"eating disorder" thrown around loosely

To my friends, because I wont go out for agreesy cheeseburger, I have an eating disorder. To my family, because I take a few minutes a day to log my food, this is taking too much from our schedule. People are crazy sometimes. I do not have an eating disorder.im making conscious choices to make myself healthier for my kiddos, and for myself. Its sad.it stinks havingno dupport. But anywY, I agree. People overuse the term

Eating disorder and disordered eating are two different things. I've seen more with disordered eating here than actual disorders. Usually orthorexia, often overeating.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disordered_eating

People often use "eating disorder" instead of "disordered eating". They're two different things. And I think it's fair to call out disordered eating when you see someone doing it, since it can turn into something worse.

I agree with this.

People often use "eating disorder" instead of "disordered eating". They're two different things. And I think it's fair to call out disordered eating when you see someone doing it, since it can turn into something worse.

I agree with this.

+2

I have an eating disorder...I am addicted to eating well.

That's an actual eating disorder. It's called Orthorexia.. It hasn't been added to the DSM, but it is highly recognized in the eating disorder community.

"Orthorexia is a proposed eating disorder or mental disorder characterized by an extreme or excessive preoccupation with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthful"

I hope you are okay!!

...and here we are. The guy (or girl) says he likes to eat well. You make it into Orthorexia.


Over-reacting, much?

I think you fail to realize the nature of this site, which can and does attract many people with unhealthy relationships towards food. Being overweight is unhealthy, but so is being underweight. Couple that with fear of eating (which is a fine way to destroy yourself) and with the obsessive nature that counting calories can bring, and YES, we do wind up with many folks here who struggle with undereating disorders.

In no way, shape, or form should the other extreme of what many of us are trying to do (lose weight) be celebrated or encouraged. We are here to develop healthy relationships with our bodies. Fearing food and our bodies is not the way to do this. So when we see it, we call it out and suggest help.

You do those who are ill, who are teetering on extremely dangerous behaviors, a disservice by saying what you've said.

^^^ this

being afraid to eat because you're afraid of gaining weight is a symptom of an eating disorder, and it's often one of the things that people have before they go on to develop a full blown eating disorder. It is very much a red flag.

if the OP didn't actually mean that she was afraid to eat in case she gained weight, then maybe she should have said what she did mean. because people generally take what you type on the internet at face value. And if you ask a question on the internet but don't word it well and get answers that you didn't want, you can just ignore them. No-one's compelled to follow any advice given on the internet. If it's wrong, or not appropriate, then just ignore it.

I have an eating disorder...I am addicted to eating well.

That's an actual eating disorder. It's called Orthorexia.. It hasn't been added to the DSM, but it is highly recognized in the eating disorder community.

"Orthorexia is a proposed eating disorder or mental disorder characterized by an extreme or excessive preoccupation with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthful"

I hope you are okay!!

...and here we are. The guy (or girl) says he likes to eat well. You make it into Orthorexia.


Over-reacting, much?

The above person wasn't told they had orthorexia. It was pointed out that the disorder exists. That's not the same thing.

I do think some people over use the term orthorexia. Different people have different eating habits and preferences. That does not make it a disorder. It is a disorder if it is disruptive to the person's life or loved ones (in a real way, not just that they are annoyed the person won't eat donuts and pop tarts), or if it is having a negative impact on the person's physical, nutritional, or mental/emotional, or social health. But, just because some random person on the internet doesn't like that person, it doesn't mean they have an eating disorder. I also think being paranoid of imagined disorder is a problem as well, and should not be encouraged. I think there is an issue of control. Some people want to control what other people eat (whether they want everyone to eat by their definition of healthy or they want everyone to eat a specific food item that they enjoy such as poptarts for example). I also think there is a lot of projection on here at times. People see what they dislike in other people, but keep the drama going from their own responses to it (maybe they do that for fun). Perhaps we all do this at times, maybe it's part of human nature (or human boredom or how people deal with avoiding their own issues, maybe more than one reason). Sorry, just kind of needed to get that off my chest. Btw, no one has ever or would ever call me orthorexic, so this is not a personal reaction to anything, just from what I read in the forums. I'm not personally upset with anyone. This is not a serious issue for me, just an observation. Perhaps I missed something, as would be likely on internet forums. This is not a response to anything or person specifically or any recent event. And this doesn't only happen with eating disorders. People will also throw around other mental disorder terms. There is probably a lack of education on what the real definition of many mental disorders are.

I do think some people over use the term orthorexia. Different people have different eating habits and preferences. That does not make it a disorder. It is a disorder if it is disruptive to the person's life or loved ones (in a real way, not just that they are annoyed the person won't eat donuts and pop tarts), or if it is having a negative impact on the person's physical, nutritional, or mental/emotional, or social health. But, just because some random person on the internet doesn't like that person, it doesn't mean they have an eating disorder. I also think being paranoid of imagined disorder is a problem as well, and should not be encouraged. I think there is an issue of control. Some people want to control what other people eat (whether they want everyone to eat by their definition of healthy or they want everyone to eat a specific food item that they enjoy such as poptarts for example). I also think there is a lot of projection on here at times. People see what they dislike in other people, but keep the drama going from their own responses to it (maybe they do that for fun). Perhaps we all do this at times, maybe it's part of human nature (or human boredom or how people deal with avoiding their own issues, maybe more than one reason). Sorry, just kind of needed to get that off my chest. Btw, no one has ever or would ever call me orthorexic, so this is not a personal reaction to anything, just from what I read in the forums. I'm not personally upset with anyone. This is not a serious issue for me, just an observation. Perhaps I missed something, as would be likely on internet forums. This is not a response to anything or person specifically or any recent event. And this doesn't only happen with eating disorders. People will also throw around other mental disorder terms. There is probably a lack of education on what the real definition of many mental disorders are.

Very well said. Couldn't have said it better.

Anorexia will kill you faster than being fat will, in general. So when someone comes here at already an unhealthy low weight and talks about eating less than 1200 calories a day, yes, it is cause for alarm. Not everyone comes here because they were fat, many come here because they *think* they are fat when in reality, they are not.

I apologize for not being more clear. I am talking about only people who are overweight and doing what they have to do to lose the weight. I know there are some that come here to maintain fitness or even gain weight, but the majority are people like myself who have or had a considerable amount of weight they needed to or do need to be lose to improve health.

Just because they're overweight doesn't mean they have to eat less than 1000 calories... nor does it mean it's healthy to do so. You're advocating for eating disorders... it's not right. It's not right whether a person is 100 pounds or 300 pounds.