Anorexia/Eating Disorders/anorexia recovery

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Expert: Jeanne Rust, PhD - 9/19/2009


Question
Hi i am 17 years old old and currently trying to recover from anorexia. I am no longer restricting and have managed to stop exercising. I have been managing to eat regular meals but i have ate a lot a few times recently (even though i wasn't hungry but i couldn't control it) and then tried to purge because i felt so bad. I know its probably because my weight is so low and my body is still desperate for nourishment.
Anywae i just dont know what to do. I'm scared that i'm now developing bulimia!
I've already damaged my body so much from restricting and exercising and i dont want to cause anymore damage.
I am recieving outpatient treatment at the moment(Although it's rather useless). Inpatient treatment would be the best option but there is no funding availible for it!

After being in the tight grip of anorexia for so long i dont want to end up in the grip of bulimia instead ! What should i do ?

Answer

jeannie Rust, PhD
Dear Jane,

It's so so great that you're in out-patient therapy.  You're doing very well with the anorexia which is terrific!  Your body is literally starved for food which you recognize.  The thing to do would be to go to your group, bring up your problem, and ask the group for suggestions of things you can do instead of purge.  I used to have clients set a time -- they would wait 5 minutes -- then they could go ahead and purge.  Then they'd set the timer for 15 minutes, then 30 minutes -- after a very short time, they began to lose the need to purge -- I think for you this would be pretty simple!

Let me know how you do!!

Warmly,
Jeannie Rust, PhD
www.mirasol.net
www.edrecovery.com

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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