When my Nutrition professor got to the chapter on eating disorders this is what she said;
We aren't going to go through this chapter. What you will need to know for the exam is that an eating disorder 'happens' when someone has hunger, but no appetite.
Is this really what the world sees an eating disorder is? As part of my presentation for my final I am going to ask students at my college what they would consider an eating disorder because I am curious to know what the rest of the world thinks.
Tomorrow starts National Eating Disorder Awareness Week in the USA and I am trying to figure out how to raise awareness without glorifying my eating disorder. For years and years I never told a soul because I was ashamed... now I'm worried that I've told too many people and it's just become a quest for attention to some. That is not what it is at all. I just want to teach people how to help someone struggling with an eating disorder, and how to begin looking for recovery.
There is a lot to say about what not to say to someone with an eating disorder... let me give you a few hints;
1)
No numbers! No "Well, how much do you weigh/want to weigh/did weigh?" No "How many calories do you eat?" No "I weigh x more pounds than you/I eat way more than you; does that make me fat?" Discussing numbers helps no one, it is a huge trigger even if they are 'healthy' numbers or have nothing to do with the sufferer. Numbers are just a smoke screen to hide behind for sufferers of eating disorders and discussing them gives power to the disorder.
2)
"Just eat right and exercise" Try telling an alcoholic to "Just drink water instead of wine" and tell me how that works out. A PART (not all) of having an eating disorder is an 'irrational' (although someone with an ed cam rationalize it) fear of food. Furthermore an eating disorder is NEVER about the food in reality... it is about
much deeper issues. Telling someone to "Just eat" won't fix the problem, to
mend the problem you have to first understand where they are coming from.
3)
"Promise you will never do that again" or "Just stop" Okay... when you promise me you will never eat red meat again, or never swear again, or never ever buy a new pair of shoes. Problem solved, right? Wrong. Never and forever is a very long time. How about, "Just for tonight, will you let your body be nourished."
4)
"Just be happy" or my favorite "You don't need meds" AHHHH this one KILLS me. My EXboyfriend told me over and over that I didn't need meds and I "should just smoke pot," which I never did thank goodness, but I did decide to stop ALL of my medications cold turkey. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I ended up back in the hospital within 2 weeks. People with eating disorders very often have coexisting disorders like depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and countless others. All of these are caused my environment AND biochemical makeup, or GENETICS. Some people are born with imbalances of chemicals in their brain and medication is a vital part of their recovery. Being happy isn't about forgetting about the past, it's about learning to cope and it takes teaching and support to learn those coping strategies.
5)
"Well you look like you are doing really well" or my favorite, "You don't look like you have an eating disorder." Eating disorders come in ALL shapes, sizes, sexes, ethinicties, economic classes, cultures, what-have-you and every eating disorder could turn into a death sentence especially with unhelpful comments like that. Believe it or not, many people with eating disorders WANT to look sick, they want to look like they are hurting because they can't use words to say that or they aren't being heard when they do. When you look sick you often get the attention you may have never had. Think about it... when was the last time you praised someone for losing weight or being skinny? To someone with an eating disorder hearing that they look healthy is a siren that they are too big.
6)
"I wish I had the will power to be anorexic" Excuse me while I scream a big huge F U in your face! I would NEVER wish an eating disorder upon anyone. The other day in group for my BPD we were asked to share concerns others might have about us, I said some of my friends are concerned I'm losing too much weight and another lady said "I wish that was my problem." I know she didn't mean that to be offensive, but I wanted to burst into tears. An eating disorder is hell, it is a death sentence, no one should ever want to have an eating disorder, and if you think you do I am telling you now,
you don't! And don't even THINK about asking for tips on losing weight.
I will probably be adding to this list later on...
Also I wanted to touch on the different types of eating disorders people can suffer from.
It's not just "She doesn't eat, she must have an eating disorder." or the one that pisses me off the most, when people think it is trendy or will make you popular to go in the school bathroom after lunch and make yourself throw up. I've seen that on TOO many tv shows that are YOUTH are watching. It is NOT okay.
Anorexia-
Usually characterized by extreme under eating or an excessive obsession over food and calories... some other symptoms of anorexia as well as other eating disorders is over-exercising, abusing diet pills and laxatives, and self inflicted injury or suicidal thoughts.
A sub category is what is know as
b/p anorexia or "binge/purge" type. A sufferer may go long periods of time without food and when they do eat they will consume excessive amounts of food, this can be different for anyone but a true binge is usually eating a day or so's worth of food in one sitting. Then they will purge, or self induced vomiting... I won't go into much detail to protect anyone who may suffer from this.
Bulimia-
Usually characterized by frequent episodes of binging and purging and exercising. People with bulimia and anorexia can develop "strange" food rituals and habits. Some bulimics also abuse diet pills and laxatives.
Binge Eating Disorder-
This eating disorder is highly over looked by the public. Most people with Binge Eating Disorder are overweight and therefore disregarded as being eating disorder "sick" and often are encouraged to diet which actually fuels the binge episodes. Have you ever heard the term "stuff your emotions"? That is where over eating becomes binge eating.
EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified)-
An eating disorder that contains any combination of the above behaviors (restricting, binging, purging, food rituals, over exercising, abusing laxatives and diet pills) but doesn't fit into one of the categories.
Well this has been a very lengthy post but I hope it was informative. I hope that you can take something out of this and if you ever encounter a sufferer of an eating disorder I hope this helps you be a more supportive friend. If you have any questions or anything you would like to add comment below <3
