-Recover Ease
Helping eating disorder patients navigate relapse challenge
Through a psychology course on Eating Disorders, I discovered that even five years post-treatment, 50% of ED patients still struggle with relapses, which threaten their physical and mental health. My app concept offers ED patients tools for diet and exercise management, access to supportive social circles, and connections to professional help, providing a steady support system for managing relapses independently.
Time
Fall 2022
Type
Concept Project
Skills
UX/UI Design
Illustration
01
Context
The 3 most prevalent types of eating disorders in the U.S. are:
Anorexia Nervosa
restriction of food intake to a unhealthy low body weight
Bulimia Nervosa
frequent overeating, and followed by self-induced vomiting / over-exercise
Binge Eating
consuming unusual large amount of food in regular basis
ED patient statistics
Eating Disorders(ED) are one of the most fatal mental illnesses:
ED patients often endure persistent relapses and associated mental issues:
*Data collected from Eating Disorder by Keel, Pamela; National Institute of Mental Health(NIMH); World Health Organization(WHO); and Reddit.
suffers from ED, accounts for 28.8 million Americans
9% U.S. population
of ED patients occurring every year in the U.S.
10,200 deaths
female patients : male patients = 2 : 1
86%
2+ Relapses / Year
High Anxiety
High Shame
43%
71%
02
Research
I interviewed 7 patients who have recovered from EDs at least once to learn more about what triggers their relapse and what have helped them to mitigate the symptoms. Here is what some of them said:
Miguel, 28
“I used to hide my overeating from colleagues, even resorting to vomiting. In inpatient center I find others who are like me and built a mutual support group to help each other!"
Sabrina, 35
"I often eat all the snacks my boyfriend buys, then secretly refill them when he's not home. I'm just afraid he'll discover my relapse. But after he found out, his effort has helped me tremendously."
I conclude the top 3 pain points of the ED patient group who encounter frequent relapse:
• Insecure after discharge from hospital because away from peer and professionals
• Feel anxious because of the fear of monitoring their own diet everyday
• Shame about the disorder, especially in male-dominated industries
03
Persona
04
Problem Statement
05
Challenge 01
HMW provide periodic professional & comprehensive guidance and support to ED patients?
4 roles in ED recovery:
Dietitians
help patients develop healthy eating patterns and nutrition plans
Therapists
help patients identify and change unhealthy thought patterns & behaviors
Physicians
provide medical monitoring and treatment for physical complications
Peer Mentors
former patents of ED, offer support and guidance to others still in treatment
*Based on the most popular treatments for eating disorders, including family-based treatment, cognitive-behavior therapy, psychological therapy, and Inpatient hospitalization
Let’s explore how Recover Ease’s 4 roles help Jerry to cope with relapse:
06
Challenge 02
HMW provide sustainable & belonging guidance and support to ED patients?
How does an intimate social circle help prevent relapse in ED patients?
❓
Inspiration
When a universal medical treatment isn't applicable, learning from others' experience can inspire users
Confident
Observing other cases of successful relapse coping can build confidence in users
Companion
Isolation causes shame in ED patients, and this shame often leads to relapse
initiate
operate
update
07
Final Deliverable
Home Screen
User can track appointments with medical providers, view daily calorie summaries, and daily workout progress.
Care Screen
User can browse healthcare providers and self-care activities to seek professional help and engage in mindfulness activities.
Journal Screen
Users can track eating and exercise patterns, and make healthy choices based on food intake and energy expenditure.
Circles Screen
Connect users in supportive groups and engage in group activities to promote social connection and recovery activities.
08
Reflection
I want more opportunities to conduct design iterations, user testing, and interviews with real users. This will help enhance my product.
I hoped to evaluate the practical and technical limitations in real-world scenarios to ensure that the final design is both feasible and efficient.
Appreciate the Scroll!