| People with eating disorders will go to extreme lengths to rid their bodies of food and calories, and to avoid them when possible. People with eating disorders ARE suffering. It is not fun to have food rule your life. This is a list of the most extreme things I have ever done, and I put this here for two reasons... 1) to educate people, especially friends and family of sufferers, about the extreme behaviors people with ed's can and will go to, to remain "in control" (oh, the irony...) and, 2) for everyone out there with an eating disorder...if you recognize yourself in this list or do any of these things, please, get help immediately, these things are EXTREMELY unhealthy and damaging both to your body and your spirit and mind. AT MY WORST I would binge and purge up to twenty times a day. I would take up to 40 laxatives a day. With anorexia, I didn't sleep...I'd stay up and exercise all night, then catch a quick cat nap before starting my day. With bulimia, I was tortured by thoughts of food and often abused sleeping pills...because if I was asleep, I couldn't binge and purge (though I still dreamed about food...) I would buy a 1/2 gallon of ice cream called "bunny tracks" and only eat the tiny chocolate bunnies out of it, but it cost me: one mile of walking/jogging per bunny. I fasted until I started having muscle cramps and spots in front of my eyes everytime I'd stand up...then I'd eat an orange maybe, and be back at it again. I would exercise for three hours minimum every day. If I touched anything with even one gram of fat in it, I had to wash my hands...at least twice. I would not lick a stamp. 1/10 of a calorie seemed like too much. Not only would I induce purging myself, but I'd also take syrup of ipecac, just to "make sure I got it all up"...which was extremely risky, as ipecac is a POISON. As many times as I used it, I'm lucky I didn't damage my heart. IF YOU USE IPECAC, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE...STOP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!! Because once the damage is done, it's irreversible! I weighed myself after I ate ANYTHING, and by anything, I'm talking a sugar free life-saver here...or if I purged, or virtually anytime that I ventured into the bathroom. I was paranoid that I was getting fat, even though I wasn't hardly eating. *********************************************************************** And my list of extremities is nothing compared to the lenths some will go to. I know of bulimics who have taken over 100 laxatives at a time. I know of a couple who would use up 2 bottles of ipecac AT ONE TIME to purge. I know anorexics who made themselves exercise virtually all day long. An eating disorder, left untreated, will not get better on its own...but the behaviors will, in many cases, keep getting more and more extreme until the person either seeks treatment, is helped (or sometimes, forced) into treatment, dies, or commits suicide ~~ which is, sadly, not uncommon. You get so emeshed in your daily rituals, it becomes un-negotiable to stop doing them. Many people get to the point of not wanting to live like this anymore, and thus, end their lives. BUT THIS IS NOT THE ANSWER, EITHER!!! It only causes more suffering, for you, perhaps for you in afterlife, and most definately for your friends and family. Plus, suicide attempts don't always work. If you are thinking of it, please read THIS. It may seem hopeless at times, believe me, I have felt that way too...but you are NEVER without hope! And you mean the WORLD to someone, whether it's your mom, dad, grandma, sister, aunt, cousin, friend...what would they do if you ended your own life? If you are suicidal, please, talk to someone close to you in real-time, even a counselor at school or maybe it's time to start seeing an eating disorder counselor...but you need to talk to SOMEONE!!! HOME |
| GOING TO THE EXTREMES |