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Q: New User....any Help?
asked by: collegeGirl123 on April 11th, 2004
New User
Here's my story...Maybe someone can help...All my life I have been about 5'2" and about 100 lbs--never thougth about food, really small frame, but great metabolism, athletic, and very normal and happy. Freshman year in college I gained a few pounds--reached about 107-110. For the first time I became aware of my weight which wasn't ever an issue until this point. Then I dropped a few pounds until I was about 102-105 for the entire next year and was really happy with it.
This school year, I was pretty active and health-conscious but definitely not trying to lose weight. I was still about 102 and was very happy with it. I didn't think I was fat, yet I did live in a sorority, and I guess probably wasn't eating enough for my metabolism or something, because most of hte girls in my house could survive on salad, while I have always been able to eat a lot. I was living with a roommate who I could swear ate almost nothing a day but didn't lose any weight, and there are plenty of ppl around me who either have had or have currently anorexia or bulimia--either very blatantly or very hidden, at a very competitive university. Anyway, even though other people & my family thought I was eating enough, I wasn't because at the end of the quarter I was weighing about 90 lbs. But even my best friends, including guys, didnt think I was anorexic.
Now for the last 3 months, I have pretty much maintained my weight at 90 lbs, which is definitely underweight for me. I have tried to gain weight--unsuccessfully. I really want to gain weight-- I want to make it back to what I was before, and I really look in the mirror and get disgusted. However, I can't seem to gain weight healthily. Ever since I decided to gain weight (about 2 months ago) I find myself almost to the level of binging, although I don't ever purge. I have never vomited, used diet pills, laxatives, diuretics, etc. But still this binging makes me feel guilty and frustrated, and I can't be healthy about putting the weight back on. It's like I freak out when I see myself and tell myself to binge and eat a lot (a few thousand calories) and then I go to sleep. I was wondering if this story is similar to anyone else--is it anorexia? Or is it bulimia? Or is it both? I'm getting investigated for other medical conditions meanwhile, but I can't figure out what is wrong with me right now and its frustrating me. I haven't lost any weight in the past 3 months which is good, but I feel like this strong desire to gain weight now is leading to bulimia-like symptoms (although no purging, at least yet).
I have a feeling that once I reach my normal set-point weight, if I can find help to not think about weight, I will never be fat, but I need to gain that weight first, and I need to do so healthily--and then find some way to not worry about it anymore.

Any suggestions? Any help?
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2ferano
replied on April 11th, 2004
Extremely eHealthy
What I would do is stop worrying. Easier said then done, I know. But, you are not starving yourself, right? Just start eating when you are hungry. Don't force yourself to eat more or less then what you want. Eat what you want when you want (since you obviously can do this without a problem) and your body should level back out. Some people, however, are healthy at 90 pounds. At your height anyway. I understand you wanting to gain a bit more, but like I said, just eat when you are hungry and it will come back.
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