All Advice Will Help Thank You!!! Posted: 03-24-04 13:39pm
Hello,
i have an eating disorder and finally
decided that I would like to do something
about it because it's beginning to scare
me....I am 17 and have been avoiding meals
and trying to eat as less as I can for
about a year in a half....I am
anorexic....I would like to try and do
this on my own but would like your advice
and help on this because I know that in
the long run if I become unhappy with the
way I look or if I don't like the way I
look I will go back to what I am doing
presently...I also suffer from depression
which came out of being anorexic because
i've only become depressed about a year
ago...I have a very low self-esteem and
not much self confidence so all the help
and advice given will help me...I am
currently seeing the school nurse for help
but haven't gotten any info back from her
and I am no longer going to be at the
school next year because i'll be in
college so help me please....Thank you
jess
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purple333
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 1420 Location: Sydney
Posted: 03-24-04 15:33pm
You have already taken 2 huge steps,
spoken to the school nurse (follow that up
for information, i'm disgusted that she
hasn't gotten back to you!~!) & you
have posted here!! :d
so now you need to realize that this
didn't happen overnight & you won't
heal yourslef overnight & you will
have bad days & setbacks - all of
which is normal!@!
what can you do to help yourself? First
what foods do you really enjoy eating?
It's generally easier to eat things we
really like than other stuff. Second, do
not do too much exercise, but do at least
have a 30 minute walk every day & try
some yoga or pilates (these help firm
& tone your body & also the yoga
will help you relax & these activities
will help you feel better about yourself
& stay fit.
Next, with your lack of self-esteem &
self-confidence take some baby steps &
put up smilies wherever you can, in your
room, on the fridge, in your books &
smile as often as you can - this releases
chemicals in your brain that make you feel
better (scientific fact!!) & when you
feel better in general you will start to
feel better in yourself & be better
able to work on yourself.
That's enough to start with.
oh, how much do you weigh, what height are
you & how much have you been eating
(roughly) & exercising? These are
important things to know to help you
because then we klnow where you started at
& where you need to go - also how
badly/seriously you need medical help (if
at all) - I would generally put that as a
last resort after what I saw with my
daughter. :p
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amber1970
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 15
Posted: 03-24-04 20:12pm
you should see your doctor or a nurse at
your doctors, or see your school nurse
again! You cannot diagnose yourself as
anorexic, don't label yourself negatively
until you have had it confirmed by a
professional. It is a serious disorder
to have, it's not just avoiding meals. I
feel your depression is a major factor-
you don't have to just suffer it, there
any many ways for you to get help with
depression. At your age it is fairly
common, along with low self esteem. Your
doctor can talk to you about depression
aswell. That is also something that
needs to be diagnosed. Please seek
professional help, you don't nedd to
suffer on your own!!!
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Jess__10
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Mar 2004 Posts: 7
Posted: 03-25-04 12:23pm
Thank you for the help...And it is the
school nurse who said that it is a sign of
anorexia...I saw her today and the main
reason why I haven't seen her lately is
because she has been sick lately and so
have I so it didn't help...But she gave me
a phone number to call for a specialist in
helping young adults with these problems
and just for someone to talk to...I will
keep you posted and keep helping me please
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purple333
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 1420 Location: Sydney
Posted: 03-25-04 12:49pm
Glad to hear that you & the school
nurse got together & do follow up the
number she gave you.
Please do the things I suggested above
& answer my questions, it will help us
help you & help you to have a base
point for getting better.
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Jess__10
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Mar 2004 Posts: 7
Answering Your Questions! Posted: 03-26-04 14:21pm
I enjoy eating a lot of fruits, yogurt,
spaghetti, pizza. I am not fussy well
sometimes but depends on my mood. I walk
for about a half hour a few days a week
but walk for like 15 minutes everyday. I
presently weigh 115, I am 5'1. It is more
during the summer that I do most of my
exercise(biking everyday for long periods
of time, swimming depending on the weather
for long periods of time and rollerblading
for long periods of time) when I say for
long periods of time I normally mean like
1 hour or more. It's normal for me to do
that everysummer because my family is
fairly large and we don't really go on
many trips. We take like a few day trips
but don't go far from home. I also do the
walking thing during the winter. So
basically I am always up and about. Sorry
may sound like i'm a busy person but i'm
not someone who can sit around with
nothing to do. I need something to do or
I get really bored out of my mind. I know
i'm kinda going off subject but I like to
chat.
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Stace
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Jan 2004 Posts: 15
Posted: 03-26-04 19:55pm
What would u eat (on average) in a day?
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purple333
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 1420 Location: Sydney
Posted: 03-26-04 22:46pm
Ok, if my maths are correct(?) that puts
you at about 50kgs which for 5'1" is fine,
especially if you are well toned as alot
of the weight (not that there's alot to
spare esp.If you were to get sick)would
then be in muscle tissue not "fat".
If you like most foods & eat a
reasonable amount (which should increase
in summer if you are being moer active!!)
& none of the foods make you sick
(like being allergic to them or them
giving you tummy pains) then you should
make sure you eat a balanced diet
(roughly, I mean you don't need to be gung
ho everyday on getting all the food groups
so long as overall you get enough of what
you need!!) & health/food/eating wise
you should be ok.
What as you yourself pointed out you need
to work on is self-esteem, depression
& self-confidence. The depression may
have started after the eating issues but
it & eating probably both come from
the lack of confidence & self-esteem.
Eating disorders don't just happen out of
the blue - there is a cause (abuse,
bullying, violence, trauma, loss, self
issues etc) & if you are to get better
fully you need to deal with these.
So please go back to my first post, put
smilies up, smile alot, make funny faces
in the mirror (this releases chemicals to
reduce depression), find a yoga program on
tv or buy/borrow a video & start doing
it, it will help you keep busy, help you
tone, help your health both physically
& emotionally. Get a copy of sam
obitz' s book if you can afford it ($us13)
been there, done that? Do this! On cbt
(cognitive behaviour therapy) or see if
your local college or hospital run course
on cbt they're usually free or very cheap
& could well help you overcome your
problems before they become alot worse
& with your summer coming up you will
have some time on your hands when you
could do such a course.