Today, on 10th October we celebrate World Mental Health Day. Every year, we try to better learn and understand about the mental issues around the world. Mental health has become a public health priority. Don't be afraid to talk about it, exchange ideas so that it is no longer a taboo. 

In France, eating disorders is the 2nd leading cause of premature death among young people aged 14 to 25. Anorexia is a serious illness that cannot be cured alone, and which, if left untreated, can lead to death. Girls are most affected by eating disorders (at least 80% of cases). The onset of the disease peaks between the ages of 13-14 and 16-17. However, anorexia nervosa can appear in childhood or adulthood. 

The prevalence of anorexia nervosa is 5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in France; in the United States, it is estimated at 1 to 8 cases per 100,000 people. Anorexia nervosa cannot therefore be considered a rare disease. The suicide rate among anorexics is the highest of all psychiatric illnesses.

It should also be noted that the denial, taboo and law of silence that characterize the eating lead to a general lack of information and make it difficult to assess these pathologies scientifically. The classification of these disorders as mental illnesses is reductive. This issue suffers from incomplete or insufficiently rigorous media information.

French author Sophie Pigasse Magnaud book entitled “Faim de la Vie” tells the story of her life with the disease, and how Sophie was able to pull herself out of this hellish spiral. It is the kind of book that is needed these days to bear witness to this little-known disease and raise awareness about this cruel illness. A book to be read.