I was watching the special about eating disorders on Paula Zahn on Wednesday and it made me think of how society puts such emphasis on weight in western culture. I was appalled that this horse racer sports jockey guy only sustained himself some nights by having a peice of ham. Then, they had some stories of an actress and some other people who weren't in show business. It makes me think of what a problem this world is coming to if people are focusing so much on their weight and body image.

Has anyone on this board ever suffered eating disorders? Whether anorexia, bulimia or maybe a bit of both or just a partial kind of disorder, excessive exercise, use of laxatives, etc.?

I was concerned about my weight back in late May and lost quite a bit then, but gained it back by the middle of June. I would say I was anorexic, or if not totally anorexic pretty close to it. And, then recently I lost too much weight by exercising too much and not eating enough calories after exercising to maintain a healthy weight. I cut back on the running and I'm healthier now. I'm just wondering how many people on these boards have dealt with eating disorders?

Yes. Binge eating. Except I dont burn it off with exercise or purging. Id consider myself 'half bulimic'. Ive been eating decent all year, though the past few months have been rocky. I do good during the day and then at night its like BAM!, sugar goes down and I need to eat fast [like right now....]. Ive been to the doctors and said I was fine, so who knows. I started in January, and when I first started out I was getting in anywhere from 600-900 calories a day, if I passed 1000 I felt guilty. Now I pass 2000/day and I feel nothing.

Did Paula Zahn confess to anything? Thanks!

geez, why is every option YES?

Yes. Binge eating. Except I dont burn it off with exercise or purging. Id consider myself 'half bulimic'. Ive been eating decent all year, though the past few months have been rocky. I do good during the day and then at night its like BAM!, sugar goes down and I need to eat fast [like right now....]. Ive been to the doctors and said I was fine, so who knows. I started in January, and when I first started out I was getting in anywhere from 600-900 calories a day, if I passed 1000 I felt guilty. Now I pass 2000/day and I feel nothing.
YOU JUST DESCRIBED ME.

I go through periods... right now, i'm in my good period... but other times, like just hte other day, i just eat for no reasons. It's like i feel like i HAVE TO EAT. And then I feel beyond guilty... but i can't make myself do anything about it.

Yeah, I watched that too. I was most stunned at the five-year-old's story.....and also at the bathroom for jockeys... :nonono:

And yes, I have suffered and am still suffering from an array of eating disorders. I've shifted from bulimia to anorexia to binge eating to bulimia to binge eating.... well, you get the point, LOL. My lowest weight was 94 lbs, and my highest was 125 lbs. Yes, I've taken diet pills, I've fasted, I've self-induced purged, and I've abused laxatives. I've done it all. :rolleyes:

Oh and the ribbon on avatar is the eating disorder awareness ribbon.

As for the society we live in now, yes, there is DEFINITELY a problem with the focus on weight/body image and such. But for me, it's more about my emotions and self-worth, not so much the weight. I can be 94lbs and MISERABLE..... but 120lbs and extremely happy with myself. (I'm weird, I know. :rolleyes: )

But in any case, I'm getting help right now. I'm seeing THREE counselors, ONE social worker, and ONE nutritionist.... I also have TWO teachers and ONE other counselor looking after me at my elementary school. (I'll be spending my Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays under "surveillance" by a teacher at my elementary school).

....It's just THAT bad, I guess. :(

Yeah, I watched that too. I was most stunned at the five-year-old's story.....and also at the bathroom for jockeys... :nonono:

And yes, I have suffered and am still suffering from an array of eating disorders. I've shifted from bulimia to anorexia to binge eating to bulimia to binge eating.... well, you get the point, LOL. My lowest weight was 94 lbs, and my highest was 125 lbs. Yes, I've taken diet pills, I've fasted, I've self-induced purged, and I've abused laxatives. I've done it all. :rolleyes:

Oh and the ribbon on avatar is the eating disorder awareness ribbon.

As for the society we live in now, yes, there is DEFINITELY a problem with the focus on weight/body image and such. But for me, it's more about my emotions and self-worth, not so much the weight. I can be 94lbs and MISERABLE..... but 120lbs and extremely happy with myself. (I'm weird, I know. :rolleyes: )

But in any case, I'm getting help right now. I'm seeing THREE counselors, ONE social worker, and ONE nutritionist.... I also have TWO teachers and ONE other counselor looking after me at my elementary school. (I'll be spending my Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays under "surveillance" by a teacher at my elementary school).

....It's just THAT bad, I guess. :(
wow... at least your seeking help, a lot of people don't realize they need help until it's too late.

out of curosity, how old are you?

Both anorexic and binge eating disorder

I miss the option 'no'.

YOU JUST DESCRIBED ME.

I go through periods... right now, i'm in my good period... but other times, like just hte other day, i just eat for no reasons. It's like i feel like i HAVE TO EAT. And then I feel beyond guilty... but i can't make myself do anything about it.
YES! There are days when I feel like I HAVE to be eating. Ill eat til I cant eat no more, and then some. I had been doing so good with the eating right, that when I started to overeat again, my heart beats really fast now even when Im going to bed and it keeps me up. Im in the bad period right now, because I figure- with holidays rolling around, why bother? I wont be able to control myself for them anyways. SIIIIIIIIIIGH. Its almost 2006.

geez, why is every option YES?


Yes, good question. When I was between 17 -18 I was very overweight. I have been fighting the weight battle ever since. 30+ years. No I have never suffered from an eating disorder. But I am very weight conscience because the women on both sides of my family tend to be obese. (peasant stock) Not I, if I can help it!:eek:

I don't think so, not with same thing did with Karen Carpenter and Mary-Kate Olsen. But you didn't add "NO" to the list.

I miss the option 'no'.
also there's no "all of the above" option

YES! There are days when I feel like I HAVE to be eating. Ill eat til I cant eat no more, and then some. I had been doing so good with the eating right, that when I started to overeat again, my heart beats really fast now even when Im going to bed and it keeps me up. Im in the bad period right now, because I figure- with holidays rolling around, why bother? I wont be able to control myself for them anyways. SIIIIIIIIIIGH. Its almost 2006.


that is exactly what i'm talking about. if i've got, like a party the next day, i'll say screw it the entire weekend, cause afterall, I wanna eat at the party, right? i can't make myself think "Hey, do good all day, until you get to the party, and indulge responsibly".. i have a "screw it" attitude, and just eat and eat and eat... and then I feel like **** for days because of it. I always feel better when i'm in a good period, but for some reason, I can never hold on to that feeling and STAY in a good period

also there's no "all of the above" option
:brent

that is exactly what i'm talking about. if i've got, like a party the next day, i'll say screw it the entire weekend, cause afterall, I wanna eat at the party, right? i can't make myself think "Hey, do good all day, until you get to the party, and indulge responsibly".. i have a "screw it" attitude, and just eat and eat and eat... and then I feel like **** for days because of it. I always feel better when i'm in a good period, but for some reason, I can never hold on to that feeling and STAY in a good period
YES!!! Exactly!!!! I was gonna 'get back on track' this week, but Im spending the weekend at a friends so I figure, why bother? Im just gonna let myself go anyways when Im down there! Its such a negative outlook about it, but I cant help it. Its so frustrating. I lost all willpower to say no to food.

for real, sometimes when I think about the whole "lifestyle" vs "diet" thing, I wonder... how do they do that? It doesn't even make me feel better, sometimes I just feel like it's something I have to do, or I just let it worry me to death. I had to completley cut fast food out, because even if i wasn't hungry, i could practice absolutley no self control at the order window. I'd get the biggest and the best. I seriously think it's a sickness... but how do you diagnose something like that? I feel so lost about it. Glad to hear i'm not the only one suffering from it either!

I'm the same way...I have no limits for myself. My days used to revolve around food-- how I'm going to get it, where I'm going to eat it, what I'm going to order. Then I'd just throw it up afterwards. It's most definately a sickness :(

I do'nt throw it up... I tell my friends i'm "half way bulimic"... i binge and binge and binge... but don't have the "guts" enough to throw it up (and i'm glad). I just feel lik **** aftewards... i feel so hopeless about it sometimes... and it's something i can't talk to any1 in "real" life about.

for real, sometimes when I think about the whole "lifestyle" vs "diet" thing, I wonder... how do they do that? It doesn't even make me feel better, sometimes I just feel like it's something I have to do, or I just let it worry me to death. I had to completley cut fast food out, because even if i wasn't hungry, i could practice absolutley no self control at the order window. I'd get the biggest and the best. I seriously think it's a sickness... but how do you diagnose something like that? I feel so lost about it. Glad to hear i'm not the only one suffering from it either!
:nod: Agreed. People have drugs problems, we have eating problems. Theres actually a support group called Overeaters Anonymous. Thing is, I KNOW I have a problem and I need to just stop, I just dont. It is hard though not having support from others around me. Not that they dont support me, but theyre not going through what I am so its hard. Id like to join a gym, but there arent any decent ones close by, the closest is Curves at work.. so who knows.

me too...i know i have a problem. it's not like i consider my self a "funtional overeater" :lol: I have negative self esteem because of it.

I do'nt throw it up... I tell my friends i'm "half way bulimic"... i binge and binge and binge... but don't have the "guts" enough to throw it up (and i'm glad). I just feel lik **** aftewards... i feel so hopeless about it sometimes... and it's something i can't talk to any1 in "real" life about.

Same here :(

wow... at least your seeking help, a lot of people don't realize they need help until it's too late.

out of curosity, how old are you?I honestly wouldn't be seeking [professional] help if it weren't for the fact that my elementary school teacher faxed a letter to my current school where I mentioned the word "suicide" in it. :rolleyes:

And I'm 17.