I think i might have anorexia...?

Question

i weigh 120 and i used to weigh 180 three weeks ago. the reason i think i might be anorexic is because i hardly ever eat, i am always hiding food under my bed untill my parents go to sleep, then i throw it away, and when i do eat i purge, i try to avoid food as much as possible. what should i do??

Answer 1

Tell your parents what you are doing and ask for help. Make sure that you see a doctor.

Do it now.


Stop reading this -- really! Do it RIGHT now.

Answer 2

Anorexia Nervosa is a condition in which you eat little or nothing because of a belief that doing so will help you lose weight, or be more popular, etc. etc. While your disease may have started out as Anorexia Nervosa, "purging" is a behavior related to Bulimia. I will try to help in the small space that I can fill this answer in, but you need to get professional help. You absolutely need to, or else even if you stop your bulimic behaviours, you are likely to start some other self-destructive behaviour to put in the place of your lost "coping mechanism", or way of dealing with things.
First, you need to realize, that the way you are eating is causing an extreme change in your body that will - if not resulting in death from malnutrition, either directly or indirectly from other illness - adjust itself to keep and retain any nutrients you get, and store them as fat. This is what happened in Nazi consentration camps with victims who were fed very little: to survive, their body had to adjust so that any nutrients that it got would be saved until absolutely needed. If your body stays adjusted, you will gain weight easier and it will be harder to lose it (again, if you don't die).
This may sound grim, but the truth is that you are in a grim circumstance. I was also in such a circumstance. I didn't think much of it at the time, but looking back, and at photos of me from that time, I was not 'thin'; I was sickly, pale, and very unhealthy looking. I also now have the problem of dealing with weight worse than before I was Bulimic.
Again, I can't do much to help. You need help from a professional. Most important, you need a support system that can help you and aid you when that professional help is unavailable. The first thing you need to do is to tell your parents or a trusted adult (e.g. teachers, community leaders, etc.). Unless your parents are abusive, tell them. You won't want to, but they most likely love you (there are the few exceptions, I know), and want the best for you. Don't worry that they will be upset with you: they should care about you more than to be upset about what you did, and will likely only care to see you get well and will help you along the way. Somehow, I think that your parents do love you: trust them to not be upset and to care about you.

Answer 3

I wasn't aware that it was possible to lose that much weight in such a short period of time if one didn't have an all consuming drug habit...

If you aren't on drugs, I think you should see a doctor and have your liver and thyroid checked. You might be dealing with a much bigger problem than your self image. Starving yourself, and depriving your body of nutrients has been known to cause people's metabolisms to operate improperly.

In the meantime, I'd suggest you eat only when you are hungry, and don't stop drinking fluids. The general rule of thumb is that your body will always dehydrate before it will starve.

Be well, and see a doctor or clinician at your earliest convenience..

Answer 4

losing almost sixty pounds in a span of three weeks is not healthy.
drastic change in eating habits does not only affect your weight but also your heart and brain. ask yourself, how did you start this habit? you maybe bulimic, not anorexic, since you purge yourself after you eat. if you really want to keep the weight that you have on now, i suggest that you consult a dietician. they maybe able to help you plan the foods that you will eat without gaining excess weight if you don't want to. ask your family to help you too. do not shun them out, since they will be very helpful to you.

Answer 5

Why do you throw food away? People are starving around the world, especially in Africa. Some people are forced to eat garbage (and I mean it literally) to stay alive. Also, if you do not eat, you will die. Simple as that. Humans need to eat. I learned in Health that if you have to force food down to overcome anorexia. If you are about to vomit it out, force it down. This might sound gross, but it is the only way to save yourself. Good luck-you'll need it!

Answer 6

I really think you should talk to your parents first and for most.There is no support like a family's support.Don't push your parents away ,they're your rock.And then get some professional help .I hope u make it through this confused stage of your life.If u want further help feel free to email me anytime.

Answer 7

You need to do further research into anorexia and see what all it entails. I don't see how you could lose 60 pounds in three weeks even if you are anorexic. Try webmd.com

Answer 8

You're smart to realize that you have a problem. Tell your parents that you need to see a therapist right away. If they can't afford one go she the school nurse or guidance counselor and ask for help. Good luck.

Answer 9

60 lbs. in 3 WEEKS! I do think you have an eating disorder. You should talk to your parents about getting help. And you can email me whenever you need to talk to another teenage girl! I'll be there!

[e-mail] -anytime

Answer 10

You're lying. No one could lose almost 3 pounds a day consistently for three weeks.

-Chantel

Answer 11

you should go get help for that, you may also have a form of bulemia which is just as bad. Ask your family for help and talk to a doctor. take care