[NoraDysphoria]

I do not feel like I have lost control.
I am able to eat some food during the day.
But I am not eating nearly enough to maintain my weight.

I need advice on how to treat my eating disorder
with self-help techniques and how to make
myself able to eat enough each day.

I do not want to.
I would much rather just eat when I'm hungry,
and I don't get hungry most days.
But the people in my life are concerned for me.
So, for them, please give me any piece of advice that may help.

Thank you for reading.

[kaliope]

hi nora
you may be past the point of being able to eat normally without getting professional help. are you able to consult with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders to assist you? I cant offer sound advice. I can tell you my sisters story if you want to hear it. just private or visitor message me and I will be happy to share it with you. it is about what happens when an eating disorder gets out of control. I will forward this post to one of our liaisons who has experience in this area. welcome to psych central.

[eskielover]

I need advice on how to treat my eating disorder
with self-help techniques and how to make
myself able to eat enough each day.

I do not want to.
I would much rather just eat when I'm hungry,
and I don't get hungry most days.

First off....no one can do it for you....& if "you don't want to"
no one can make you except for yourself.....& honestly, that is what it comes down to.

The not feeling hungry is normal after restricting....the body no longer knows how to tell itself that it's hungry......I am sure there is some chemical reasoning for that but it basically makes it impossible for the body to tell you when....& you have to force yourself to eat even when your body isn't telling you that it's hungry.....just one of the negatives of restricting that ONE HAS TO LIVE WITH. So no matter how you wish that you could just eat when your body tells you to....you have made it impossible for your body to do that.....so now you must think for your body & treat be it's hunger sensor (small amounts every few hours)....it can be non-fattening, healthy foods.....but it's something that YOU HAVE TO DO FOR YOUR BODY as you can't rely on your body to tell you because it becomes impossible for it to react that way.

In reality.....we are the only ones who can make ourselves eat again & no matter how much you would like to depend on someone to give you the magic word or the magic answer or way.....the bottom line is that YOU HAVE TO WANT to stop the behavior bad enough that you are willing to make the forced changes yourself......which is why, most of the time it does take an eating treatment center to force the behavior because in all honesty, it's not something that humans can just easily do & needs the accountability of others & the demands of others to make the change...but even that usually doesn't work the first time because when we don't want it to work, even treatment centers can't put the desire into the person.....that has to come from within......"finally had enough" "don't want to really die". In other words....self-help is usually NOT a solution for anorexia or any other eating disorder.

[waggiedog]

Hello dear Nora and I really hope I'm not too late in responding to your post hunny. I'm not sure where to start but I'm wondering how long this has been a problem for you, or maybe to the point, for other loved ones round you. Are you delebrately trying to eat as little as possible? Are you terrified of putting on any weight? Do you think you are underweight according to what you look like and lastly, is weight and food (and not eating) on your mind almost 24/7? If any of these, or all of these ring true with you, then it's highly possible you are in the throws of an ''eating disorder''. I think as your loved one's are concerned, you probably are looking somewhat frail and even though I'm not a professional medical person, I have had and do have eating disorders. I can answer a resounding YES to all of those questions. Can you get some help from a medical person, such as your GP, as he/she can refer you to a Psych Dr. DON'T be concerned about seeing a Psych Dr, it's the way forward for you if you do have an ED. You're NOT alone in all of this, there are indeed plenty of us living with ED's BUT, mark my words because ED's can kill and theyt do that by making you believe that YOU'RE in CONTROL ~ ~ when really it's the ED that's in total dangerous control. Please do come back and let us know how you are getting on. HUGS and LOVES, as ever.

[NoraDysphoria]

I'm not underweight. I partake in cycling and walking which burns off some calories. I do constantly think about how much I should be eating and how much I weigh. I have been terrified of putting on weight my whole life. I have been bulimic before but never went below a certain weight. However, in my boyfriend's opinion, I am too skinny for him. I am already seeing a psychiatrist for borderline personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (most of my eating habits are based on ocd rituals), depression, anxiety and ptsd symptoms. I have since made an appointment with a therapist as well, because my psychiatrist often doesn't have time for long or frequent sessions.