Question for those with eating disorder or those recovering only?

Question

What has helped you the most with your recovery? I have been trying to get this treated for over a year but I always relapse. How did you stick with your treatment, short of being hospitalized? How do you handle relapses?

Hey design, do you think your hypo was brought on by your ED? I too ate pretty much sweets and diet sodas (although they didn't stay in me too long) while at my worst, and it did a world of hurt to my body. I'm wondering if there's a connection. I never thought about that! It wouldn't surprise me. But it sucks, even though I eat healthy now I hate the thought of food in my stomach! It is a constant struggle. That's why the small meals have helped... they are digested sooner and I don't feel as full. Anyway, i totally know what you're dealing with. Good luck to ya.

Answer 1

I was anorexic from the age of 10 to 15, then I went through a horrible break up and completely switched eating disorders becoming a complusive overeater....my weight went from 87 at 15 years old (5 feet 8 inches tall) to 250 at 18 years old. Then I went to college...being away from my family helped but I then discovered that I could throw up what I ate to lose weight....quickly I became bulimic. Then at age 20 I slipped back into the habit....anorexia/bulimia and by the time I was 21 I again weighed under 100 pounds. Then I got depressed....I mean I'm sure I was depressed before but it got worse and I ended in a hospital. Recovery was not easy and I relapse many many times...often between different eating disorders. The last relaspe was into complusive overeating again. What finally helped me was counseling. In my sessions we would talk about my fears and how to overcome them. Their was none of that lay down on a piece of paper and trace your outline crap....that stuff never worked for me anyway. What did help was overcoming my fears....fears that I wasn't good enough, fears that I'm messed up my life. The final thing that really helped was getting out of myself....helping others. I volunteered at a clubhouse for the mentally disabled....helping others made me think of something other than myself and how much I weighed. Its not easy...I still think about going back into those habits again from time to time....I do have some weight I need to drop...but I know now that I'm not only hurting myself with eating disorders that I'm also hurting those I love and those who love me. My advice to you....talk to someone, work through your fears and insecurities, and volunteer somewhere helping others.

Answer 2

I remind my self of my roommate that I had while I was being treated in the hoptital. She had dislocated her stomach by throwing up. She was sent to another hospital to have surgery to put her stomach back where it belonged. As soon as she got back to our hospital she stared to throw up again. She had staples in her adommin!I turned her in to the nursing staff. I also remind myself that I knew the caloric content of everything that went into my mouth.If I start to think this way again I tell myself "No!" I remind myself that I was not truly happy because all and I do mean all I ever thought about was food . How much exercise it would take to burn off the amount of calories I had taken in. I remind (through journoling) myself that I lost so much mussel tone. I read an old jouneral to remind myself how much I was obsessed with exercisae and food. I remember that they used to weigh me backwords when I steped on the scales so that I wouldnt know just how much I weighed.I look at old photos of myself to remind myself of just how thin I really was and I also remind myself that I thought I was fat at the time those photo;s ere taken. I don't want to ever go back there. Never again but I still have to fight the urge to starve myself. I look at friends that I know are starving and I see just how thin they are and I have to tell myself that I was once even thinner than they are. I have to tell myself that I don't want that again! I could just go on and on It's a battle I have to fight to make myself not to go there again all of the time. I suffered anoxexic and sometimes bulimuic tendicies for most of my life. It has been several years and I really am over weight now because my body's metablisim got all out of wack! I would rather be a few pounds over weight than ever go there again.But I have to remind myself all of the time that I am only in recovery, one is never compleatly cured ever! If I go for more than a day without eating I will force myself to eat even if I am not hungrey or if I don't feel like it.I hate those long answers but this is not reserch this is my life! Oh! no I never want to go there again! Sorry my spell check isn't working.

Answer 3

Hey. Thanks for answering my question on Hypoglycemia. I have also struggled with the same issue,which makes the Hypo even more complicated bc I always stress about food. I didn't want to ask "Um, how do you deal with Hypo when you already have issues with eating anyway...??" I feel like I am always going to throw up and I only crave desserts. Ick. To answer your question, what seems to help the most for me is remembering all those in the world who have nothing to eat and don't eat, not by choice, but because it's just not there. And it makes me feel like a brat for worrying about it. ~Sigh~. I feel your struggle, girl :)

Answer 4

Well, first find a Dr. that treats eating disorders. NOT JUST A REGULAR DR. Someone who specializes in the treatment. Sometimes high doses of Prozac are used for eating disorders. Group therapy and help groups are also needed. Sometimes you need to be hospitalized to get started. IF you have any other questions, please Drop a line and i will try to help you. Call the American Medical Association in your area to find a dr. in your area. Good luck

Answer 5

I guess I just snapped out of it.

What helped me most is to see how fit I was, compared to when I was dangerously underweight. And stopping to lose hair, feeling cold all the time, and seeing black spots just rising from a chair too fast. And also that I was now free to think of other things besides food.

Also, those of my friends who know watch me for dangerous behavior which could induce another episode.