Expert: Melissa - 4/7/2008

Question
I'm 13 years old, 5 foot 4, and 113 pounds. All my life i have been very skinny. Once I hit age like 12 and 13 i started to get a little curvy. I know that i am not like very fat, but I am not comfortable in my own body. I have started to eat not nearly half as much as i normally eat. Today all i ate was dinner. I have been trying to do as much exercise as i can. I tried to make myself throw up once, but i just couldn't do it. I know the dangers of anorexia and i don't want to head down that path that i think I am starting to head down. I have been chewing gum a lot and drinking lots of water so that i don't get hungry. I don't know what to do because everyone always says I am skinny my body is fine, but i don't feel that way. Do i have an eating disorder? please can you try to help me.

Answer
Hi Cassidy,
I am not a doctor so I can't give you a diagnosis, but I can give you my opinion. At the very least, yes, it sounds like you are headed towards an eating disorder. However, most teens your age go through a stage of feeling uncomfortable in their body. Puberty brings on big changes, sometimes pretty rapidly to your body. It's completely natural to feel unsure and uncomfortable while your body changes. I'm 21 and I still remember very clearly going through what you are experiencing. From someone who has gone through it, let me promise you that it will get easier. I know it feels difficult to accept those changes right now but I can promise you that with time, it will become less difficult. Try to remmeber that while you may feel self-concious and unsure of yourself, your peers are experiencing the same feelings and struggles. If you are still struggling, talk to your parents, your peers, a teacher, or a guidance counselor. Good luck and feel free to ask a follow up question.
Best, Melissa