howdy i know this is the last day of eating disorder awareness week ( feb 1-7, 2021 ) but i thought i should make a post anyways :p
note: i personally have not dealt with eating disorders !! this is based on research i've found online and some personal experiences. i have struggled with appetite and depression, but please do your own research if you are interested in learning more about eating disorders! if you have any potential edits to this post please tell me what i can change to make this post better! i might add stuff later
sorry this wont b fancy shmancy i only thought of making a post like two seconds ago :D and now its like almost 5am for me :p
tw : mentions of eating disorders
Myth 1: You have to be underweight to have an eating disorder.
Fact: People with eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes. Many individuals with eating disorders are of average weight or are overweight.
Myth 2: Only teenage girls and young women are affected by eating disorders.
Fact: While eating disorders are most common in young women in their teens and early twenties, they are found in men and women of all ages—from children to older adults.
One in three people struggling with an eating disorder is male, and subclinical eating disordered behaviors (including binge eating, purging, laxative abuse, and fasting for weight loss) are nearly as common among men as they are among women. Due to cultural bias, men are less likely to seek treatment for their eating disorder.
source: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/general-information/research-on-males
Myth 3: People with eating disorders are vain.
Fact: It’s not vanity that drives people with eating disorders to follow extreme diets and obsess over their bodies, but rather an attempt to deal with uncomfortable feelings.
Myth 4: Eating disorders aren’t really that dangerous.
Fact: Eating disorders are serious conditions that cause both physical and emotional damage. All eating disorders can lead to irreversible and even life-threatening health problems, such as heart disease, bone loss, stunted growth, infertility, and kidney damage.
learn about eating disorders !!
The more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to help your loved one, avoid pitfalls, and cope with challenges.
listen without judging !!
Show that you care by asking about your loved one’s feelings and concerns—and then truly listening. Resist the urge to advise or criticize. Make sure they feel valid!
be mindful with triggers !!
Avoid discussions about food, weight, eating or making negative statements about your own body. But don’t be afraid to eat normally in front of someone with an eating disorder. It can help set an example of a healthy relationship with food.
take care of yourself !!
Don’t become so preoccupied with your loved one’s eating disorder that you neglect your own needs. Make sure you have your own support, so you can provide it in turn. Whether that support comes from a trusted friend, a support group, or your own therapist, it’s important to have an outlet to talk about your feelings and emotionally recharge. It’s also important to schedule time into your day for relaxing and doing things you enjoy.
- do not force treatment onto someone! by doing so, you add pressure and the person you are trying to help is likely going to be more secretive about their experiences
- do not comment on appearance or weight. People with eating disorders are already overly focused on their bodies. Even assurances that they’re not fat play into their preoccupation with being thin. Instead, steer the conversation to their feelings. Why are they afraid of being fat? What do they think they’ll achieve by being thin?
-do not shame Steer clear of accusatory “you” statements like, “You just need to eat!” Or, “You’re hurting yourself for no reason.” Use “I” statements instead. For example: “I find it hard to watch you wasting away.” Or, “I’m scared when I hear you throwing up.”
-do not give simple solutions. For example, “All you have to do is accept yourself.” Eating disorders are complex problems. If it were that easy, your loved one wouldn’t be suffering.
also simple solutions are so annoying like please no!! ive dealt with depression and when someone tells me to "just sleep more" its pretty annoying because hey i've tried to "just sleep more" but maybe there's a reason i can't get enough sleep :D (psst psst depression)
note: mental health is extremely valid even if you don't have a diagnosis!!! assuming that someone can only have a mental illness when they have a formal diagnosis is extremely harmful!! lots of people who have committed sewycyde did not have formal diagnoses.
therapy and professional help can be extremely expensive and inaccessible. also, therapy does not work for everyone and for some it can be extremely uncomfortable. in addition, lots of psychological study has not been performed on diverse communities and, thus, diagnoses may not be given to those in need of said diagnosis. this is seen through ADHD in women being under studied compared to ADHD in men and medical fields being filled with racism (ie. the idea of black people "feeling less/no pain" that has lead to some poc not getting anesthesia before surgery and in earlier centuries, medical experimentation on black people).
another note: don't diminish what you're going through! "my ed isn't that bad" "there are people who have it worse" don't compare how "bad" your ed with others! what you are experiencing is valid and you are just as deserving of help and support! it's always good to seek out help, whether this looks like therapy, talking to friends, finding a supportive community, etc. remember that
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Medical treatment. The first priority is to address and stabilize any serious health issues. Hospitalization or residential treatment may be necessary if your loved one is dangerously malnourished, suffering from medical complications, severely depressed or suicidal, or resistant to treatment. Outpatient treatment is an option when the patient is not in immediate medical danger.
Nutritional counseling. Dietitians or nutritionists can help your loved one design balanced meal plans, set dietary goals, and reach or maintain a healthy weight. Counseling may also involve education about proper nutrition.
Therapy. Therapy plays a crucial role in eating disorder treatment. Its goals are to identify the negative thoughts and feelings that are behind the disordered eating behaviors, and to replace them with healthier and less distorted attitudes. Another important goal is to teach the person how to deal with difficult emotions, relationship problems, and stress in a productive, rather than a self-destructive way.
would also add finding a supportive community or influencers to follow can be extremely helpful! i don't know many communities but would recommend checking out the following instagram accounts:
@mirago1dstein
mira || she/her || ed recovery || mirrorronthewa11 on tiktok
@imdionysia
Dionysia || writing about their experiences with anorexia || imdionysia on tiktok
the body mass index (bmi) was made in like the 1800s by some random mathematician who said the bmi should not be used to measure health. so yea it doesn't mean anything :D like literally really fit bodybuilders are overweight according to the bmi, and like lkasjdlkda >:((( its just wack and u r so fcking swag regardless of what ur bmi is >:(((
es hora de comer :> it's time to eat ( not children, don't eat those )
p.s. hope everyone is doing well <3 if u r struggling, i hope everything gets better soon!! i am sending u more swag just in case u need more ( although u r already 200% swag )
OK SO APPARENTYL THIS WAS LIKE A CANADIAN THING ???? BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, EVERYONE WHO READ THIS NOW GEtS A CANADIAN CItIZENSHIP :D happy late national eating disorder awareness week :D yes it's the 8th now but anyways :D