younger people, and therefore eating disorders are increasingly seen in comprehensive schools. Eating disorders affect children’s lives widely and also require the schools to take into account the special needs of those who fall ill and a wide range of special arrangements. The purpose of this study was to survey the experiences of people with eating disorders in comprehensive school about comprehensive school and studying there. The research material of the study consisted of six semi-structured thematic interviews conducted in october-november 2019. At the time of the interview, the interviewees were aged 19–39. The research material was analyzed by thematic analysis. The main themes of the interviews were the experiences of people with eating disorders with school health care, school meals, school sports, friendships and teachers. The interviewees' experiences of the mentioned themes varied widely, but for the most part, the memories of the comprehensive school period were quite negative. In the experiences of the interviewees, individual teachers and schoolmates came to the fore. Thus, individuals had had a major impact on how students with an eating disorder in comprehensive school had experienced their comprehensive school time. The main aim of this study is to provide information on how a student with an eating disorder may experience comprehensive school and how the specific features of the disease and the experiences of those affected can be taken into account at school. One of the most important findings is that in comprehensive school there is no ability to recognize eating disorders, except perhaps stereotypical anorexia. However, most people with an eating disorder suffer from something other than typical anorexia. In order to support a person with an eating disorder, the disease must be identified. Based on this study, experiences from comprehensive school are similar regardless of the type of eating disorder. It is very important to learn to consider the many forms of eating disorders so that the specifics of the disease can be considered in school.