[Ann7743]

Is this an eating disorder or am I overthinking it? X
never been satisfied with my weight, even though I was underweight-normal a kid and then normal weight in adolescence. I was teased for it a few times and thought about stopping eating, but never did.

However, *tw* I used to self harm. That stopped hurting after a while so I thought taking away food would be better. I stopped eating and began fasting or eating only a little. I lost weight in a month. I started becoming obsessed with my weight & food. It lasted about a month. A few months later, the same thing happened. And again a little bit later.

Now, it's happening again the past week or so. I'm just confused. I feel like it cant be categorized as an eating disorder since it's on/off. I'm always thinking of food and concerned about my weight, but when I'm not going through bouts of starving myself, I eat like normal. That can't be an eating disorder, right? Xx thank you in advance

[pegasus]

Well, yes I would say it is an eating disorder. Please see your doctor about this. Welcome to Psych Central.

I´m not like a doctor or anything, but this is how my eating disorder started ouy. With periods of "dieting" and relatively normal periods. Better to stop it before it goes completely out of control, you feel me?

[eskielover]

However, *tw* I used to self harm. That stopped hurting after a while so I thought taking away food would be better. I stopped eating and began fasting or eating only a little. I lost weight in a month. I started becoming obsessed with my weight & food. It lasted about a month. A few months later, the same thing happened. And again a little bit later.

If you really want to get better, you're ED is secondary to whatever caused you to self harm in the first place. So often ED treatment ignores the foundational cause that happened in the first place & just looks at the weight loss issues & the wanting to stop eating without getting to the REAL cause that started it in the first place.

I went through 6 weeks at an ED treatment center. Not once did they even try to touch on the why. The last time I realized that it was triggered by a trauma but all my GP & PDOC were pushing me to contact an ED treatnpment place. I called several & told them my anorexia I had been medically hospitalized for almost 2 months was triggered by a trauma & if they could help.....they said NO, we only work on issues where it is caused by body image issues. Duh, body image issues come up after the ED & the loss of weight almost becomes addictive.....but if I didn't resolve the REAL problem it would never be more than just putting a bandaid over a sore that was never going to heal on its own.

Work on the issue with your T that caused you to self-harm in the first place that evolved into this if you ever want to get better. Need someone to hold you accountable for eating on the side during this effort because it is critical but that will NOT be a long term solution

[Starving2death]

You're engaged in behavior that's leading to a full blown eating disorder.
You'll know if and when you reach that level of disturbance in your life.
You won't have control over the ability to stop. Even when you want to eat normally you can't. It's not something that's desirable. You end up with a broken body and a broken mind.

[Teddy Bear]

I would say eating disorder