I admit to not being the biggest fan of events like the 2017 Eating Disorder Forum. It makes me anxious to think about being called to talk about my mental health. It also pains me to hear others’ stories because they are very similar to mine. However, my therapist advised me that I had to find a way to open up about my situation for the healing process to start. I decided to heed their suggestion and got tickets to the said event for myself and my family.
The forum turned out to be one of the best things that happened in my life. The panelists used to be like me, but they did not talk about their past in a way that would take me back to the dark place. Instead, they emphasized the first symptoms of eating disorders that not even the actual patients noticed.
Feeling The Need To Purge
Anorexics or bulimics do not genuinely feel like vomiting right after a meal. No one usually pressures them to do it; they do so without external persuasion. The thing is, they force themselves to let out what they have just eaten before the food gets digested. It is possible for these people to feel ashamed about it afterward, but then they do it repeatedly.
Eating Nonstop
Before someone gets diagnosed with a binge-eating disorder, they typically get praised for their massive appetite. The people around them think that they just love food; that’s why they can finish bottles of cola or buckets of fried chicken in one sitting. However, the lack of satiation is a sign that there is a problem with them mentally.
Dieting Despite Not Being Overweight
People with bulimia or anorexia nervosa tend to follow strict diets, although they are neither overweight nor obese. Their body seems fine to other folks; some may even compliment their physique at times. However, bulimics and anorexics only see themselves as fat humans who need to lose more weight.
Living with an eating disorder is challenging to imagine for individuals who have never had an extreme love-hate relationship with food. Now that I have gotten over it, though, I can say that you can leave it in your past. Only be mindful of the behavioral symptoms mentioned above.
