The week of 23 February to 1 March 2026 marks Beat’s Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW), a time to shine a light on eating disorders and the realities faced by those living with them, as well as the families, friends, and professionals who support them.

At stem4, we are proud to support EDAW and its focus on raising awareness, reducing stigma, and encouraging early help. The theme of EDAW this year is Community. Eating disorders can be profoundly isolating, but recovery and support thrive in connection.

Eating Disorders and Isolation

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that affect young people in different ways. The most common include Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder, alongside related difficulties such as food phobias, body dysmorphic disorder, and exercise addiction (For more information on types of eating disorders click here).

While symptoms vary, many individuals experience intense feelings of shame, secrecy, and loneliness. These emotional experiences can delay help-seeking and make recovery more challenging. Research consistently shows that isolation can maintain eating disorder symptoms, whereas supportive relationships can act as a powerful protective factor.

Why Community Makes a Difference

Community support, from family, friends, schools, healthcare professionals, and peers, plays a vital role at every stage of an eating disorder journey. Feeling understood and supported can:

  • Reduce stigma and self-blame
  • Encourage early disclosure and help-seeking
  • Improve engagement with treatment
  • Support long-term recovery and wellbeing

Community doesn’t look the same for everyone. For some, it may be trusted relationships at home or school. For others, it may include digital communities and evidence-based apps that provide accessible, stigma-free support.

Worth Warrior: Digital Support Built on Evidence

The Worth Warrior app is a clinician‑designed digital intervention created by Consultant Clinical Psychologist Dr Nihara Krause MBE to support young people experiencing low self‑esteem, body image concerns, and early‑stage eating difficulties. Worth Warrior uses principles of enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT‑E), an evidence‑based treatment framework, to target key psychological mechanisms underlying eating disorders, particularly low self‑esteem and body dissatisfaction.

A recent preliminary case series evaluated Worth Warrior with a small sample of young people presenting mild eating disorder symptoms. The study found that:

  • Self‑esteem improved in most participants after using the app.
  • Eating disorder symptomatology, including concerns around weight and behaviour, showed reductions for many users.
  • Participants appreciated the CBT‑informed interactive features and tools for managing thoughts and behaviours.

Although this research was preliminary and the findings are not yet generalisable, it provides important early evidence that digital tools can extend accessible support to individuals who might otherwise fall through gaps in service provision. In a context where NHS waiting lists and service demand are high, scalable digital solutions like Worth Warrior can act as part of a broader community of care.

The newly published paper, “Preliminary Case Series of the Worth Warrior Mobile App for Young People With Low Self‑Esteem and Mild Eating Disorders” by Rachel Edwards and Dr Nihara Krause, presents a pilot case series evaluating Worth Warrior.

Five young people aged 19–25 with low self‑esteem and mild eating disorder symptoms used the app over a seven‑week period. The app is grounded in principles of enhanced cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT‑E) and focuses on:

  • Building self‑esteem that is not dependent on weight or appearance
  • Challenging negative self‑beliefs and body image concerns
  • Developing healthier coping and emotional regulation strategies

Participants completed standardised measures of eating disorder symptoms and self‑esteem before, during, and after using the app, alongside detailed feedback on usability, acceptability, and safety.

While this was a small, exploratory study, the findings are encouraging:

  • Significant improvements in eating disorder symptoms were observed in 3 out of 5 participants, with the strongest benefits seen in those with milder symptoms.
  • Self-esteem increased in 4 out of 5 participants, with two moving from the “low” range into the “normal” range by the end of the study.
  • Participants reported reductions in eating concerns, weight concerns, and related behaviours in most cases.
  • The app was rated positively for usability and acceptability, with users particularly valuing the interactive CBT-based activities and journalling features.
  • Importantly, support was found for the app’s acceptability and safety in standalone use for those with mild eating disorder symptoms, with potential for clinician-supported use in those with greater symptom severity.

Participants’ own words help to bring these findings to life. One young person described the impact of the app as:

“More than I expected – with confidence, self‑respect and thought, changing perspective.”

Another highlighted how the CBT-based activities translated beyond the app itself:

“It’s more personalised and it helps me to keep that frame of mind outside the app.”

Two participants also reported that using Worth Warrior helped them reach out for support when they needed it, something that can be a crucial step in early intervention.

The authors conclude that Worth Warrior shows promise as:

  • A standalone early‑intervention tool for young people with mild symptoms
  • An adjunct to clinical care, alongside professional support, for those with more complex needs

They also emphasise that, as a preliminary case series, these findings are not generalisable but provide a strong foundation for larger, controlled studies in the future.

This publication represents an important milestone for Worth Warrior. It adds to the growing evidence base for carefully designed, clinically informed digital mental health tools and reinforces the importance of targeting self‑esteem and body image as part of early intervention.

At stem4, our mission has always been to create free, accessible, evidence‑based mental health resources for young people. We’re proud to see Worth Warrior contributing to that mission and to ongoing research into how digital tools can safely support young people before difficulties escalate.

The full paper is open access and available in JMIR Formative Research.

Supporting the Supporters: Combined Minds

Community support is most effective when supporters themselves feel informed and supported. Combined Minds, also developed by Dr Nihara Krause MBE, is a digital tool designed for parents, carers, and friends supporting a young person with mental health difficulties, including eating disorders.

Combined Minds uses a strengths-based, evidence-informed approach to help supporters understand how to communicate effectively, manage challenges, and look after their own wellbeing. By strengthening the confidence and resilience of support networks, Combined Minds helps create healthier environments for recovery.

Community in Practice

During Beat’s Eating Disorders Awareness Week, we want to remind everyone that:

  • You don’t need to be an expert to be supportive
  • Listening without judgement can be powerful
  • Encouraging early help can change outcomes
  • Looking after your own wellbeing matters too

Whether you are a young person struggling, a friend who is worried, or a parent seeking guidance, support is available, and you are not alone.

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