Expert: Joanne - 2/18/2009

Question
ve struggled off and on with anorexia for over a year now. Early last year I caught on to what was happening- I skipped meals and only a mouthful at dinner to keep my parents from wondering- but I had no intentions in fixing it. I lost 20 pounds in a less than two months and still felt like a whale. I would run miles everyday and only until I fell over from exhaustion would I finally feel somewhat skinnier. The past few months I've gotten over the image problem and have wanted to get back to eating normal but I'm still losing weight right and left. I never feel hungry so I force myself to eat a meal a day, but every time I do, I feel sick to my stomach and end up purging in order to feel better. I've finally gotten myself to stop purging, but I still feel sick every time I try to eat. Also, I rarely ever have my period. It's generally every 3 or 4 months that it comes and when it does I have really bad cramps- but it only last a few short days. I want to get back to eating everyday and having a normal cycle, but not eating is so much easier and comfortable. What can I do to get back on a normal diet?

Answer
Molly

You need to visit a doctor soon to make sure that you have not caused yourself any health problems.  While you are there, it might be worthwhile asking for a referral to a dietician.  This would be one of the best ways to try and get your eating back on track.  You would have a meal plan worked out for you to make sure that you are eating enough on a daily basis and that you are getting all the nutrients that you need and having been missing out on.

It may not be comfortable to eat, but this is something you need to try and persevere with.  You need to try and stop using that as an excuse not to eat, and think of it as something that you need to overcome to beat this eating disorder.

You need to be aiming to eat 3 proper meals a day and a couple of snacks.  You definitely need to try and stop purging.  Not only is your low calorie diet going to be damaging your body, but adding purging to that is just a recipe for disaster.

If you find it easier, it may be worth setting yourself targets and increasing your calorie intake slowly, but I still think this would be best done with a meal plan.

Ultimately, I would really recommend trying to get some professional counselling.  There were reasons that you developed an eating disorder, and it is really important that they are addressed.  I know that you say that you are 'over the image problem', but quite often, eating disorders run deeper than that.

Please contact your doctor and make sure that you have not damaged your health irreversibly.  They should be able to put you in touch with any other professionals that they feel you would benefit from.

Joanne