When his vibrant, brilliant sister passed at the hands of Anorexia nervosa, Alex Winn was left not only with grief, but with rage at a system that failed her. In this powerful, deeply personal talk, Winn shares his journey from loss to activism. He exposes the dangerous misconceptions around eating disorders and the devastating lack of resources dedicated to their treatment. With raw emotion and urgent clarity, he calls on us all—health professionals, policymakers, and communities—to face the truth: eating disorders are the deadliest mental illnesses, and we are not doing nearly enough. This is not just a story of one family’s heartbreak; it is a call to action we can no longer ignore. Alex Winn is a graduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill with a background in neuroscience, mathematical modeling, and AI. His research explores brain structure, information flow, and computational modeling to understand complex biological systems.Passionate about science communication and interdisciplinary collaboration, Alex believes impactful ideas emerge at the crossroads of diverse fields. His TEDx talk, inspired by personal experience, examines anorexia, gaps in medical treatment, and the need for a paradigm shift in addressing eating disorders.Beyond research, Alex is active in the recovery community and explores spirituality as a foundation for growth. He challenges his body through gymnastics and optimizes systems for learning, productivity, and well-being. Whether refining mental models, deepening his spiritual practice, or pushing physical limits, he is committed to continuous growth, meaningful change, and inspired contribution. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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