faulker053

Against all odds She's not someone you'd expect to recovery. Decades living with an eating disorder, endless barriers to jump over.  But seeing the progress that my patient (I'll refer to as) Amy has made should provide hope to anyone who has long given up. Yes, recovery is possible. Not easy. Not quick. But possible. Please read through the end and share your thoughts with "Amy".  In the last 50+ years, I cannot remember a time in which I was satisfied (even slightly) with my body.   As a matter of fact, I view it as disgusting and embarrassing.   Even at my sickest state, I was convinced I was the fattest one in the room.    In this point of my recovery, I deem it important to reflect on how far I’ve come.   Below is my life’s journey thus far. It is uncertain to me why I have suffered from Eating Disorders for most of my life.    However, in my past, could lay the meaning for all of this.   My mom had EDs always.   My ED could be...

1) Recovery is about weight gain. Period. The simple answer?  It just might not be going the way you planned.  False.  Now don't let your eating disorder get all excited, saying "See! I told you so!" Weight restoration is surely a must for those who have fallen from their usual weight or in the case of kids, their weight for age and BMI curves. That is, their expected pattern of gain based on their age and their weight history. For kids, falling off their usual growth curve suggests a problem. It shouldn't be praised or rewarded, but evaluated. (Pediatricians, did you read that?!) But if someone's weight was high due to unhealthy behaviors such as binging, emotional overeating, or general disregard for satiety, and weight dropped with improved eating and coping, weight gain is likely unnecessary. Simply reaching a healthy range based on the charts also isn't enough. Perhaps your restrictive eating and suppressed weight began as a young teen, and you've liv...

Seeming quick fixes can be so tempting. This week’s inbox held the following message from an old patient: “I was watching Good Morning America and they had Monica Seles on, admitting she's suffered from binge eating disorder (BED). They announced a medication they are now using to treat BED, Vyvanse, also used for ADHD. I looked it up and side effects include weight loss. Have you ever recommended this drug for BED? Do you feel it is effective for BED? Can people with BED take this med to lose weight? Do they think if you have BED you must be overweight and this medication can cause weight loss? Which would perhaps (in their minds) solve the bingeing? That small ED voice that lurks deep from within is screaming 'get me that drug! Get me that drug!' so I can lose weight. WTH?!" I’m glad she was brave enough to share what she was wondering, as I’m sure she’s not alone in her curiosity. Aren’t you wondering what this means for you? Let's start by clarifying a few t...

It's all your mother's fault. Really, it's about lack of approval from your dad. If you're a boy or a man, it must mean you're gay. If you aren't underweight you certainly don't have anorexia. As long as you're eating healthy foods, you're okay. It's simply a choice. Once you've had it, you'll never truly recover. It's all about appearance and weight. You have to be ready to recover. True statements? Not at all. These commonly held misbeliefs about eating disorders do only harm. They minimize the complexity of eating disorders and the struggle of those suffering with anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.  They prejudice everyone from those living with an eating disorder, to providers treating those they may or may not know have eating disorders.  They lay guilt on parents who may be among the best supports for their kids in recovery, as evidenced by the FBT model.  They stereotype people based on weight--as if BMI alone dete...

Recovery is a tricky thing. You may be making progress with your eating—whether you are working to overcome binge eating, anorexia or bulimia—but may be fooled into believing that you’ve truly normalized  your relationship with food. It may feel like you’ve largely recovered; you’ve started to include ice cream (but only when you’re out, never keeping it in the house). And your binge frequency is close to zero. And surely you who’ve been restricting deserve credit for eating more than you used to—at least of the foods you deem good for you. But consider this: No, avoidance isn't the answer . Is it really recovery when the only way you feel in control is to fill your days with so much activity (no, not even physical activity) that you don't get to sit with your feelings? You work long hours waitressing, take on extra shifts or extend your work hours only to avoid being with yourself. You struggle to allow yourself to feel hungry—fearing you're not trustworthy to respond corr...