by Annie
“Sometimes when I sit down to eat, I get nervous and I start to shake. I’m afraid that I’ll gain weight. I tell myself, ‘I have to lose five more pounds.’”—Melissa.
“I want to be attractive, and I’m terrified of getting fat. But I don’t want anyone to know that I throw up my food after I eat. It’s very embarrassing.”—Amber.
“I tell myself: ‘Today, I’m going to do better’ And then later in the day at some inevitable point, I binge. Guilt follows, and I want to die.”—Jennifer.
We all want to look good, and that’s normal. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you’re like any of the girls quoted here, you could have a problem. If you do, you’re not alone. The fact is, millions of people have an eating disorder.
Let’s take a closer look at anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating. Each of these disorders has distinct symptoms, but all of them involve an abnormal attitude toward food. If you see yourself in any of the descriptions that follow, be assured that help is available. You can get better!
ANOREXIA: No matter how slim they may be, when someone with anorexia looks in the mirror, they see an obese person. To lose weight, they will resort to extreme measures. “I became compulsive about counting calories,” says one sufferer. “I carefully planned what I would eat for the week, skipping meals and exercising excessively whenever I thought I’d consumed too many calories. I took up to six laxatives a day.”
Before long, symptoms of anorexia start to show. Weight loss is a common sign, but the sufferer may also experience hair loss, dry skin, fatigue, and loss of bone density. Menstrual periods can become irregular or even cease for several consecutive months. Perhaps these symptoms sound harmless, but make no mistake—Anorexia is life threatening. One study found that in time, up to 10 percent of sufferers die from their disorder, usually as a result of organ failure or other problems related to improper nutrition.
BULIMIA: Instead of avoiding food, the girl with bulimia binges, consuming as many as 15,000 calories in just two hours! Then she purges what she has eaten, usually by making herself vomit or by taking laxatives or diuretics. Bingeing is most often carried on in secret. “After school, if I came home before anyone else, I usually binged,” says one girl. “I was careful to hide the evidence.” After the binge, however, guilt set in. “I would feel terrible about myself,” she says, “but I knew that I could easily erase my actions. I’d go upstairs, vomit, and feel not only relieved but also empowered.”
Despite any seeming benefit, purging is dangerous. Laxative misuse weakens the intestinal lining and can lead to inflammation or infection. Frequent vomiting can result in dehydration, tooth decay, damage to the esophagus, and even heart failure.
BINGE EATING: Like the bulimic, a binge eater will consume a large amount of food. The difference is that she will not purge. As a result, the binge eater may be overweight. Some will, however, starve themselves after a binge or engage in rigorous exercise. Sometimes when weight is maintained in this way, family and friends remain oblivious to the binger’s plight. Like anorexics and bulimics, binge eaters have an unhealthy attitude toward food. One girl says of herself and other sufferers: “Food is our personal, secret friend—maybe our only friend.” Another says: “While bingeing, nothing else seems to matter. Food seems all important—it’s comforting—and then the binge is followed by feelings of guilt and depression.”
Even without purging, bingeing is dangerous. It can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and a number of other maladies. It can also take a heavy emotional toll. Could It Happen to You?
Of course, most people who want to lose weight or get into shape do not have an eating disorder. Still, after considering the above, you might wonder if you are heading in that direction. Ask yourself:
Am I ashamed or embarrassed about my habits or rituals related to food?
Do I hide my eating habits from others?
Has food become the biggest part of my life?
Do I weigh myself more than once a day?
Am I willing to take risks to lose weight?
Have I experimented with self-induced vomiting, laxatives, or diuretics?
Have my eating habits affected my social life? For example, do I prefer to be alone rather than with others so that I can binge or purge in secret?
If you have a problem the first step is to admit to yourself that you have a problem. “After thinking about it,” Danielle says, “I realized that I had the same feelings and habits as girls with anorexia. It was scary to come face-to-face with the fact that I did the same things that they did.”
Then, talk to a parent or other adult who is in a position to help you. Caring adults will not shame you.
You might gain the victory over your eating disorder, only to relapse weeks or even months later. If this occurs, do not give up. A setback does not make you a failure. It only emphasizes the need to strengthen your resolve, to recognize the warning signs that a relapse is imminent, and to open up, perhaps once again, to supportive individuals who can help you.
“Sometimes when I sit down to eat, I get nervous and I start to shake. I’m afraid that I’ll gain weight. I tell myself, ‘I have to lose five more pounds.’”—Melissa.
“I want to be attractive, and I’m terrified of getting fat. But I don’t want anyone to know that I throw up my food after I eat. It’s very embarrassing.”—Amber.
“I tell myself: ‘Today, I’m going to do better’ And then later in the day at some inevitable point, I binge. Guilt follows, and I want to die.”—Jennifer.
We all want to look good, and that’s normal. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you’re like any of the girls quoted here, you could have a problem. If you do, you’re not alone. The fact is, millions of people have an eating disorder.
Let’s take a closer look at anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating. Each of these disorders has distinct symptoms, but all of them involve an abnormal attitude toward food. If you see yourself in any of the descriptions that follow, be assured that help is available. You can get better!
ANOREXIA: No matter how slim they may be, when someone with anorexia looks in the mirror, they see an obese person. To lose weight, they will resort to extreme measures. “I became compulsive about counting calories,” says one sufferer. “I carefully planned what I would eat for the week, skipping meals and exercising excessively whenever I thought I’d consumed too many calories. I took up to six laxatives a day.”
Before long, symptoms of anorexia start to show. Weight loss is a common sign, but the sufferer may also experience hair loss, dry skin, fatigue, and loss of bone density. Menstrual periods can become irregular or even cease for several consecutive months. Perhaps these symptoms sound harmless, but make no mistake—Anorexia is life threatening. One study found that in time, up to 10 percent of sufferers die from their disorder, usually as a result of organ failure or other problems related to improper nutrition.
BULIMIA: Instead of avoiding food, the girl with bulimia binges, consuming as many as 15,000 calories in just two hours! Then she purges what she has eaten, usually by making herself vomit or by taking laxatives or diuretics. Bingeing is most often carried on in secret. “After school, if I came home before anyone else, I usually binged,” says one girl. “I was careful to hide the evidence.” After the binge, however, guilt set in. “I would feel terrible about myself,” she says, “but I knew that I could easily erase my actions. I’d go upstairs, vomit, and feel not only relieved but also empowered.”
Despite any seeming benefit, purging is dangerous. Laxative misuse weakens the intestinal lining and can lead to inflammation or infection. Frequent vomiting can result in dehydration, tooth decay, damage to the esophagus, and even heart failure.
BINGE EATING: Like the bulimic, a binge eater will consume a large amount of food. The difference is that she will not purge. As a result, the binge eater may be overweight. Some will, however, starve themselves after a binge or engage in rigorous exercise. Sometimes when weight is maintained in this way, family and friends remain oblivious to the binger’s plight. Like anorexics and bulimics, binge eaters have an unhealthy attitude toward food. One girl says of herself and other sufferers: “Food is our personal, secret friend—maybe our only friend.” Another says: “While bingeing, nothing else seems to matter. Food seems all important—it’s comforting—and then the binge is followed by feelings of guilt and depression.”
Even without purging, bingeing is dangerous. It can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and a number of other maladies. It can also take a heavy emotional toll. Could It Happen to You?
Of course, most people who want to lose weight or get into shape do not have an eating disorder. Still, after considering the above, you might wonder if you are heading in that direction. Ask yourself:
Am I ashamed or embarrassed about my habits or rituals related to food?
Do I hide my eating habits from others?
Has food become the biggest part of my life?
Do I weigh myself more than once a day?
Am I willing to take risks to lose weight?
Have I experimented with self-induced vomiting, laxatives, or diuretics?
Have my eating habits affected my social life? For example, do I prefer to be alone rather than with others so that I can binge or purge in secret?
If you have a problem the first step is to admit to yourself that you have a problem. “After thinking about it,” Danielle says, “I realized that I had the same feelings and habits as girls with anorexia. It was scary to come face-to-face with the fact that I did the same things that they did.”
Then, talk to a parent or other adult who is in a position to help you. Caring adults will not shame you.
You might gain the victory over your eating disorder, only to relapse weeks or even months later. If this occurs, do not give up. A setback does not make you a failure. It only emphasizes the need to strengthen your resolve, to recognize the warning signs that a relapse is imminent, and to open up, perhaps once again, to supportive individuals who can help you.
1 comment:
Great Post. The sad thing is that as young women we waste such important years of our lives seeking approval from others, approval that we are not willing to give ourselves. I look back to when I was 22, "Accoring to society's standards," a perfect size 3. Was I happy? Of course not! I hated everything from my waist-line to my hips. Now that I look back, I think, "I was fabulous." I was fabulous a size 5, and 7 and 10. I am fabulous because I have learned to accept me, and not the pictures of starving celebrities posted on magazines. I think that it is great that more normal girls and plus size models are featured.
Of course I am not saying it is okay to let yourself go and weigh 600 lbs. On the contrary, what I am saying is that once you learn to love yourself, you will be good to yourself and find yourself working out more often and eating healthy.
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