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dieting/ bulimia/ anorexia.

Is anorexia just slimming taken to extreme or is it a mental illness?
I was just thinking today that if dieting is a mild form of anorexia how come its so widely accepted and actively promoted as a healthy way of life? Where is the line drawn between dieting and anorexia nervosa?
There doesnt seem to be the same comparison made between dieting and bulimia, People dont seem to believe in `mild bulimia` Youre either bulimic or your not, yet bulimia is often seen as less serious than anorexia because its not as life threatening.
I dont know if im making sense here, but I was thinking about it because I have bulimic tendencies, but I dont really see myself as having a huge problem. I dont binge and purge. I eat normally but if I feel ive overeaten then I will purge. Its just something I do.
I kind of feel its wrong, but then part of me thinks its just society telling me its wrong when all im doing is just a different way of keeping my weight down without having to deprive myself of food. Whether its wrong or not, I cant see myself completely stopping. I did stop for a few years but my weight crept up, and to be honest I feel better about myself when im a bit slimmer.
I dont see myself as a properly bulimic, I just do it sometimes.
I dont know why ive written this actually, Just getting a few things off my chest and asking for views.
Am I in denial?
Beep boop. I'm a bot.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    edited because im shit at punctuation.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Re: dieting/ bulimia/ anorexia.

    firstly, dieting is seen as a healthy way to lose weight. if youre over weight, then medically, you should lose a few pounds by restricting your food and exercising. anorexia however, is when people who dont need to diet, do it to an extreme. normal dieting isnt done to an extreme. (this is the way i see it)

    the difference with dieting and bulimia is that bulimia uses a dangerous way to reduce calories. anorexia is also dangerous, which makes them the disorders and dieting not a disorder because it is done in a controlled way (usually) and doesnt risk your health (this is debateable, eg. the atkins diet!).

    ive kind of lost my line of thought now!

    i think youre trying to justify your bulimia to yourself, trying to make yourself believe it's like dieting and that becasue society sees dieting as acceptable, then purging is also acceptable.

    i know what you mean about feeling bad when youve over eaten, im trying to get better at the mo but it's so difficult! welldone for having stopped for 2 years, that mustve been so difficult:)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Re: Re: dieting/ bulimia/ anorexia.
    Originally posted by clara
    i think youre trying to justify your bulimia to yourself, trying to make yourself believe it's like dieting and that becasue society sees dieting as acceptable, then purging is also acceptable.

    i know what you mean about feeling bad when youve over eaten, im trying to get better at the mo but it's so difficult! welldone for having stopped for 2 years, that mustve been so difficult:)
    I do try and justify it to myself, but at the end of the day its just something I do. People are so positive when I lose a bit of weight, I enjoy that.
    I did stop for a while, but then again, I was a speed freak at the time, so that controlled my weight to a certain degree too, but when I came off the speed, and also wasnt making myself sick, The weight piled on, especially after I got pregnant. I lost all the weight after I had my baby without the bulimia, just by controlling what I ate, and walking everywhere. It took me a year to lose it, but I put a little bit on again last year and then old habits kind of took hold again. Now im seeing positive results, I dont know if its because Ive now got a job, so am on my feet more, or is it because im making myself sick? If its because of the bulimia, then I kind of feel scared, because ive proved to myself that it works ( I want to tell myself it doesnt work, cos then its easier to stop)
    Im down to 9 stone now and I think I look better for it (im 5ft 6). I dont want to be skinny skinny, I just want to be slim, and this is a way to maintain it. I dont purge after every meal or anything, and I never bring up everything ive eaten, just some, so I can be like a person whos dieting and eating small portions, but without cutting back on my beloved food LOL.
    Ive been on pro-ana websites etc, where they say anorexia and bulimia dont have to be seen as an eating disorder, but as a lifestyle choice. On one hand I think those sites could be dangerous to vunerable people, but on the other hand, what they are saying sounds like me (except im not obsessed by it). Im not a stupid child who doesnt know what shes doing, Im a 27 year old intelligent woman and ive been doing this on and off since I was 16.
    I have it in my head that its a bad thing to do, but WHY is it so bad?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Re: Re: Re: dieting/ bulimia/ anorexia.
    WHY is it so bad? [/B]

    all the health risks associated with it...
    ripping your oesophagus, risk of heart attack, unbalanced vitamins, ruining your teeth, your blood vessels, your stomach lining, to name a few!

    i know you know all these, but its difficult to see this logic when all you can think of is: i just want to lose a bit of weight/stay slim...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Re: Re: Re: Re: dieting/ bulimia/ anorexia.
    Originally posted by clara
    all the health risks associated with it...
    ripping your oesophagus, risk of heart attack, unbalanced vitamins, ruining your teeth, your blood vessels, your stomach lining, to name a few!

    i know you know all these, but its difficult to see this logic when all you can think of is: i just want to lose a bit of weight/stay slim...

    I can see how in theory , that vomiting could rip your oesophagus, especially when its uncontrolled vomiting such as when youre ill and you heave violently, but i dont have that.

    unbalanced vitamins? i still make sure I eat enough, I just purge the excess. Im not like *stressed*.

    ruining my teeth???? no more than drinking orange juice surely?

    I can see it may not be great for the stomach lining. Im unsure about the blood vessels and I cant see how it would make me have a heart attack,. im genuinely interested.

    There really is no unbiased information out there, A lot of it im sure is scare tactics, (and I can completely understand the reason they need scare tactics).
    I just feel that I am to bulimia what most dieters are to anorexia.
    I dont feel obsessed by it, it hasnt taken over my life. Im opportunistic about it. If I have the opportunity to do it, I will, but I dont fret too much if I cant. Im efficient at it, and I dont do it to excess. Is there no one else like me? does everyone else that does it have a full blown eating disorder?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Re: Re: Re: dieting/ bulimia/ anorexia.
    Originally posted by rainbow brite
    Ive been on pro-ana websites etc, where they say anorexia and bulimia dont have to be seen as an eating disorder, but as a lifestyle choice. On one hand I think those sites could be dangerous to vunerable people, but on the other hand, what they are saying sounds like me (except im not obsessed by it). Im not a stupid child who doesnt know what shes doing, Im a 27 year old intelligent woman and ive been doing this on and off since I was 16.
    I have it in my head that its a bad thing to do, but WHY is it so bad?

    read that again to yourself. read it a few times.

    if you still think what you're doing is ok, you have a problem.

    dieting is bad for you, actually. studies have shown people who constantly diet are unhealthier, more depressed, and more at risk of serious illness.

    bulimia (even if you think you have it under control) is worse. frequent vomiting plays hell with your body. all the things clara says and more. it's a very traumatic thing for your body to have to do. and every time you do it it fucks ups your body's chemicals. and despite what people think, bulimia is more dangerous than anorexia.

    an eating disorder is not a lifestyle choice, and don't even get me started on how fucked up those pro-ana/mia sites are. it's an illness.and however badly you might have it, you still have it.

    if you want to control your weight and not lose your health, you have to combine a healthy diet with a moderate amount of exercise. there's no other way. love your food? fine. exercise more.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Although you say you are fuine with your situation, you are still quiestioning it and seem confused by it. You have obviously read up around the subject, but seem to be looking for the arguments that suit you rather than looking at it from both sides. Try calling the EDA - they will help you talk through the confusion you are feeling:

    Eating Disorders Association
    Helpline: 0845 634 1414 (8.30am-8.30pm weekdays). Youth helpline (under 18s): 0845 634 7650 (4pm-6.30pm weekdays).
    www.edauk.com; info@edauk.com

    Also, check out TheSite's features on eating disorders here.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for your replies. Ive definitely got an eating disorder, but I dont think im really bulimic, I just have tendencies towards that.
    Im going to try and keep control of it, it was really doing my head in last night. I was on one of the ana/mia boards and although I identify a bit with them, im not as fucked up as that for sure. I think im just going to have to accept that im always going to have some sort of eating disorder. Occasionally it goes into remission, but at the back of my mind its always there. Its just too easy. I dont really want to talk to people close to me about it, as theyll only freak out and try and stop me doing it. id rather do that in my own time
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