[Pyramid*]

Story in the DM today.

How the lady on the right is still alive, beggars belief - both are bad, but she looks worse (if that's even a consideration) than her sister on the left.

Sad, heartbreaking and disturbing all at the same time. Both of these ladies are doctors.





http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...maginable.html

[CharlieO]

I honestly don't see why people starve themselves to be that thin. It's not even attractive in any way.
Say someone overweight starved themselves to be of normal weight. I can understand that I don't think it's right but can understand it. But to be perfectly normal and want to be a skeleton basically is horrible. And people like that can't blame the media, no model or actress would be hired that skinny it's just horrible, they must have body dismorphia.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by CharlieO

I honestly don't see why people starve themselves to be that thin. It's not even attractive in any way.
Say someone overweight starved themselves to be of normal weight. I can understand that I don't think it's right but can understand it. But to be perfectly normal and want to be a skeleton basically is horrible. And people like that can't blame the media, no model or actress would be hired that skinny it's just horrible, they must have body dismorphia.

It's psychological Charlie, that's the problem - there's a degree of body dysmorphia in that the anorexic 'sees' a very distorted vision of what they look like - in comparison to how they actually look. There's the issue of 'control' as well (ie; they can feel it's the one thing in life that they actually have control over).

Very hard illlness for all concerned and those around them.

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

It's psychological Charlie, that's the problem - there's a degree of body dysmorphia in that the anorexic 'sees' a very distorted vision of what they look like - in comparison to how they actually look. There's the issue of 'control' as well (ie; they can feel it's the one thing in life that they actually have control over).

Very hard illlness for all concerned and those around them.

Great post Pyramid, it's like a funfair crazy mirrors syndrome type of thing,they look in a mirror and somehow in their mind they imagine they are overweight,so that's what they see no matter what the reflection shows.

It is so sad,very scary too,even for the people around them who care it must be near soul destroying to see happen.

[Claymores]

I unfortunately had an ex (many years ago) who was slim but started to eat less + go to gym - you didn't need a psychology degree to see she was dying with mental health issue of weight.

I walked away from this relationship - hope she's well now and 14 stone and 3 kids.

[Novo]

How can anyone live like that you would be ashamed to go out in public imagine being out in a strong wind surely you would get blown of balance being that skinny..

[lostalex]

i think illness can be beautiful. Much more attractive than arrogant self-absorbed ignorant Jordan types.

I find the guys i'm attracted to are often very flawed and very insecure. like me.

[lostalex]

body dysmorphia is not like a fun house mirror. it's more that you focus on a specific part of your body as a guage, instead of seeing yourself objectively. For instance, a jewish person might focus on their nose, and be obsessed about their nose being too big, because of stereotypes, or a black person might focus on the colour of their skin, and focus only on how dark they are, or a woman might focus on her breasts and how big they are, because society creates stereotypes for us all, and in some cases, with body dysmorphia, we focus on one part of the body, one aspect, above all other aspects.

Anorexics know they are too skinny, but they often focus on one part of the body that they don't like and try to fix it, just like dark girls will over use skin bleach, or jewish girls would obsess over a nose job.

It's not as simple as saying it's like a carnival mirror, it's nothing like a carnival mirror.

It's more like a magnifying glass.

[GypsyGoth]

[Vicky.]

That looks awful. And anyone who takes advice from either of them as doctors...also needs help :/

[Livia]

I find it interesting how someone who is anorexic gets so much more sympathy than someone who is obese. In many cases they are similar in their psychosis, in that both have a freaked-out relationship with food and suffer from life-threatening mental illness. The anorexic though, is tiny, pixie like and more socially acceptable than someone who is obese. Obese people are fair game it seems for anyone who wants to have a pop at them and they are ridiculed mercilessly by society. People's heart bleeds for the tiny anorexic, while assuming the obese person is just greedy and lazy. Surely both are mentally ill and deserve understanding and treatment?

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Livia

I find it interesting how someone who is anorexic gets so much more sympathy than someone who is obese. In many cases they are similar in their psychosis, in that both have a freaked-out relationship with food and suffer from life-threatening mental illness. The anorexic though, is tiny, pixie like and more socially acceptable than someone who is obese. Obese people are fair game it seems for anyone who wants to have a pop at them and they are ridiculed mercilessly by society. People's heart bleeds for the tiny anorexic, while assuming the obese person is just greedy and lazy. Surely both are mentally ill and deserve understanding and treatment?

Definitely agree with all of this

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by Livia

I find it interesting how someone who is anorexic gets so much more sympathy than someone who is obese. In many cases they are similar in their psychosis, in that both have a freaked-out relationship with food and suffer from life-threatening mental illness. The anorexic though, is tiny, pixie like and more socially acceptable than someone who is obese. Obese people are fair game it seems for anyone who wants to have a pop at them and they are ridiculed mercilessly by society. People's heart bleeds for the tiny anorexic, while assuming the obese person is just greedy and lazy. Surely both are mentally ill and deserve understanding and treatment?

It does occur to me that obesity can be a long-term lifestyle choice in many cases, whereas starving yourself to death is a form of body dysmorphia which requires sympathy and intervention for the mental illness. It implies conscious angst rather than a love of food and fun over years. The two are incomparable and to mention the two extremes in the same breath is silly.

Nobody is going to stop the fatty having the chocolate pudding + enjoying themself at the dinner table while he/she engages with everyone..........I believe it is less torrible if another is not eating, having food issues and/or 'doing a Diana' down the toilet pan in mental anguish.

[Boothy]

Originally Posted by Claymores

It does occur to me that obesity can be a long-term lifestyle choice in many cases, whereas starving yourself to death is a form of body dysmorphia which requires sympathy and intervention for the mental illness. It implies conscious angst rather than a love of food and fun over years. The two are incomparable and to mention the two extremes in the same breath is silly.

Nobody is going to stop the fatty having the chocolate pudding + enjoying themself at the dinner table while he/she engages with everyone..........I believe it is less torrible if another is not eating, having food issues and/or 'doing a Diana' down the toilet pan in mental anguish.

I'd agree with this.

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Claymores

It does occur to me that obesity can be a long-term lifestyle choice in many cases, whereas starving yourself to death is a form of body dysmorphia which requires sympathy and intervention for the mental illness. It implies conscious angst rather than a love of food and fun over years. The two are incomparable and to mention the two extremes in the same breath is silly.

Nobody is going to stop the fatty having the chocolate pudding + enjoying themself at the dinner table while he/she engages with everyone..........I believe it is less torrible if another is not eating, having food issues and/or 'doing a Diana' down the toilet pan in mental anguish.

As long as there not to big I dont see why they should be made a fool out of.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Claymores

It does occur to me that obesity can be a long-term lifestyle choice in many cases, whereas starving yourself to death is a form of body dysmorphia which requires sympathy and intervention for the mental illness. It implies conscious angst rather than a love of food and fun over years. The two are incomparable and to mention the two extremes in the same breath is silly.

Nobody is going to stop the fatty having the chocolate pudding + enjoying themself at the dinner table while he/she engages with everyone..........I believe it is less torrible if another is not eating, having food issues and/or 'doing a Diana' down the toilet pan in mental anguish.

You've just illustrated my point beautifully. "nobody is going to stop the fatty having chocolate putting and enjoying themselves at the dinner table..."

Both these extremes need understanding as, like I said, they are both mental illnesses. To some people who are morbidly obese, eating is a guilty thing, done in secret, it's not all frivolity and fun round the dinner table. Life-threatening mental illness is life-threatening mental illness, no matter what the scales say. It's just that the skinny ones get more sympathy while the fat ones get more ridicule.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Livia

You've just illustrated my point beautifully. "nobody is going to stop the fatty having chocolate putting and enjoying themselves at the dinner table..."

Both these extremes need understanding as, like I said, they are both mental illnesses. To some people who are morbidly obese, eating is a guilty thing, done in secret, it's not all frivolity and fun round the dinner table. Life-threatening mental illness is life-threatening mental illness, no matter what the scales say. It's just that the skinny ones get more sympathy while the fat ones get more ridicule.

I think this is true, both need to be treated with the same level of seriousness. I think it is wrong but true that underweight is more socially acceptable than overweight. The morbidly obese have just as many health risks as seriously underweight people, which if they are lucky they are helped with by supportive medical care to try and succesfully lose the weight but they are not often helped so much emotionally to find the cause of their eating habits in the first place. There is a stigma attatched to being overweight where society assume the person is just greedy or lazy, which just completely dismisses the issue, which is not the case with anorexics. You make a good point and it is a true but sad reflection of the 'thin' being more acceptable thah the 'fat'

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by Livia

You've just illustrated my point beautifully. "nobody is going to stop the fatty having chocolate putting and enjoying themselves at the dinner table..."

Both these extremes need understanding as, like I said, they are both mental illnesses. To some people who are morbidly obese, eating is a guilty thing, done in secret, it's not all frivolity and fun round the dinner table. Life-threatening mental illness is life-threatening mental illness, no matter what the scales say. It's just that the skinny ones get more sympathy while the fat ones get more ridicule.

You deliberately missed the end of that quote where I was implying that a person was being socially engaging. There are no rights or wrongs - I was suggesting that a young person with anorexia/bolemia might need more care than an oldie who has spent 40 years eating too much in enjoyment.

In my random explanation, I was talking of people not happy to sit at the dinner table or who have to exit to puke down the loo - seems their illness is more pressing and disturbing than the obose

[Claymores]

I can see why you are a Tory assistant playing with misquotes or half quotes - good luck with you on that Livs

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by Claymores

It does occur to me that obesity can be a long-term lifestyle choice in many cases, whereas starving yourself to death is a form of body dysmorphia which requires sympathy and intervention for the mental illness. It implies conscious angst rather than a love of food and fun over years. The two are incomparable and to mention the two extremes in the same breath is silly.

Nobody is going to stop the fatty having the chocolate pudding + enjoying themself at the dinner table while he/she engages with everyone..........I believe it is less torrible if another is not eating, having food issues and/or 'doing a Diana' down the toilet pan in mental anguish.

Actually many obese people do have body dysmorphia. A lot of fat people are in denial about how fat they are, because it usually happens slowly, gaining weight i mean, so they still see themselves as thin, even though they are over weight. Plus there are so many media sources saying "women are supposed to be curvy" justifying being over weight.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by lostalex

Actually many obese people do have body dysmorphia. A lot of fat people are in denial about how fat they are, because it usually happens slowly, gaining weight i mean, so they still see themselves as thin, even though they are over weight. Plus there are so many media sources saying "women are supposed to be curvy" justifying being over weight.

I'm not buying this....... an obese person can still see themselves as thin?

Many obese people are in complete denial about the amount of food that they eat, but they still are more than aware that they are obsese - they will argue blind about how little they eat, and the type of foods that they eat. Many more than admit to it being 'a comfort, makes them feel good/better' - they are aware they are obsese.

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

I'm not I'm buying this....... an obese person can still see themselves as thin?

Many obese people are in complete denial about the amount of food that they eat, but they still are more than aware that they are obsese - they will argue blind about how little they eat, and the type of foods that they eat. Many more than admit to it being 'a comfort, makes them feel good/better' - they are aware they are obsese.

have you ever been obese?

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

I'm not buying this....... an obese person can still see themselves as thin?

Many obese people are in complete denial about the amount of food that they eat, but they still are more than aware that they are obsese - they will argue blind about how little they eat, and the type of foods that they eat. Many more than admit to it being 'a comfort, makes them feel good/better' - they are aware they are obsese.

Very informed and totally correct statement, Obese epeople do know they are overweight,its as you say they won't admit the reasons they are,as in how much they eat as you point out for one example.
Well said.

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

I'm not buying this....... an obese person can still see themselves as thin?

No more odd than an anorexic viewing themselves as fat

[GypsyGoth]

Originally Posted by Livia

I find it interesting how someone who is anorexic gets so much more sympathy than someone who is obese. In many cases they are similar in their psychosis, in that both have a freaked-out relationship with food and suffer from life-threatening mental illness. The anorexic though, is tiny, pixie like and more socially acceptable than someone who is obese. Obese people are fair game it seems for anyone who wants to have a pop at them and they are ridiculed mercilessly by society. People's heart bleeds for the tiny anorexic, while assuming the obese person is just greedy and lazy. Surely both are mentally ill and deserve understanding and treatment?

I never thought of it like that before.