Eating disorders are becoming more and more apparent in today's society. Girls and boys as young as 10-years-old are starting to diet and worry about their weight. My own eating disorder started when I was five-years-old. Since I have been living with an eating disorder for the majority of my life, I have a certain level of insight into the workings of eating disorders. I still do not, and will probably never, understand everything about eating disorders because they are in their own nature very secretive.
Although, most people do not understand just how secretive eating disorders actually are. An eating disorder's job is to cut-off all connections to the outside world, making the person who is suffering unable to ask for help for fear that they will be seen as asking for attention. It took me four months and one suicide attempt to actually be able to accept that I had an eating disorder. My eating disorder had convinced me that I wasn't actually sick so I could continue my harmful activities. My eating disorder successfully kept me quiet for 11 years, by making me believe that I could trust no one.
Eating disorders are also very difficult to see from just looking at a person. Someone who has a severe eating disorder may look perfectly healthy. Physical appearance has nothing to do with the existence of an eating disorder. Eating disorders live in the brain, they are a collection of negative thoughts that turn into harmful behaviors such as restricting, binge eating, purging and many more.
Having an eating disorder and having self-confidence issues are sometimes thought to be the same thing. Although they are very different. A person with self-confidence issues can look in the mirror, not like what they see, but still go on with their day. For someone with an eating disorder, not liking what they see in the mirror is crippling. It brings on an avalanche of harmful behaviors and can take over a whole day. Eating disorders are not solely physical, a person does not need to be stick-thin in order to have an eating disorder.
Eating disorders torture the mind, causing endless self-doubt and self-hatred. It feels like you are constantly screaming for help but no one can hear you. Cutting you off from the outside world making you unable to trust or connect with anyone. The only voice you listen to is the eating disorder, forcing you to push yourself in every part of your life. The main thing to know about eating disorders is that they are very dangerous, so if there is any chance that you or someone you know might be suffering call 1-800-931-2237, visit your doctor or if you are in crisis, go to the nearest emergency room.
