Eating Disorders

If you are struggling with an Eating Disorder, I am so sorry, it really, really sucks and I understand that recovery is a long and continued process, but it is possible! If you don’t know much about Eating Disorders or “ED’s”, let me start with a few basic facts, having an ED is not attention seeking behaviour, they are not just ‘extreme diets’ nor are they strictly reserved for teenagers or women. ED’s are devastating mental illnesses that sneak up on us destroying our bodies, ruining our lives and they kill people.

People who are suffering from ED’s often have a very similar mindset to someone with an addiction, only of course food is also a necessary part of life that we are unable to healthily abstain from the way someone might abstain from Alcohol or drug use so treating a person with disordered eating habits takes a multifaceted approach and may involve intense therapy, seeking the advice of nutritionists with experience treating people with eating disorders, a great deal of learning and self awareness and in some cases, spending time in an inpatient treatment facility may also be necessary.

If you or someone close to you needs help for disordered eating then please contact your GP for a referral to an appropriate specialist for your situation. Crisis phone lines such as Lifeline (13 11 14) are available 24/7 in Australia and are helpful if you are feeling overwhelmed and there is also an organisation in Australia called The Butterfly Foundation who deals specifically with Eating Disorders, they have a 24/7 hotline the number is (free call) 1800 33 4673 with specially trained ED counsellors. They also have a great website with a ton of information as well as forums and online support groups.

I have grand plans to put some detailed information about Eating Disorders here in the future, including the different types and their definitions:

ANOREXIA
BULIMIA
BINGE EATING DISORDER
EDNOS
ORTHOREXIA
BODY DYSMORPHIA

Topics I am also planning to cover in time include:

Myths and Facts about Eating Disorders
Accepting food as sustenance rather than a crutch or something to be feared
Improving your self esteem
Seeking therapy for an eating disorder – in the meantime, click here to find out more about therapy in general
Reducing anxiety in situations such as eating in public, when trying on clothes or when grocery shopping.
Minimising reactions to common, unavoidable triggers.
Developing a support net work
Depression related to disordered eating
Treatment Options
Recognising ‘Relapse Red-Flags’

In the meantime, I will try and link a few posts I have written about on my experience with Eating Disorders that may be of interest, they are scattered over a few different blogs so I may have to do some digging, please note – I always try to be careful not to use specific measurements, sizes or numbers when I discuss this topic but please exercise caution and be aware of your own triggers when reading my blog posts and articles.