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Posted by: Esmerelda Weatherwax on 2009-06-29, 21:43:23
EDs are very often exactly what you described in your example. People with eating disorders see themselves as being overweight and unattractive, even if they're completely emaciated. This view doesn't change for the person suffering from the disorder whether they eat a handful of cereal a day or if they binge eat an entire turkey. It's ALWAYS too much food. For many people suffering from ED's it starts purely an expression of control. They cannot control outside forces like their spouse, family, or school/ work situation, but they can control themselves and an "easy " way to do that is by controlling weight. However, the exercise in self-control becomes an uncontrollable compulsion, itself, and is often an obsessive and terrifying downward spiral. Most people suffering from ED's never REALLY get over it, and only learn how to control it over time. Many people seem to "recover " but as soon as life gets stressful again, the disorder reemerges. ED's are generally classified as Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia. Anorexia is characterized by obsessive calorie-counting and pure starvation. Bulimics are characterized by hypnotic binge-eating and purging the food later. Many bulimics also exercise compulsively to burn the calories they just binged. Both types of eating disorder often occur in those who are categorized with each, but generally one will be more prominent. (I have had friends with both.) Even when these people force themselves to eat normally and take care of themselves, the compulsion is always there. There are some lucky people who are able to completely get over their eating disorders, but sadly they're in the minority compared to those who always live with it, even when they physically recover. |
