It is a dark secret, a means of control, an outlet for frustration, a coping mechanism, a best friend, and a worst enemy.

An eating disorder is many things, but one thing is absolute: It affects too many people, both directly and indirectly.

“It’s the girl next to you-on the bus, in class, at the gym,” said Marie Coyle, a junior and officer of the UNH advocacy organization, One in Four: American Women United against Eating Disorders.

Coyle, who developed an eating disorder when she was 11 years old, openly revealed her trials with food.

It started when her pediatrician told her she should watch her weight. So she started dieting and restricting certain foods.

She was only 9 years old.

“As soon as I couldn’t have it, I wanted it,” said Coyle. “I was hiding food—things like cookies—under my bed.”

Before long, Coyle developed bulimia.

“I was ashamed. I never talked about it,” she said.

But today she’s talking and she encourages others to talk too-to say as much or as little as they want.
Feb. 26 to March 3 marked the National Eating Disorders Awareness Week at UNH. Students showed their support and raised awareness by hanging posters, wearing T-shirts, distributing pamphlets and hosting a “skinny pants” drive that wrapped up the week’s efforts on Monday night.