[Broken Wings]

I have EDNOS with anorexic and bulimic tendencies--leaning more on the anorexia side these days. But I have an ana buddy who is a compulsive over-eater. She's my age and weighs a lot. She told me that she wants to be anorexic. But it isn't something that you catch, right? It's a disease. You've got it whether you want it or not. And believe me when I say I do not want it.

[disguise123]

I think people can be so obsessed that they will starve themselves, but its not to be confused with true anorexia????

hiya,

Anorexia is a disease and no you can't catch it but you can develop it. I didn't develop it how your friend is going about it but it's certainly possible...in my opinion. I developed it when I was seeking control in my life and found that I could control my food. Tell your friend to be careful, anorexia is the deadliest of all mental disorders. Once you develop it, it is hell to get rid of. Having already been a compulsive overeater she already has the eating disorder mindset and can and will easily develop anorexia if she is persistent. Try to talk to her about better ways to go about losing weight that will be lasting and will bring more satisfaction. Send her to websites like www.pale-reflections.com

Good luck,
Tara

[disguise123]

oh i guess im wrong. I used to engage in some bad behaviours with food but i never had a misconception with my true size. I thought that
There was a degree of not seeing your body for what it truely is involved??

[maggyjo]

Not real sure how to answer this.

I am EDNOS. and unlike many others I developed this in adulthood. It started out as not eating to help with anxiety, then I was not eating at all on days when I was out of the house or had appts. After a while I found a real calm and peace when I didn't eat and I was hooked. I can also throw myself into a manic phase with no food a little sugar and some caffeine.

So yes in a way I think you can become anorexic.

Maggy Jo

Originally Posted by rapidcycla

oh i guess im wrong. I used to engage in some bad behaviours with food but i never had a misconception with my true size. I thought that
There was a degree of not seeing your body for what it truely is involved??

With anorexia I have found that the mindset comes after the initial development of the disease. Some people can play around with their food and never develop anorexia. But those who do develop anorexia find their minds slowly slipping into self-hatred, fear of becoming "fat", and they develop body image issues amongst other things. It's also not long before depression sets in, all from my experience. So no you're not wrong. somebody can experiment without having the true anorexic tendencies but the longer one experiments the more likely they will be to fall into the anorexic tendencies. As for not seeing your body for what it truly is, you may be referring to body dysmorphic disorder. Look it up and see if you relate.

Love and hugs,
tara