Eating Disorders - Comment

[moonstar]

I have been reading up more and more on this board. Again -- it is heartbreaking to hear the problems that some people are struggling with, but also amazing to see the strength that surfaces and how people are rising above the circumstances and challenges...

With regard to disordered eating -- I actually met a DOCTOR (yes, an MD), who said that disordered eating is not a disease or a condition, but that it's in one's mind and is used to get attention.

Sorry to sound harsh -- but what an idiot! Anyone whom I have met with an eating disorder is ill -- and it is is sad to witness another feel so poorly -- physically, emotionally, psychologically. I don't know about these doctors...

[Lay-Lay]

if that is the case then ALL disease, sickness, and suffering is such too.

[imported_X_MiNdeD]

All disease is psychosomatic.

[greeninloanageles1]

Well, I think eating disorders are just like any other means of numing oureselves like overshopping, coffee, alcohol, wathching TV all the time, overexersizing or using any other external ways in order not to face the pain of life. And once you get hooked on one or several of these ways, it is hard to stop that without getting into new "Bad Habit". Eventually it becomes addiction. If addiction is disease, then yes, eating disorders are diseases. But the wording is not that important, more important how to stop them or at least to keep them at bay, so they would not be dangerous.

[dreamrawalwz]

If I had an ED for attention I wouldn't be doing things in secret and I wouldn't have done my best to hide my drastic weight loss and all the lying. I think it starts as something and then can become a disease when it gets severe and the person cannot stop. I wouldn't wish this on anyone! I don't want attention. I got so angry and embarassed if anyone mentioned anything about my eating/weight I wanted to pummel them! This makes me angry. Some people are ignorant...even some doctors :( They only learn waht's in a text book (apparently not this doctor though) and not real life.

[moonstar]

I met the doctor a number of years back when I was doing a service project in Brazil for a month (which was a great experience, but a whole other topic). He was an American doing work there for a village -- which there was a desperate need. He seemed very intelligent -- but when he started on the ED rant, I lost all respect...

Dream raw, you seem to be doing really well! You will at least be one of the informed and intelligent people when you realize your educational goals and begin counseling others.

[Crazy Healer Lady]

An eating disorder is a self-destructive illness. I have tried for 11 years to understand self-destruction, and haven't got very far. No psychologist has given a satisfactory answer. My own self-destruction was not through diet, but through physical destruction, and although I am glad to say I have been over it for 4 years, I am saddened that I could ever come under the control of something like this. I, too, hid it from everyone I knew, until people saw.

To all of you with eating disorders: Love yourselves, because you are loved. Do the best you can. One day at a time. Don't listen to those a***oles who say you are doing it to get attention. Be brave. Be strong. Try your best to be healthy. One day you will overcome this.

[cactus]

I have to say how much I agree with what dreamrawalwz said, I know everyone is different so we cant generalize to much but I had an eating disorder for over twenty years, and I kept it secret, even my (then) husband didn't know what I was up to, I was pregnant at the time (when it first started)and I would starve myself for long periods and then as soon as I knew I would be alone for any period of time Id binge and vomit, I hated myself for it but couldn't stop, it continued on an off for years, and I made a great effort to keep it a secret from everyone, 20 years later I still fought with it, no one knew about it, I was so ashamed, and still am, I have conquered it now, but would rather die than let anyone know what I did, so for anyone to say its an attention thing really makes me sad, for me it was a self destructive thing, especially when I was pregnant, rather than an attention thing, it took getting out of an abusive relationship and really learning about myself to overcome it , and remarrying into a loving caring relationship didn't hurt either:)