Warning: This story discusses eating disorders and disordered eating.
The number of Kiwis suffering from eating disorders has skyrocketed over the last five years.
Figures obtained by Checkpoint show hospital admissions due to an eating disorder has increased by 75 percent since 2017.
With eating disorders recording some of the highest mortality rates of all mental illnesses, advocates are calling for urgent support and a full review of services.
New Zealand's first lockdown was tough on many of us - but for Rebecca Toms, that was compounded when it triggered her daughter's first ever eating disorder.
But it would be almost two years before she received the help she needed.
It took months and numerous appointments to get official diagnosis.
That was just the beginning.
"There's long waitlists," Toms said.
"It's really expensive - especially if you're kicked off the public system like we were because she wasn't deemed sick enough. For someone with an eating disorder - when they're told that, it has such a negative impact on them."
The problem is widespread among early teens.
Figures show a 168 percent increase in hospital admissions for 10 to 14-year-olds over the last five years.
Despite this, Rebecca said the illness was often downplayed.
"People assume what an eating disorder is just someone that wants to lose weight, all they need to do is eat ... there's so much anxiety around eating, they can't eat."
In desperation, they sought help from an expert in New York, with online appointments.
"It's very life-threatening. When you really recognise that you urgently need that support. If you can't afford private care you're at the mercy of the public system, which is scary."
They were not alone.
"She said it's $1200 and I was like is that a month, she said no that's $1200 a day, I said 'look I just can't afford that, like that was American dollars as well.
"A week later I called her back I said 'I'm gonna die if I keep going the way I'm going', I said 'I have enough money for six weeks'."
Kristie Amadio lived with an eating disorder for 14 years and after being treated in Australia and New Zealand she turned to the US for help.
Now a trained therapist, she runs the group Recovered Living in Christchurch, which plans to open a residential facility at the beginning of next year.
While acknowledging hospitals had an important role in treating patients, she said successful overseas programs should be emulated here.
"In hospitals, you get a tray that you eat on, in your bed and it's so removed... so being able to do treatment in a home-like setting where we were involved in the grocery shopping, in the preparation of the meal and the clean-up."
Figures also showed a 49 percent increase in hospital admissions over the last two years following the pandemic.
Eating Disorders Association of New Zealand (EDANZ) President Nicki Wilson said its helpline service was inundated and demand spiked after lockdown.
"People are having huge difficulty receiving diagnosis, access to treatment. People are waiting in excess of six months and more, it's really dire."
In addition to the $15.5 million spent each year on services, an extra $3.9 million in funding over four years has been allocated in this year's budget.
But EDANZ is now calling for a full review of eating disorder treatments, to ensure that funding is spent in the right areas.
"Without that, we're unlikely to see any real improvement in access to services we are concerned that our health system is pushed beyond breaking point at the moment," said Wilson.
In a statement, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall said the extra funding would help increase capacity of services.
A spokesperson from Te Whatu Ora said the $3.9 million was expected to support an additional 200 people per year to access services by the end of 2025/2026.
Where to get help:
- Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
- Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
- EDANZ: Find support, information and treatment options online at ed.org.nz, call the helpline 0800 2 EDANZ / 0800 2 33269, fill in the contact form or email info@ed.org.nz
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
- Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202
- Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)
- Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 (8am-12am), or email talk@youthline.co.nz
- What's Up: online chat (3pm-10pm) or 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 helpline (12pm-10pm weekdays, 3pm-11pm weekends)
- Kidsline (ages 5-18): 0800 543 754 (24/7)
- Healthline: 0800 611 116
- Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
- If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
