The Beacon

Issue date: 2/26/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Andrew Seaman Lauren Martin, a Wilkes University junior who died from complications of anorexia is featured in this oil painting that hangs on the third floor of Breiseth Hall. Eating disorders screenings are to be held in Martin's honor next week.

A portrait of a girl hangs in the psychology lounge on the third floor of Breiseth Hall. It is an oil painting of Lauren Martin, a Wilkes junior who died March 27, 2004, at the age of 24 after a courageous battle with anorexia nervosa.

"Lauren was a very special person. I know that everyone who knew her was deeply saddened by her death," said Associate Professor of Psychology Debbie Tindell.

In light of Eating Disorder Awareness Month, Psi Chi, the national honor society of psychology students, will hold its annual Eating Disorder Screening Day in honor of Martin. The event is slated to begin Monday from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. in the Henry Student Center.

"The screenings are very accurate in terms of indicating if there's a problem," psychology professor Robert Bohlander explained.

Students and faculty who wish to be screened will take a pencil-and-paper type test, answering a series of questions that will be evaluated by a campus counselor who in turn will inform the test taker whether or not he or she is at a high or low risk of developing an eating disorder. The tests are completely confidential, though Bohlander feels that the people who need to take the test most, don't.

"Denial is a big problem, especially in anorexia nervosa patients. Many of them don't believe that there is a problem. They believe what they are doing is the right thing. They believe it shows good self control," he said.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Psychiatric Association, more than seven million women and one million men nationwide experience some form of an eating disorder. With the highest death rate of all of the eating disorders (about a 10% mortality rate), anorexia nervosa is estimated to affect about 1% of teenage girls, while 5% of college-aged students have it nationally.

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