The Deadliest Mental Illness | Alex Winn | TEDxDuke

Problem & Impact - Anorexia is the deadliest mental illness, claiming a life every 50 minutes in America [1][16] - Anorexia receives less than 1% of NIH mental health funding, despite its staggering cost to individuals, families, and society [2][12] - Eating disorders thrive in pain, trauma, and the search for control, often linked to experiences like sexual assault (at least 30% of people with eating disorders have experienced sexual assault) [5][6] - The medical community lacks consensus on treatment, leading to inconsistent care and families feeling helpless [7][13] Call to Action - Break the silence and speak openly about eating disorders to reduce stigma and enable recovery [14][16][17] - Demand better research, funding, and policies for consistent, standardized, and effective care [14][16][17] - Support recovery by showing up for those suffering and letting them know they are not alone [15][17] Funding Disparity - NIH allocates nearly 20 times more funding to substance use disorders compared to anorexia [12]