With National Eating Disorder Awareness Week starting today, the Counseling & Student Development Center will hold workshops from noon to 1 p.m. today through Thursday at the University Resources for Women, 105 Normal Road.

Eunice Kim, a counselor with the Counseling & Student Development Center, said eating disorders are metaphors for expressing emotions such as loneliness, fear, sadness or anger.

“At one point in the person’s life, the eating-disordered behavior helped them to feel safe and protected from all of those other negative emotions, but it quickly gets out of control, and soon the eating disorder becomes the thing that makes the person feel lonely, scared, ashamed and angry,” she said.

Monday’s event, “Super-Size It,” is a workshop to discuss the impact of increased portion sizes on overeating and how it can distort natural feelings of fullness, Kim said. She said when natural feelings of fullness become distorted, people may depend on other emotions to determine when and how much to eat.

A workshop called “Miracle Pill and Potions” will be held Tuesday. This event will address herbal, organic, liquid and other supplements that help or maintain weight loss.

Wednesday’s event, “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall,” is a program that explores the ways women alter their bodies from piercing to cosmetic surgery, Kim said.

“The common theme is that all of the ways that women alter their bodies gives them a sense of control over their bodies and their lives,” Kim said.

The last workshop, “Recognizing and Helping a Family Member or Friend with an Eating Disorder,” will be held Thursday. It will give students helpful ideas on how to recognize someone with an eating disorder, how to get them help and how to live with someone with an eating disorder.

This year, the Counseling & Student Development Center has assessed 17 students with eating disorders.

“Hopefully, this week will draw people’s attention to information about eating disorders, so that they can recognize what it looks like and understand how fatal it can be,” Kim said.