Expert: Joanne - 6/11/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi Holly!
I'm 25 years old, 150cms & weigh 32kgs.
I know at this weight I can be admitted to hospital. I have just started seeing a Psychologist & she was talkking about the weight I should be & she said it was around 42 or 43kgs! That really  scared me to death!
I would like to know do you know what weight I should be just to STAY OUT of hospital?

Thank you!



ANSWER: Unfortunately I don't have a definite answer for you.  A lot of it depends on your state of mind and your physical well-being.

If you are wanting to ermain out of hospital, you need to show everybody that you are willing to give recovery a go and make an effort to put on the weight.  I know that this is very hard, and it is not as simple as that, but you need to show that you are capable of trying and that you are able to make these rationale decisions for yourself.

Although I would have hated to have been admitted to hospital and have never myself had to be admitted for treatment for my eating disorder directly, for some people, I know that it is the only way of helping them.  I have a friend that doesn't want to be hospitalised and promises to try to get better, but in reality, she is unable to make these changes herself.  I think that the only way things are going to improve for her is if she was admitted!

I would hate to see it happen to her, especially as she is a medical student and it could affect her whole future, but sometimes when she has been in A&E, we would wish that they would actually hold her, section her if necessary as she is on a mission to starve herself to death, and has no way of escaping it without this help!

I hope that you aren't in the same situation as her.  I hope that you can see that this is unhealthy and want to make changes and really try recovery!

All the best
Holly

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: HI Holly!
Thank you for replying to my last question!

Well, I don't want to go to hospital so I'm sure I can put on weight on my own, but I just don't know how much.

If I get to say, 35 kgs but then can't keep gaining do you think I will still be severe & so forced into hospital against my own will?

Kind Regards,
Lotus

Answer
I think that you should be aiming for the high 30s and if your eating returns to 'normal' you shouldn't have a problem with reaching a healthier weight.  If you fail to reach this by quite a significant amount of weight, it may be viewed as you still having disordered eating patterns and making an effort to avoid gaining any more weight, but you need to discuss this with your psychologist.

You need to sit down with your specialist and explain that you don't want to be hospitalised and would appreciate it if they could tell you what you needed to do to avoid it!

Holly