Eating Disorders Support Group Dundee

Eating Disorder Support Meeting Aberdeen Dundee

Dundee meeting news

Unfortunately Bridging the Gap is still unable to meet as there is an ongoing problem with evening staffing at the Dundee Carers’ Centre. We will advise everyone when meetings can resume. However, all those seeking support in the Dundee area are very welcome to attend meetings in Aberdeen on the first Monday of each month.

Conversations

Update on meetings for group members and carers

Wishing everyone a very belated happy New Year and hoping that at last, we can see some light at the end of the Covid 19 tunnel. We continue to have face to face groups in meeting rooms above Cafe Credo in Aberdeen city centre. There are two groups, one for adults with any eating disorder and one for carers of anyone with an eating disorder. These meetings continue to be held on the first Monday of every month at 7.30pm. The dates for the next two meetings are

Monday 7th March

Monday 4th April

Entry to the meeting rooms is to the left hand side of the entrance to the cafe. Places still need to be booked through our administrator beforehand. We are currently in discussion with Cornhill Hospital regarding our return to the Macrobin Centre, and will keep everyone informed via our website and email.

Bridging the Gap in Dundee hope to resume their meetings as soon as possible. Our administrator will confirm this by email and also on this web page.

NEEDS(Scotland) is a self help group who value the opportunity to share experiences in a welcoming and caring setting. All our volunteers have experience of eating disorders either personally or as carers. Some people attend regularly every month and others prefer to come along for extra support when necessary. If you have only just found our website, do please come along and feel the benefits of shared support and the knowledge that you are not alone.

2021 Christmas

Christmas Greetings 2021

I can’t believe it is December once more, and we are getting closer to the festive season. Once again Covid means that we may be facing some restrictions, but some gatherings will certainly go ahead. This may mean that some of our group members may be feeling apprehensive. It would be good if you can share your worries with someone, either a friend, loved one, or perhaps the online/telephone support at www.beatingeatingdisorders.org.uk.

Decide what you are having to eat beforehand if you can. If that’s not possible, don’t worry. Try and make sure you have someone on hand to give you support if you need it. Remember, an eating disorder is like a bully, it does not take kindly to you having friends and family to help out. Some of you may not have as much support as others, but remember, Christmas is only one day, and it too will pass. Don’t worry, you are doing well and you will get there!

If you are a carer, try to help your loved one plan what they’re eating well ahead of the event and then focus more on the other Christmas activities such as, a walk in the fresh air, the present opening session, Christmas movies and games, or even caring for pets. Animals can be very therapeutic.

….. and something to look forward to ……

A team from Peterhead Academy chose to represent our charity for their school’s Youth Philanthropy Initiative and won £3000 for us!! This means that we can plan another Wellbeing Day with workshops and complementary therapies to be enjoyed by our group members and their carers. Many thanks go to the winning team for all their hard work and also for raising awareness of eating disorders in their school. We really do appreciate it.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year from everyone at NEEDS(Scotland).

“Asking for help isn’t giving up,” said the horse, “It’s refusing to give up.”

Christmas Greetings 2020

We know that the festive season is a challenging time for those with eating disorders and their families, but this year with the pandemic, it is even more so. You will get through this by taking a little step at a time, and being kind to yourself. Everyone at NEEDS(Scotland) wishes our group members and their loved ones the best Christmas they can have, and hopefully in the New Year we can look to the longer days and Spring bulbs. Although we cannot hold our usual group meetings, we can direct you to telephone and or online support through the national eating disorders charity Beat at www.beateatingdisorders.org

Merry Christmas, best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year and remember,

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Unknown

“I can’t see a way through, said the boy,

“Can you see the next step?”

“Yes.”

“Just take that.” said the horse.

“What else do you think?” said the boy.

“I think you are doing better than you think.”said the horse.

“Asking for help isn’t giving up,” said the horse, “It’s refusing to give up.”

Charlie Mackesy

support

Beat extends helpline hours and support services to help people affected by eating disorders

Hello everyone,
Due to the very high demand for support during lockdown, the national charity Beat have expanded their support services on the telephone and online. They were fortunate to secure National Lottery funding to enable them to do this. As our usual group meetings continue to be suspended, we hope that one of the following Beat support services may suit your needs.

  • Bolster – a telephone coaching service for sufferers
  • Nexus – a telephone advice and coaching service for carers supporting their loved one.
  • Solace – a peer-supported video group for carers, facilitated by experienced eating disorder clinicians.
  • Raising Resilience – a new workshop for anyone caring for someone with an eating disorder, so they can learn the skills to help their loved one towards recovery.
  • Extended Helpline opening hours – the Helpline, which covers phone calls, one-to-one webchat, email and online peer support groups 

For more detailed information, you can read more here about how Coronavirus has impacted those affected by an eating disorder and how Beat are able to help.

Stay safe and well everyone, and we hope to see you as soon as we can.

climb a hill instead

Another poem to help you through the days ahead

The Mountain

If the mountain seems too big today

then climb a hill instead.

If the morning brings you sadness

it’s ok to stay in bed.

If the day ahead weighs heavy

and your plans feel like a curse,

there’s no shame in re-arranging,

don’t make yourself feel worse.

If a shower stings like needles

and a bath feels like you’ll drown,

if you haven’t washed your hair for days,

don’t throw away your crown.

A day is not a lifetime

a rest is not defeat,

don’t think of it as failure,

just a quiet, kind retreat.

It’s ok to take a moment

from an anxious, fractured mind,

the world will not stop turning

while you get realigned.

The mountain will still be there

when you want to try again,

you can climb it in your own time,

just love yourself ’til then.

by Laura Ding-Edwards

take care always

Self Care Top Ten

  1. Light a candle.
  2. Drink some tea.
  3. Have a FaceTime catch up with a friend.
  4. Put on your cosiest socks.
  5. Watch your favourite old movie.
  6. Have a good soak in the bath.
  7. Stretch for 15 minutes.
  8. Write down 3 things that make you smile.
  9. Put your phone on airplane mode.
  10. Buy yourself some flowers.
Zoom video chat support group

Online support during Lockdown

Another Scottish support group is going to start up a Zoom support group on every Wednesday in July for anyone over 18 who is challenged by an eating disorder. Our administrator has the details and will be emailing all our group members shortly. If you do not receive these details, please email Irene.

Hope spreads its butterfly wings

Hope

I found this poem whilst looking through some folders. It provides a light during these strange times when many of you may feel this lockdown to be a real challenge. We can’t be with you at the moment, but all our volunteers are thinking of all our group members and their carers and wish you well.

Hope

spreads its butterfly wings

tentatively, cautiously

it takes its flight.

Delicate, beautiful fragility

it dances in the morning breeze.

Hope

rays of colour, light

glimpses of a brighter day

enjoy its touch

feel the caress

breeze caused by butterfly wings

Hope

not to be clutched at

do not grasp it too tightly

afraid to let it go,

Life continues, hope remains,

seen or unseen the dance goes on.

Hope

the butterfly emerges

at times drawing near

other times tantalisingly out of reach.

Fragile yet battling even the strongesr

breeze,

Not easily destroyed.

Hope

can you see it?

Can you feel it?

Open your eyes

welcome it here

hope comes

in the beat of butterfly wings.

by Kate (2005)

stay at home and stay positive

Suspension of group meetings due to Coronavirus

As you will all now know our monthly group meetings are now suspended until further notice due to the Coronavirus outbreak. We will follow government guidelines as to when these meetings will resume. Until then, we refer all our group members to the Beat website at www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk for any support they may require. There are various helpful topics and also helplines and ED specific online support groups.

If anyone is in crisis and needs to speak with someone there is a service called 1st response run by Penumbra which is a telephone and email based service due to the current climate. It is open Mon-Fri 9-5pm. If you live in Aberdeen and are over 16 the number is 0800 234 3695 or email aberdeen1stresponse@penumbra.org.uk

There is also Breathing Space at www.breathingspace.scot

One publication which is very helpful, and accessible to all is at www.engagerenfrewshire.com Under the heading Coronavirus information, scroll down and you will find Support for Individuals. Scroll down from there and almost at the bottom, there is a Corona Anxiety Download. This is a 16 page document which is very informative and useful.

This is a quote from Colie Taico, a North Carolina based psychotherapist,

“Don’t let this pandemic stand in your way. You can do this. One step at a time. ”

Some of the advice she gives in The Huffington Post includes

Be compassionate with yourself. It’s normal for eating disorder thoughts to creep back in during stressful times.

Remember that eating disorder behaviours don’t actually solve any problems- and, in fact, make things worse.

Don’t let old eating disorders thoughts prevent you from buying what you need at the supermarket.

Establish a routine to help keep eating disorder thoughts at bay.

Stay digitally connected to friends, loved ones and online support systems.

Remind yourself that recovery is a very worthwhile process and that you’re so much more than an eating disorder.

One book of illustrations which is really uplifting is The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. You can view some of his drawings or buy the book through his website

All the volunteer facilitators at NEEDS(Scotland) hope that everyone stays safe and well and we look forward to meeting you all again when we can.