This week on Wellbeing we are talking with David Chawner, comedian and mental health advocate. Anorexia is seen to be a mental health condition that effects mostly females, but today we cover the important perspective of male anorexia. Dave started developing anorexia during puberty to keep out unwanted emotions that c along with puberty. He gave a TED Talk in 2015 about the condition and soon after in 2018 wrote his memoir; Weight Expectations: One Man's Recovery from Anorexia. He says a big part of his recovery has been his comedy work, of which a lot of his content is based around the illness.

In this episode, Dave talks about why he developed anorexia, the differences in being male going through anorexia, how the recovery sector needs to become a more positive environment, his own recovery journey, the role of comedy in his recovery, and how friends and family can better support those with anorexia.

“One of the things about the Anorexia is that generally it can tend to numb unwanted emotions -unwanted thoughts- because its kinda like if you' don't put any fuel in your car it won't run and if you don't feed your brain then it will start shutting down.” - David Chawner on this episode of Wellbeing

Tune in next week when we talk with a mother with a daughter that has anorexia   

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