That is a very sexist thing to say! Why should a woman be automatically sympathetic to 'eating disorders'.

I believe that although there are some genuine cases - I think a lot of cases are based on the attention-seeking behaviour of insecure girls - far too pre-occupied with the way they look - which eventually leads to physical and mental illness!

Same stuff is also useful for pain relief in MS and also in the treatment of ME :joker:

It's not sexist. But you don't have to be so blunt either. The ones who are really ill don't shout about it, people don't find out often till they are too far gone. So it's hardly attention seeking at all seen as they do their best to hide it. Maybe you should go read up on it before making misinformed views.

I was also pondering if constant topics denouncing others of the tag of 'illness' and looking down on them was also a symptom of ME.

I think it is :shocked:.

I completely agree that sick people need help and compassion! I see plenty of genuinely sick people! I guess it just depends on your definition of sick! And who are you to tell me I haven't the faintest idea what I am talking about! A 19 year old expert on anorexia and alcoholism no doubt!

Nah, there's the distinct possibility that he could die from withdrawal without the proper treatment.

Just because my opinion differs from yours - doesn't make it misinformed! I have read a fair bit on the subject - and formed the opinions that I have!

I am not an expert, but I have had friends and acquaintances suffer from both, and have also met a sizeable number of people through being manic depressive who either became manic depressive through suffering with these ailments or whose bipolar disorder acted as a starting point for them.

So I am somewhat informed, yes. And not a damn one of them was looking for attention, from what I could tell.

You are simply wrong. You as much as admitted it yourself.

Hmmmm, well not very nice opinions, would you tell a girl that to her face? "Oh stop attention seeking"

Books aren't the be all and end all of knowledge :shocked:
People learn stuff from experiencing them so I'm sure someone who
has witnessed Anorexia/Alcoholism first hand is more inclined to
know that it's not just attention seeking.

Alcoholism as a disease/illness manifests itself in many ways from the person who goes weeks without end then binges over a self limiting period, to the person who physically/psychologically needs alcohol to function.

It may seem to some to be an excuse for drinking however if you have never suffered from it , or have had a close member suffer from it, you have no idea how it really does affect a person and those around him or her.

It's no different from people who attempt suicide as a way of seeking attention. They might have been seeking attention, yes, but they damn well deserve the attention - professional attention - if that's how they were trying to go about getting it!

There is almost always an underlying mental disorder that drives people to these actions. They don't wake up and decide to kill themselves over time as a way of getting attention. They need treatment and if this thread has proved anything - it has proved that there is absoloutely no place for ignorant people to come along, spew out a few vague 'tough law' statements and go back to whatever they were doing.

When you are dealing with the mind, it's never that simple I'm afraid. Delicate fucker that it is :).

To say it is purely attention seeking is pretty narrow minded, ignorant and shallow really.

No - I wouldn't - but it wouldn't stop me possibly thinking it! It depends on the situation! Once a person has become very ill - I would want to help them recover - and would offer all the support necessary for that - but that may not change my views on how they had become that ill in the first place!

I have worked on wards with a lot of alcoholic patients - and I know what they can be like - believe me! And I only mentioned the books - because a poster told me to read up on it!

Why do you think they might have 'become' ill then?

I wonder do these people also hold the same view of soldier amputees. Fuck em'. Nobody forced them into the army.

Well if you can see a similarity between men risking their lives and those that spend their days knocking back the booze - good luck to you!

Once again you are refuting a non existent statement as your primary defence mechanism.

.........and the Stu/WOMBAI juggernaut rolls onwards and upwards :dance:

A bit of tit for tat Stu! You a revelling in this one! Far too personal to be taken seriously!

You were wrong WOMBAI, just admit it. Opinions don't really come into it.

Uhh ...

... ?

... someone help me out here.

:conf: Erm, what?

Ah, Stu, I'm listening to you waffle on youtube. Very good.