I have recently been struggling with anorexia. I started not eating properly two years ago and told my mum a year after. She put me through therapy and I thought that I was healed, but now I've started to think that I'm not good enough again. I have missed 3 meals in 2 days and I need help. But my parents are already working all the time and I don't want to go through therapy again, we just don't have the money for it. I don't want to be annorexic again, but I don't want to burden my parents again. Help!
-A struggling femaleDear struggling female,
I'm glad you've written about your reoccurring struggle with anorexia. Having been through treatment earlier, you know that this is nothing to joke about. Not only can eating problems mess up your body in many ways for the rest of your life, it can also lead to death. There was a young lady in her 20's who came to my church a few years ago. She was small and very, very thin. Not long after she came we heard that she was in the hospital for anorexia. She died shortly after being admitted.
You have to get help!It's obvious your parents care for you seeing as they helped you get therapy last time. I'm sure they won't be burdened if you go to them telling them you need help again. I bet they already know you are struggling and might be talking about what to do. Don't waste any more time. Go to them today. They will work out how to pay for the therapy. It's something that parents know how to handle, especially when it comes to the health of their children.
For anyone else reading this who might be having similar problems, check out this Brio Magazine article titled, "Diary of an Anorexic"
http://www.briomag.com/briomagazine/briobeyond/a0004488.html
The article concludes with this information:
Red Flags
The following is a list of warning signs for anorexia. If you've noticed several of these symptoms in yourself or a friend, get help immediately.
• Losing a significant amount of weight
• Continuing to diet (even when already thin)
• Feeling fat (even after losing weight)
• Having an abnormal fear of gaining weight
• Losing monthly menstrual period for three or four consecutive months
• Having a preoccupation with food and obsessively counting calories
• Preferring to eat in isolation
• Exercising compulsively
• Abusing laxatives or other over-the-counter diuretics
• Denying that you're hungry
• Always having an excuse as to why you're not eating (for example, "I just ate" or "I'm feeling ill")
• Becoming "disgusted" with former favorite foods
• Obsessing about food labels
• Drastically reducing or completely eliminating fat intake
• Not believing others when they tell you you're thin
• Detesting all or specific parts of your body
• Denying that a problem exists
Sources: Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders (ANRED), The American Anorexia/Bulimia Association (AA/BA), and National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD)
Help for Anorexia
If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, the following organizations can provide help.
Remuda Programs for Anorexia and Bulimia
1 East Apache St.
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
(800) 445-1900
www .remuda-ranch.com
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Related Disorders
P.O. Box 7
Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 831-3438
htt p://members.aol.com/anad20/index.html