eating disorder question for recovered/purgers

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karmac0matic
karmac0matic Posts: 285
in Motivation and Support
for those of you who have purging issues, how do you make yourself stop? what do you do to stop yourself from eating things you know you'll want to purge? when you feel like purging, what do you do instead to keep it from happening? what about if you don't binge? i never binge but always feel like i need to purge whenever i eat anything.

i really need some help with this from people who understand it. i've been purging like crazy lately (twice today, 9 times yesterday... and every day before that) my disorder has gotten to its lowest point in my life, and that's saying a lot since i've had different eating disorders since i was 11.

thanks in advance!

Replies

  • Robyn7762
    Robyn7762 Posts: 159 Member
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    Honey Please go see a doctor and get help! You are young and beautiful and you need to accept this and look at yourself as a beautiful person. Those models and T.V. stars with those so perfect bodies are not all that they seem. You live in the "Real World" and at 20 yrs. old and 116 lbs. you are beautiful.

    You need to feel comfortable in YOUR BODY, and accept yourself as a young beautiful women and not try to be "MODEL PERFECT". Your little tummy is SEXY! YOUR BODY is BEAUTIFUL!

    Please quit listening to your friends telling you that you are FAT! You are not FAT! You are THIN and 100 lbs. is not healthy!

    Again please go talk to a professional before it is too late. You already admit that you have a problem, that is the first step.

    Now go look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself...."I am beautiful, I look good at the weight I'm at!" and go enjoy your life. Quit purging your food. It is too expensive to eat and than throw it back up 10 minutes later! You are still young and you have a long life ahead of you, but not if you don't get help!
  • donyellemoniquex3
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
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    Get professional help.
  • bri503
    bri503 Posts: 8 Member
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    I struggled through this sort of thing on my own without any professional help, and it would have made life so much easier to speak with somebody familiar with treating these conditions. Now I'm in med school, and I can tell you that there are some serious complications that can happen when you do this (life threatening electrolyte imbalances or mallory-weiss tears, for example).

    Call this number now, they'll help you out: 1-800-931-2237
  • Adefowler
    Adefowler Posts: 61 Member
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    It took me about 2 years of help at a clinic for eating disorders. And it's a struggle everyday still. You need to get professional help. Call the number bbak22 has. It's not something you can do on your own. Because group therapy is part of the recovery, there were many people who tried it on their own and wound up with a different addition like alcohol or drugs. Because the problem isn't the food...it's something deep, emotional and so scary that we try to stuff it down with food and then bring it back up when the contamination feeling starts.

    Please, please get help. If you need a buddy, you can def friend me.
  • dontdreamit
    dontdreamit Posts: 223
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    I really wish I could help, but unfortunately I haven't recovered from my purging yet :( I just wanted to say well don't for reaching out and feel free to add me if you'd like support from someone going through something similar.
  • karmac0matic
    karmac0matic Posts: 285
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    It took me about 2 years of help at a clinic for eating disorders. And it's a struggle everyday still. You need to get professional help. Call the number bbak22 has. It's not something you can do on your own. Because group therapy is part of the recovery, there were many people who tried it on their own and wound up with a different addition like alcohol or drugs. Because the problem isn't the food...it's something deep, emotional and so scary that we try to stuff it down with food and then bring it back up when the contamination feeling starts.

    Please, please get help. If you need a buddy, you can def friend me.

    I've actually dealt with drug addiction as well, I used to take dextromethorphan gel caps every day for over a year and ended up weighing 93 pounds towards the worst part of my addiction. then I started with heroin, oxycontin, and anything else i could get my hands on.

    dontdreamit... I'm sorry you're dealing with this as well. I know how hard it is.


    for everyone: i already am seeing a therapist. she's not specifically working eating disorders or hasn't had any training with it, but she is helping with other certain issues i am dealing with so thank you for the number and stuff but i like my personal therapist to help .
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    You stop when you decide that being alive is more important than your weight.
    And when you start realising that no-one can control everything in their lives.
    The only end to continuing this way is death. Simple as.
    You might think it will not happen to you, when you purge the next time, but it is always a very real possibility.
    At least get some electrolyte replacement drinks to have when you purge a lot, to replace the salts you are depleting.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/find-help-support
  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
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    Distractions. Find a new hobby. Keep yourself busy - but not with exercise, as that often triggers relapse.

    Try drawing, or painting, or writing.

    Speak to your therapist. S/he may be able to give you some ideas. Generally speaking, hobbies are godsends for people recovering from eating disorders. I swear by yoga.

    Yes, I have been through an eating disorder. I don't speak of it much, though.

    And that answer about realizing that being alive is more important...

    I realize the person was trying to help. But no. Mental illness does not work that way. Those of us with eating disorder history know, logically, that being alive is more important. That does not mean we can automatically stop. It is a legitimate mental illness, and requires more than realizing how important being alive is.The most important thing is getting help in the road to recovery from a trained team of professionals.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Distractions. Find a new hobby. Keep yourself busy - but not with exercise, as that often triggers relapse.

    Try drawing, or painting, or writing.

    Speak to your therapist. S/he may be able to give you some ideas. Generally speaking, hobbies are godsends for people recovering from eating disorders. I swear by yoga.

    Yes, I have been through an eating disorder. I don't speak of it much, though.

    And that answer about realizing that being alive is more important...

    I realize the person was trying to help. But no. Mental illness does not work that way. Those of us with eating disorder history know, logically, that being alive is more important. That does not mean we can automatically stop. It is a legitimate mental illness, and requires more than realizing how important being alive is.The most important thing is getting help in the road to recovery from a trained team of professionals.

    Are you referring to Graelwyn? If so, maybe you shouldn't assume that everyone that gives advice doesn't have experience with eating disorders. Just saying. She's well known on these boards as a fighter and a success story in regards to recovering from it.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Distractions. Find a new hobby. Keep yourself busy - but not with exercise, as that often triggers relapse.

    Try drawing, or painting, or writing.

    Speak to your therapist. S/he may be able to give you some ideas. Generally speaking, hobbies are godsends for people recovering from eating disorders. I swear by yoga.

    Yes, I have been through an eating disorder. I don't speak of it much, though.

    And that answer about realizing that being alive is more important...

    I realize the person was trying to help. But no. Mental illness does not work that way. Those of us with eating disorder history know, logically, that being alive is more important. That does not mean we can automatically stop. It is a legitimate mental illness, and requires more than realizing how important being alive is.The most important thing is getting help in the road to recovery from a trained team of professionals.

    Lol, I was 5'11 and 70 Ibs when I was 18 and have a decades long history of anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and severe depression as well as OCD. The former almost killed me quite a few times. I think I know quite well how mental illness works.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Options
    Distractions. Find a new hobby. Keep yourself busy - but not with exercise, as that often triggers relapse.

    Try drawing, or painting, or writing.

    Speak to your therapist. S/he may be able to give you some ideas. Generally speaking, hobbies are godsends for people recovering from eating disorders. I swear by yoga.

    Yes, I have been through an eating disorder. I don't speak of it much, though.

    And that answer about realizing that being alive is more important...

    I realize the person was trying to help. But no. Mental illness does not work that way. Those of us with eating disorder history know, logically, that being alive is more important. That does not mean we can automatically stop. It is a legitimate mental illness, and requires more than realizing how important being alive is.The most important thing is getting help in the road to recovery from a trained team of professionals.

    Are you referring to Graelwyn? If so, maybe you shouldn't assume that everyone that gives advice doesn't have experience with eating disorders. Just saying. She's well known on these boards as a fighter and a success story in regards to recovering from it.

    Thankyou :flowerforyou:
  • kuolo
    kuolo Posts: 251 Member
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    Glad you're seeing a therapist, really sorry to hear you're struggling.

    I was severely bulimic for several years when I was younger and have had a couple of relapses since, but 99% of the time I don't struggle with it anymore - so just to let you know that things can/do get better.

    What helped? It's awful, but telling someone - friend, family, partner - so they can basically keep an eye on you after eating. It can be pretty stressful but if you're really working on it too, knowing they're watching can be a deterrent. Writing a list of the bad things about it, reasons not to, the dangers - and thinking of it or looking at it when I want to purge. Going out or somewhere it's not easy to do it and finding some distraction. Eating something it's really hard to purge that I know will discourage me. Rather than fighting the urge, try to ignore it, if that makes any sense - distract yourself rather than obsess about it. Phone someone, write your feelings down. Try different things and see what works for you. It's not easy and you have to really fight but it does get easier every time you fight it successfully. Never give up! Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • cmoncmonshake
    cmoncmonshake Posts: 24 Member
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    Seeing a therapist (as you do) helped me a lot - but the most help I got with recovering was doing things that made me happy with myself - hobbies and/or being around close friends, etc. Whenever I used to feel the need to purge, I would call my best friend and she would talk me through what I was feeling.

    I never legitimately walked away from it, really set on recovery, until I started bleeding from purging so often (mallory-weiss tear). Thankfully, the bleeding stopped on its own and was not active, but to this day, even when I'm actually sick with a virus, I become terrified beyond imagination at needing to throw up. Sometimes it takes this sort of wake up call for you to look at yourself and think truly about who you want to be and how you want to treat yourself.

    You are worth it. You will always be worth it. You're strong enough to walk away. This is, unfortunately, the only advice I really have for you. But I promise, the road to recovery (for me) has always felt better than heading backwards.
  • xMyOnlyStrengthx
    xMyOnlyStrengthx Posts: 5
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    Distractions! As soon as you feel the overwhelming need to purge, get yourself out of your house as fast as you can and go for a walk. It takes some serious will power to do it, and I'm not gonna lie and say it's easy, but I will promise you it'll be worth it in the long run!

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