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Today I got an anonymous message asking to write about Anorexia so I did. Please remember that I openly accept request. You can send them Anonymously if you wish. I'll write about anything. Requests a greatly appreciated.

Anorexia / Bulimia / Eating Disorders Hotlines

Eating Disorders Information and Referral Line: 1-800-931-2237

National Crisis Line - Anorexia and Bulimia: 1-800-233-4357

Overeaters Abuse Hotline: 1-800-888-4680

National Eating Disorder Hotline: 1-800-248-3285

Food Addiction Hotline: 1-800-872-0088

Something Fishy Web Site for Anorexia and Bulimia

Anorexia Nervosa, Is a very serious eating disorder which complex of

Refusal to maintain a healthy weight

Fear of gaining weight

Distorted body image

There are two types of Anorexia Nevosa the most well known is the "restricting type" is when someone with Anorexia loses weight by...

Restricting food with high amounts of calories (or calories all together)
Extreme diets
Fasting
Over exercising

Then there is the "purging type" this is when someone loses weight by forcing their self to vomit or using laxatives and diuretics.

Anorexia Is very sad because the person truly believes they will not be beautiful until they reach a weight in which it is very dangerous and possibly life threatening. Anorexia affects the person who has the addiction is affected mentally as well because they believe they are "fat" which causes them to become insecure about their body image. Since a young age women are told to look a certain way. From Barbie dolls to magazine's to billboards girls are told they won't be beautiful until they become thin, this is beyond sickening and far from the truth. Weight does NOT define beauty nor does your jean size. As a guy myself I find it a turn off when a girl is so skinny you can see every bone in her body. The worst part is that girls young as six have eating disorders.

WOW HANG ON THEIR BUDDY!

Aren't you forgetting something?

Oh right! Of course...One the biggest myths out their is that only girls have eating disorders. Which is not true. Men have eating disorders too. It is more common in women, but that doesn't mean their aren't a lot of men with eating disorders.

AND...

And that just because you're skinny doesn't mean you have an eating disorder. Another fact is that even overweight people can have an eating disorder.

I HIGHLY encourage EVERYONE to visit HelpGuide.Orgs' Anorexia section.

(http://www.helpguide.org/mental/anorexia_signs_symptoms_causes_treatment.htm)

Disclaim: I do not own the image above. I am also not a professional. The information given the purely from research and my personal opinion. The Information given below is from eatingdisorder.org I am no way or form part of that organization I take NO credit for everything below.

Eating Disorder Facts & Myths

About 50% of all people in the U.S. either know someone with an eating disorder or have been personally affected by one. Despite that, major misconceptions about eating disorders are widespread. These myths can lead to stigma, making it difficult for some individuals to seek treatment and often making it less likely that medical professionals will identify or diagnose eating disorders when they occur outside of the stereotypes.

Below are some of the most common myths about eating disorders and the facts to counter them. It’s important that we continue to provide education and increase awareness about eating disorders to help dispel these myths.

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Myth: You can tell if someone has an eating disorder simply by looking at them

Fact: Individuals with eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes. Many times, the media and other public discussions about eating disorders focus solely on individuals with a diagnosis of anorexia who are severely emaciated. In reality, many individuals with anorexia may not ever appear so drastically underweight. Furthermore, many individuals with severe disorders including bulimia, binge eating, and EDNOS can be underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese and often fluctuate in weight. Even athletes who appear to be incredibly fit might be struggling with an eating disorder. The bottom line is that you cannot define someone’s health by how much they weigh and you cannot determine whether they have an eating disorder just by looking at them.

Myth: Eating Disorders are caused by Photoshopped images in the media

Fact: Many people are exposed to the media and altered images on a daily basis but only a small percentage of them actually develop eating disorders. Eating Disorders are serious illnesses that have biological, genetic and psychological underpinnings. Sociocultural messages about weight and beauty (including photoshopped images) can certainly impact a person’s body image and stimulate pressures to look a certain way, but they cannot cause an eating disorder.

Myth: Men don’t get eating disorders

Fact: At least 1 out of every 10 people with an eating disorder is male. In fact, within certain diagnostic categories like Binge Eating Disorder, men represent as many as 40% of those affected. In a recently released report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, boys and men were cited as one of the groups seeing the fastest rise in eating disorders over the past 10 years along with 8-12 year old and ethnic minorities. It’s equally important to screen for eating disorders among females and males.

Myth: Only people of high socioeconomic status get eating disorders

Fact: People in all socioeconomic levels have eating disorders. The disorders have been identified across all socioeconomic groups, age groups, both sexes, and in many countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. (source: NEDA)

Myth: Eating Disorders are a lifestyle choice; someone can choose to stop having an eating disorder.

Fact: Eating disorders are serious illnesses with mental and physical consequences that often involve a great deal of suffering. Someone can make the choice to pursue recovery, but the act of recovery itself is a lot of hard work and involves more than simply deciding to not act on symptoms. In most cases, the eating disorder has become a person’s primary way of coping with intense emotions and difficult life events. In order to heal from the eating disorder, a person needs appropriate treatment and support regarding medical monitoring, nutritional rehabilitation as well as learning and practicing healthier ways to manage stress.

Myth: Purging is an effective way to lose weight

Fact: Purging does not result in ridding the body of ingested food. At least half of what is consumed during a binge typically remains in the body even after self-induced vomiting. It’s important to know that laxatives do not prevent the body from absorbing calories either because they impact the large intestine and most calories are absorbed in the small intestine. Laxatives may provide an illusion of weight loss because they stimulate a temporary loss of fluids from the body which can lead to dehydration. Purging does not cause weight loss, nor does it prevent weight gain. In fact, over time, the binge/purge cycle can actually contribute to increased or accelerated weight gain as it affects the body’s metabolic rate. For these reasons, many people with bulimia are average or above-average weight.

Myth: Eating Disorders are a result of over controlling parents and dysfunctional families

Fact: In the past, parents were often blamed for an individual’s eating disorder but new research and conventional wisdom have helped to dispel this myth. Families affected by eating disorders are very diverse. We now know that between 50-80% of a person’s risk for developing an eating disorder is due to genetic factors. We also know that parents and families can play an integral role in helping a loved one recover. For this reason family therapy is a primary therapeutic modality used for adolescents and is also strongly encouraged for adults.

Myth: Anorexia is the only life threatening eating disorder

Fact: Eating Disorders in general have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Recent research has expanded our knowledge about the risks associated with each of the specific diagnoses.
The research (Crow, S., et al. 2009) showed mortality rates for bulimia and EDNOS that were similar to, and higher, than those for anorexia. Bulimia had a 3.9% mortality rate and EDNOS had a 5.2% mortality rate while anorexia had a 4.0% rate. These numbers were based on a study of individuals seeking outpatient services. Without treatment, it’s suspected that as many as 20% individuals will die as a result of their illness. Even for patients whose eating disorders don't prove fatal, there are often severe medical complications associated with starvation and purging, including bone disease, cardiac complications, gastrointestinal distress, and infertility.

Myth: Recovery from eating disorders is rare

Fact: Recovery, though challenging, is absolutely possible. Recovery can take months or years, but with treatment, many people do eventually recover and go on to live a life free from their eating disorder. Read more about this topic on our outcomes page.

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2 comments:

Kate ManganMay 2, 2013 at 2:59 PM
I'd like to add a bit here (and hey, I said I'd comment).

It often starts this way (believing they're fat, trying to live up to social influences), but it turns into full-on body dysmorphia. It's also often more about control than just body image. It becomes a serious addiction.

Many anorexic people do not look stick thin, and many stick thin people are not anorexic (and even eat a lot and just can't gain the weight no matter how hard they try). Every body type is valid.
I know you cover this a bit further down in the article, but I just wanted to emphasize that because the top and bottom halves seem to give different messages about it.
If you know someone who is trying to recover from an eating disorder, anon-who-I-assume-is-reading-this, try to keep in mind that it is a serious addiction. It does spiral out of control, and people often don't seek help until they've hit rock bottom. Recovery is a long process (that is COMPLETELY WORTH IT, I've been there), but unlike some other addictions, things related to it can't just be avoided. Everyone has to confront food a few times a day. Their body will be in every reflection. Their emotions can't go away, either.

Inside My Mind

Thursday, May 2, 2013

The Silent Monster