‘Every meal’s a battle, every meal’s a victory’ says male Anorexia sufferer on Ireland AM.

Thursday 13th, 16:59pm

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Sharon McHugh
TV3 PRESS OFFICE
+3531 419 3430 / 087 922 4143
sharon.mchugh@tv3.ie
publicity@tv3.ie

Ciara Byrne
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ciara.byrne@tv3.ie

TV3 GROUP RELEASE

IMMEDIATE: Tuesday 11th March, 2014.

‘Every meal’s a battle, every meal’s a victory’ says male Anorexia sufferer on Ireland AM.

With cases of Anorexia Nervosa sufferers continuing to grow, 26-year-old Daniel Keane appeared on Ireland AM this morning to share his story.

After developing Anorexia as a teenager, Daniel went from 13 stone to just five and a half stone before he was admitted to Lois Bridges, Ireland’s only dedicated Inpatient, Daypatient and Outpatient Care Facility solely for the treatment of eating disorders.

To watch the full interview, click here.

Ireland AM airs Monday to Friday from 7am – 10.45am on TV3.

Recovering Anorexia sufferer Daniel Keane appeared on Ireland AM this morning to share his story in the hope of encouraging others to seek help. The 26-year-old developed Anorexia Nervosa as a teenager after he gave up unhealthy food during Lent and became obsessed with losing weight. Describing his ongoing recovery, Dan has said that “every meal’s a battle, every meal’s a victory”.

As a dancer, Daniel was often described as “bigger” because he was 13 stone but once he developed the eating disorder, he plummeted to just five and a half stone. Daniel told Mark Cagney and Sinead Desmond that at the height of his illness, he was weighing himself between 30 and 50 times a day. He would often go weeks without eating anything besides a fizzy drink for some energy but even this brought on feelings of guilt.

Daniel said that he could go through long periods without eating because he began to feel good about the hunger pains.

“Yeah, you would be [in real physical pain], especially at night as well because during the day you can blank it out at other things but then if you did feel stomach cramps and stuff, it sounds crazy but it’s a good feeling because you know you’re starving yourself and that’s a good feeling.”

Despite looking in the mirror and seeing how thin he was, Daniel only based his weight loss on the number on the weighing scales.

“I could see the bone and I could see how skinny I was but you’re never skinny enough when you’re an anorexic.”

When Daniel reached five and a half stone, he was admitted to Lois Bridges, Ireland’s only dedicated Inpatient, Daypatient and Outpatient Care Facility solely for the treatment of Eating Disorders. Prior to this, he had been admitted to hospital and put on a drip but described the doctors and nurses as being unsure how to deal with him.

“They don’t know what to do with you because they’re not specialised and they really couldn’t wait to get me out because they didn’t know what to do with me.”

Clinical Director at Lois Bridges, Dr. Máire McLoughlin said that eating disorders in men is becoming more prevalent and is almost as common as it is in women.

“Danny’s story, he’s extremely brave as we can all see. I mean he’s blazing a trail I think, for men that may be frightened, frightened to talk because they think it’s a female disease but men do very, very well in treatment.”

To watch the full interview, click here.

Ireland AM airs Monday to Friday from 7am – 10.45am on TV3.

ENDS

For further information
Ciara Byrne

Press Officer

01 419 3329

087 319 9732

Sharon McHugh
Head of Press & Publicity

087 922 4143

publicity@tv3.ie
www.tv3.ie

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