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I suffer from anorexia and really am trying to get better i started out on 300 calories but my doctor told me to up it by 100 and i have tried that today and i feel so scared that i have gained weight. How can i get better without feeling so scared all the time about my weight. I am also scared to be free from anorexia because i dont know what i will do without it please can i have some advice
Dear Rosie,
)
I am so sorry you are having such a difficult time. I will tell you that anorexia is one of the worst conditions a person can have. It has the highest death rate of any diagnosis! It is the biggest killer of teens even over suicide, automobile accidents, etc. I have known people who have died and it is such a tragedy.
Yes, it's scary to eat again. It's scary to gain some weight again. Recovery is not about being fat -- you can still be thin and eat normally without using anorexic behaviors. I tell people that it's easier to become a brain surgeon than it is to recovery from an eating disorder. Once you recover, you can figure out what it is you want to be! You can be anything you want to be in the world.
Many people lose a sense of identity and have no idea who they are because they have been anorexic for such a long time. It's all they know. Regaining who you are and figuring out what you want to do in life is the exciting part of recovery.
To get there, it sounds to me as if you need some professional help. Find yourself a therapist who specializes in eating disorders and also a good nutritionist. Seeing your doctor is also a great thing but see if you can close your eyes, jump off the cliff (because that's what it feels like), and eat those extra calories. And please tell me how you do!
Warmly,
Jeanne Rust, PhD
www.mirasol.net
www.edrecovery.com
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Answers by Expert:
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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