I have heard you can actually put more weight on by skipping Breakfast and stuff.

Lol yeah, well I think I just ate breakfast and fig biscuits, I like eating a bowl of cereal everyday but what I did was stupid. Suppose a few days is a bit of experimenting. However after the few days of not eating I used to then eat a lot and complain to myself I have put on weight. It was just a phase. Now I am just now and again weary of myself.

can they not even eat wafer thin ham?

My sister had anorexia and bulimia throughout her teenage years. She was just bones tbh. It's the saddest thing to have to see anyone go through. Especially someone as close as a sister. She got help eventually, but she still has signs of it, saying she's fat and watching what she eats constantly, but I'm just happy that she's not the way she was.

I am glad she pulled through Deirdre, must have been awful for you. And yeah, I doubt it can 100% go away, it's just about coping I guess. If people are around to support the person and not patronise them, I guess it helps too.

Thanks InOne. :)

We have to look at our society - and why it creates an environment where women are made to feel undervalued and unattractive unless they look a certain way!

Young women also need to look at themselves - and the reasons why they are so easily influenced by this way of thinking. They should value themselves more. It is still a small percentage of women that have these problems.

Indeed, I do think the media plays a part and people like Victoria Beckham are no role models. It is a shame the way you girls are so focused on how they appear to other people at a young age. But I guess that is what our society has become. Also there are other factors too, the enviroment around them ect. Also there can be genetic factors too, and people who suffer often have other Psychological disorders, guess as long as people are not judgemental and that, they might be ok. Like every other mental illness, it carries stigma I guess.

I knew someone from college who suffered with Anorexia, but fortunately she managed to overcome it. They're terrible illnesses and I fully sympathize with anyone who has suffered with them.

Very true, I don't think the media is always the root cause but I do think it plays a big part a lot of the time.

The thing with eating disorders is that once you go through it, you will NEVER be fully recovered.. the whole thing stays with you for life. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

I had bullimia when I was about 13 years old and it lasted pretty long but I recovered pretty quickly from it. Then when I was 16 I just suddenly went off food, started losing weight and because obsessed with losing more and more. I starved myself for several months until I was diagnosed with anorexia. About four months into my recovery programme I went through a long phase of bullimia. I'm now healthy though I have my odd days where I just don't fancy eating anything.. but luckily I'm forced to eat by the people around me!

I'm glad you are healthy now, sounds like you had a bit of a rough time. I guess alot of family support helps too, and yeah, I agree people can never fully recover.

If you don't mind me asking, was their any certian influences that lead to it, like wanting to look like someone or something? You don't have to answer if you don't want to.

Aw thankyou and it's ok! And not really, to be honest. Sounds wierd but I just simply suddenly went off food, like I'd feel sick when I saw it and I couldn't stand the thought of eating. It's strange I know but I didn't want to inspire to look like anyone at all. :) Hope that made sense!

Yeah, I sort of get what you mean, even though I could never fully understand of course. Did they diagnose with anything else apart from Anorexia?

:joker::joker::joker:

sry a guest was viewing this thread i had to bump it coz das really funny

i was scared when I saw that I posted in her in 2009 but that post was okay

People call me anorexic because I do not want to be fat again and only consume enough food to keep me the size I like. I would be prepared to starve myself to be thinner. I wouldn't say it is a mental illness.

I think it is just another case of people over diagnosing things.

It's over diagnosing at all. It's a valid concern Charlie, because it's abnormal. That isn't the healthy way to lose weight. You might not have the illness now, but what if this is the start of slippery slope?

But I wouldn't want to be ever so skinny that it makes me ill. If I could I would love to eat loads but be like really ripped but at the moment I cant do that so I would rather be thin.
But people telling me it is a mental illness just makes me want to do it more tbh so I don;t see how it helps by diagnosing it.

Well going on a diet and eating certain foods over others would be the better way to go about it, in addition to going to the gym every so often. Cutting out food entirely isn't the best idea.

Oh I haven't done that. I eat breakfast and lunch every day. Just not dinner all the time.
And I do 6 hours of vigorous exercise a week. But if my forced exercise were to stop I would have to cut down consumption further.

Hmm. I still think its odd to cut out on dinner. It's not good for you. If your doing as much excercise as you say, then you must be burning off more than enough calories to lose some weight, even with 3 squares a day.

I agree with Niall, to obsessively control your weight and what you eat could indicate there's a psychological feeling of lack of control in other areas of your life. I think if you're consiously thinking about your food and analysing how healthy it is a lot, you just need to be aware of it.
Food and our bodies is something that is quite commonly used to give us a feeling of control

I think it's sadly a bit of a norm to starve yourself now. Like it's everywhere that you have to look a certain way. I think it mainly happens with 14 - 18 year olds though. It's sad and what's bad is that I think it's only going to get even worse.

I do think a lot of the time it's a cry for help though. Especially in the younger ages.