What is one thing you wish your family knew/understood about anorexia that they don't?
I wish that myfamily knew that forcing me to eat will just make me hate myself even more...
Ik how u feel
Just about the same as much of this thread.
It's not a real choice. I shouldn't have to explain this every time we see each other. Not eating vs. eating is a false dichotomy....
@Vate - You are absolutely right - people who haven't been through it often struggle because it looks like choosing not to eat when it's really a disease that eats away at you. I'm sorry you're struggling to find people who can understand and support you the way you need - if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm around.
One good or bad day with my disorder does not mean that I'm recovered or relapsing. It's a cycle, and things are never the same.
@DancingAlong - Yes yes yes! Recovery is a process, not a straight line. I think the best thing I've seen about that is this image:
them yelling at me to eat isnt going to help. and neither is making my favorite meals, that makes it worse
@thehashslingingslasher - No, yelling at you definitely won't help. What do you think would help you? Is there something that they could do to make recovery a little bit easier?
That even though I don't look "anorexic" or "skinny" anymore and I am "weight restored" I still need to eat a lot of food and feel supported to eat enough
what it feels like. nobody seems to get it. im a little tired of people trying to find scapegoat excuses. like 'maybe you're deficient in iron,' or 'well, you can just use willpower to stop that.'
its not willpower.
it's not some vitamin deficiency, though that might contribute minimally.
it's an eating disorder, and it downright sucks.
i wish they knew how it felt.
i wish.
@jgirl1562 - you're right. It's none of those things, and those are just what people around you want to believe because they are all easier to fix than an eating disorder. But that doesn't mean that you can't recover from this - you absolutely can. You are strong enough to, you deserve to, and you can.
I wish they know that's it's harder to get over then they think, i wish they knew that i cant "just start eating again" its harder than that
@jackiered528 - Absolutely. I think it's hard when they see something that feels so small to them be something so big for you. I think often it can help to reframe it into terms they understand better- like explaining it as an addiction, or explaining how some small thing to them feels like you were asking them to eat _______ all in one setting (fill in with whatever feels most fitting). It can also help sometimes to have them talk to someone else who has had an eating disorder so that they can see that it's 'normal' for someone in recovery to feel a certain way and it isn't just you being stubborn or whatever else they feel it is.
If you ever need someone to talk to, or even just vent about it, my PMs are always open.
