There are currently 1.1 million Australians live with an eating disorder. Its estimated that over 4 million parents, siblings, and carers are left struggling to make sense of why it happening and how to help them.

Eating disorders are serious, complex mental illnesses, not a lifestyle choice or a "phase". They affect people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds across Australia. For many teenagers, rituals and food restriction are not about defiance, but are a physiological coping mechanism used to regulate a dysregulated brain and find safety amidst inner turmoil.

In Australia, eating disorders are among the deadliest, with anorexia having the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses. Yet receive the lowest research funding.

They carry the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric condition, with a high risk of permanent organ damage or sudden cardiac arrest. This tragic statistic is driven by both severe medical complications and a significantly increased risk of suicide.

This makes early detection and rapid intervention a matter of absolute urgency, as families often miss the deeper signs of distress while waiting for visible physical changes.

1 in 10 teenagers self-harm each year with 65% of repeat self-harmers attempt suicide.

Self-harm is a distressing sign that a young person is using physical pain to regulate emotional turmoil they can’t put into words. In Australia, roughly 10% of teens self-harm every year, with hospital visits for teen girls jumping nearly 50% since COVID. It becomes an addictive cycle where pain provides the only relief they trust, making it vital for parents to spot the micro-cues before the silence takes over.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 5–17.

It is a devastating fact that suicide is the number one killer of Australians aged 5–17. This isn't just a statistic, it represents a massive gap in how we recognise and respond to teen distress.

With 65% of repeat self-harmers attempting suicide before they turn 18, we have to stop waiting for them to "grow out of it" and start having the hard, honest conversations that could save a life.

The vast majority of lifelong mental health struggles emerge before a person reaches their mid-twenties, often starting in their early teens. This makes the transition into adulthood the most critical window for support.

If we can reach parents while their child’s pain is still hidden, we can provide the tools needed to intervene before these patterns become a permanent way of life.

This is a film for parents trying to keep their kids alive.

Something is breaking inside Australian homes, and most parents never see it coming. Behind “I’m fine” is a teenager who’s not okay. Starving themselves, hurting themselves, or going completely silent. For them, pain isn’t the problem. It’s the only way to feel anything at all.

Chasing Silence is a raw, unfiltered documentary from a parents’ view… It asks every parent: if your child needed help right now, would they feel safe enough to ask you?

These stories aren’t easy to hear, but they’re real. And they’re happening everywhere. We don’t know exactly how to stop it. But we know what happens if we don’t try. More young people will die. Can you live with that?