Anorexia/Eating Disorders/Healthy Anorexic?

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Expert: Jeanne Rust, PhD - 12/26/2009


Question
Hi Jeanne,
I am a 16 year old girl living in Australia. I'm 170cm and 47kg.
For the past year or so I've been restricting my diet, counting all my calories and burning them off by exercising lots and purging whenever I have to eat a big meal. I know that purging is not necessarily a good behaviour, I also know that these behaviours tend to be associated with the eating disorder Anorexia Nervosa. However, each day I take multivitamins and supplements, I also drink tons of water. My hair isn't falling out or anything like that, as you can see my weight isn't even very low. But a lot of my family and friends are saying things to me such as I am sick and unhealthy and need help and so forth, however I think this is untrue because I'm drinking water, making sure i'm not lacking essential nutrients, exercising and generally leading a healthy lifestyle.
My questions are: Am I a 'healthy anorexic'? Am I even anorexic at all? Do my friends and family have anything to worry about?
I appreciate your time in reading this.
Thanks, Frankie.

Answer

jeannie Rust, PhD
Hi, Frankie,

There is no such thing as a healthy anorexic!

What happens, if you can imagine this, is that the body acts like a little stove.  The fuel the your little stove gets is the food you eat.  Water and vitamins have nothing to do with it!   If you're little stove is not getting enough fuel and the fuel it does get is all burned off, then the little stove needs to get fuel from somewhere to keep your brain, heart, and major organs going.  s o the body or little stove actually begins to feed off of itself -- this is why people's thinking becomes distorted and they think they're healthy when other people can see that they're not healthy!

I hope that you'll listen to your friends and family and see a therapist who specializes in eating disorders who can help you get turned around!

Warmly,
Jeannie Rust, PhD
CEO/Founder
Mirasol Recovery Programs
www.mirasol.net
www.edrecovery.com
888-520-1700

Jeanne Rust, PhD

Expertise

I have been treating eating disorders for over 25 years and I have a doctorate in clinical psychology. I am an expert in anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders and in co-occurring disorders as well -- depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, etc. I was the official eating disorder therapist for the University of Arizona athletic department and love working with girls and women of all ages! 12 years ago I started my own treatment centers in Arizona where we treat adolescents and adults. I love working with people and have been helping people online since 1994. My hearts go out to the people out there who are unable to find help, who aren't sure whether they need help, and who don't have much of an understanding of the terrible consequences, emotionally and physically, that go hand in hand with the eating disorder. I view eating disorders as coping mechanisms that people use when they are under stress. I believe that eating disorders most times have many similarities whether it is anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating. The good news is that people can heal from an eating disorder and learn to create the lives they would like to live.

Experience

I have 25 years of experience in treating eating disorders of all kinds. I also do consultations for people who are starting treatment centers.

Education/Credentials
Northwestern University -- BA Masters in Counseling Doctorate in Clinical Psychology -- Saybrook institute

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