Discussion: Eating Disorders and Body Image
Hey there, ED-Warriors!
Welcome to our Eating disorder support discussion on Eating disorders and Body Image. We're happy to have you join in and engage with all of us. Discussions help us gain perspective and understand how different people experience things differently, we want this to be an inclusive, engaging, and a supportive discussion for all of us.
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I will be posting a new question daily under this thread to give everyone a chance to respond and be apart of this great discussion! Hopefully we initiate a conversation together, whilst making sure we avoid being judgmental or argumentative. Everyone is welcome to comment on one another's responses (Just make sure you're polite and respectful!). Feel free to ask questions as the discussion is going on.
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and on that final note! Let the discussion... Begin!
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Questions 1 & 2 has now been posted to the thread
1 ✒ Let us begin with an Ice breaker! What item that you don't have already, would you most like to own?
2 ✒ On a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, how would you rate the way youre feeling right now? Can you explain why you feel this way right now?
Questions 3 & 4 has now been posted to the thread
3 ✒ What is an eating disorder according to your own understanding?
4 ✒ In your own words, can you define body image?
Questions 5 has now been posted to the thread
5 ✒ Now that we understand what an eating disorder and body image are, Can you think of ways in which an eating disorder can affect our body image?
Questions 6 has now been posted to the thread
6 ✒ People dealing with eating disorders often have negatives thoughts about their bodies. Do you have any negative thoughts about your body? If so, what are these thoughts? (if you are comfortable sharing)
Questions 7 has now been posted to the thread
7 ✒ Now that we have discussed the negative thoughts you may have in terms of body image, can you think of any positive reminders for yourself that may help you deal with these negative thoughts in long term?
Questions 8 has now been posted to the thread
8 ✒ What affect do you think society has on your body image? Do you think society helps you develop a positive or negative body image? Please give reasons to support your answer
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@Anomalia @Juniter @sujaypai @dancingrainbow45 @impartialplane @Leoneedsupport10 @Allycata @TheAsh @Laraland @ErwineRommel @brightLight35 @Lavenderlove96
@MimiBliss
1 ✒ Let us begin with an Ice breaker! What item that you don't have already, would you most like to own?
Well, I would probably like to own a guitar, and is a puppy considered an item too lol?
2 ✒ On a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, how would you rate the way youre feeling right now? Can you explain why you feel this way right now?
I feel like a 7.5 probably because I had a chocolate chip cookie, which made me happy.. but I messed up while doing something, which took away some of the points in the rating..
glad to be apart of this discussion though!
@Leoneedsupport10 way to go
@SisterHaleemaCounselor
Thanks! 
@Leoneedsupport10
I'm sorry to hear you messed up while doing something, I do hope it get's better for you! :D But a 7.5 sounds greater than what you rated yourself a while back, and of course puppies count haha!
Eating disorders and Body Image
Thank you all for prticipating in the first two questions! Let's continue with the discussion by bringing in questions 3 and 4.
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@Anomalia @Juniter @sujaypai @dancingrainbow45 @impartialplane @Leoneedsupport10 @Allycata @TheAsh @Laraland @ErwineRommel @brightLight35 @Lavenderlove96
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3 ✒ What is an eating disorder according to your own understanding?
4 ✒ In your own words, can you define body image?
@MimiBliss To me an eating disorder is when someone has emotional distress which can be reflected in the way in which they relate to or use food. Food can become a form of control for some who feel they have no control in other parts of their life, When emotionally distressed, food can be used as a comfort, or something that is neglected. Eating disorders can be seen as a way of coping with emotional distress, or as a symptom of underlying issues. Having an eating disorder can be destructive, both physically and emotionally, and people can get trapped into the destructive cycle of the eating disorder without realising the eating disorder has control over them, the sufferer believing they have control over the disordered eating. An eating disorder is not just about food and weight, but also about a persons sense of who they are.
@dancingRainbow45
Heya there, Dancing!
Thank you so much for taking the time to join in the discussion.
I can't agree more with what you said there, it's usually a way to deal with emotional distress, or a way to gain control over our lives when things become overwhelming, or when we feel like things are happening without our consent or awareness, you're on a roll with mentioning a lot of the main points! exactly food can be used as a form of comfort for some which brings up the point on EDs being used as an unhealthy coping strategy. You're perfectly right about it being a destructive cycle that starts causing damage emotionally, physically and might I add spiritually.
I hope we see you partaking in the soon to be added questions! ^_^
@MimiBliss thanks and would love too <3
@dancingRainbow45
I love how you captured and defined an eating disorder in it's general terms by being inclusive of all it's components of being a coping strategy, something one seeks comfort from, something someone seeks control from, it being a destructive and on-going cycle, it emerging out of emotional distress and having a physical and emotional toll as it persists! Thanks for putting it super well.
Hi ED Warriors! ((hands out ice cream pails full of strength!)) ((or ice cream for those who were excited I said that))
1 ✒ Let us begin with an Ice breaker! What item that you don't have already, would you most like to own?
I agree with the person who said a puppy ... I would like to "own?" a husband :) Or to have a really good male friend who will one day become my husband. But this is not an item.
Ooooooh, I'd really like to have a library - with shelves floor to ceiling, great big windows, lovely comfy chairs for reading. I imagine it would be a bit like the one the Beast gives to Belle (in Disney's animated version). Yes, please for Platy - a library!
2 ✒ On a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, how would you rate the way youre feeling right now? Can you explain why you feel this way right now?
Oh, well I'd say probably about 4 or 3.5 - that would be feelings and emotions combined with time of day (aka almost supper time) and amount of food I've had today (not enough). I'm really good at drinking lots of water - so I hope I'm at least staying hydrated. It's a hot day outside today and this weekend's temps are forecast to be even hotter!
@cyanPlatypus6370
Heya, Cyan! I'm glad to see you in the ED discussion!
Haha! Well I hope you own? a husband, a puppy and a library! Those sound like an interesting combination, so sending my best wishes for attaining those! Make sure you invite the cup's family for the inauguration of Cyan's library, seems like you're already celebrating with the ice cream you brought for us. -Takes all the ice cream- -Puts it in the fridge- -Hopes everyone forgets about it so I can eat it all myself later-
Ah, I'm sorry to hear you aren't feeling the best right now.. I hope that number jumps up as the day progresses. Yes, Staying hydrated is a great thing to keep track of! Summer is here, so it's going to get quite hot over the coming months, but that ice cream you got will do us well.
If you'd like, feel free to check out the questions I posted a little while back (Questions 3 & 4) give it a shot if you wish to do so! Thanks for being apart of the discussion.
@MimiBliss ... All those, please change to "Platy" but yes. I haven't forgotten. I saw questions 3 and 4 posted just a minute or so (I think) before mine (1 & 2). And yes, @ all of ED community, I prefer to be called Platy or Platypus is okay too. "Cyan" is merely a color/descriptive word. Thank you!
@cyanPlatypus6370
Oh, of course! ^_^ Thanks for letting me know what you prefer to be called, Platy. I don't think I can edit them myself and change it, but from now on I'll make sure to call you Platy!
@MimiBliss
3 ✒ What is an eating disorder according to your own understanding?
well, in medical terms it's a psychological disorder which can range from restrictive eating behaviors to binge eating, it's associated with obsession over what one consumes, any abnormal or disrupted eating habit that can pose great threat on ones well being, physically and mentally.. it can also be a coping strategy that people may develop..
4 ✒ In your own words, can you define body image?
Body image is the way one perceives their physical appearance to be like. It's how someone feels in their own body, You can have a negative body image which is a distorted perception of your shape--you perceive parts of your body unlike they really are. Or you could have a positive body image which is a clear, true perception of your shape--you see the various parts of your body as they really are. credits:- [x] <- I took some help from that source.
@Leoneedsupport10
Hey, Leo!
I love you how perfectly defined the meaning of an Eating disorder in formal medical terms, you're correct, it is a psychological disorder that has a huge range of different specific EDs such as Anorexia, Bulimia, BED, SED, ENDOS, PICA etc.
Thank you for sharing the source with us! That's a well formulated definition of Body Image, and I couldn't agree more, it's separated into two, positive and negative body image, also known as a "distorted" or "True" perception.
Eating disorders and Body Image
Everyone's way of defining Eating disorders and Body Image goes to show we're all quite familiar with both terminologies, so let's continue with the discussion by bringing in questions 5.
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@Anomalia @Juniter @sujaypai @dancingrainbow45 @impartialplane @Leoneedsupport10 @Allycata @TheAsh @Laraland @ErwineRommel @brightLight35 @Lavenderlove96 @cyanPlatypus6370
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5 ✒ Now that we understand what an eating disorder and body image are, Can you think of ways in which an eating disorder can affect our body image?
@MimiBliss
5 ✒ Now that we understand what an eating disorder and body image are, Can you think of ways in which an eating disorder can affect our body image?
Well, body image and eating disorders sort of go hand in hand. Often, individuals who aren't satisfied with their physical image (Negative body image) are driven to develop serious eating disorders because they make an association between weight loss and improvement of physical image, they sense more control over their weight than lets say distinct features such as face etc. Also, someone who struggles with an eating disorder, may have a distorted body image, they may even envy a friends body, or just as commonly: the body of a celebrity or someone else in the media because they aren't satisfied with their own image, this can result in worsening ones eating disorder, because there are self-sabotaging thoughts and obsessive self-scrutiny involved.
@Leoneedsupport10
Hey there, Leo!
I agree with you, they do go hand in hand! One causing an affect on the other. I couldn't agree more, Negative body images can be the driving force towards developing an Eating disorder. Why do you think people associate "Weight loss" with an "Improvement of physical image"?
It makes sense why someone with an Eating disorder may have a distorted perception of themselves. And you brought such an interesting point into the picture by saying how someone who struggles with such an negative body image may begin to envy others out of it, and that strong feelings of envying someone else's figure can be the force to encourage obsessive desires to lose weight "quickly"... don't you think?
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Leo!
@MimiBliss
1- I would like one of those items that you put on when exercising that makes you burn fat faster.
2- I'm probably a 5 right now. Not feeling too bad. I feel this way because I am listening to music, which heals all my wounds.
3- There are many different eating disorder. But a simple explaination would be that an eating disorder is a disorder that is made by abnormal or disturbed eating habits.
4- Body image is the way you and society feel about your body. I hate my body.
5- An eating disorder usually makes you feel worse about your body, with the hopes of making you feel better.
Sorry if these are wrong.
@CityOak123
Heya, Oak.
I'm glad you decided to join in the discussion!
I'm not familiar with the item you want, but it sounds like it's some sports accessory to assist in weight loss. Sounds neat!
I'm glad to hear you aren't doing too bad, oh yes! music is just beautiful, I'm glad it helps you heal! I like your simple, straight to the point definition! Thank you dor sharing them. I'm sorry to hear you hate your body, why do you think you hate it?.. and of course, you're perfectly correct when you say Eating disorders can worsen your body image, and vice versa.
Hoping to see you partake in the upcoming questions!
@MimiBliss
Oh, and I forgot to mention, no ones answer can be wrong! all the answers are subjective to ones experiences and knowledge.. so thanks for sharing your views to it.
Eating disorders and Body Image - Half way point!
So, in question 5 we explored the relationship between Eating disorders and Body Image, and how they go hand in hand, how a negative body image can be the driving force to developing an Eating disorder to cope through it, and how an Eating disorder can worsen the way we perceive ourselves. Now, let's move on to the next question. If you would like to respond to previous questions first, feel free to do so!
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@Anomalia @Juniter @sujaypai @dancingrainbow45 @impartialplane @Leoneedsupport10 @Allycata @TheAsh @Laraland @ErwineRommel @brightLight35 @Lavenderlove96 @cyanPlatypus6370
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6 ✒ People dealing with eating disorders often have negatives thoughts about their bodies. Do you have any negative thoughts about your body? If so, what are these thoughts? (if you are comfortable sharing)
@MimiBliss
6 ✒ People dealing with eating disorders often have negatives thoughts about their bodies. Do you have any negative thoughts about your body? If so, what are these thoughts? (if you are comfortable sharing)
hmm.. I hate my body so much, I know I have a distorted image of myself because of those ED voices, I hate everything, from head to toe.. my thoughts tell me how bloated my face looks, how my thighs touch each other, how I can't see my jaw lines and rib cage anymore.. it's just so hard to deal with all those thoughts. I can't stand looking at myself in the mirror, it's just so hard to accept your body and love yourself. I feel so trapped in this body. I'm uncomfortable putting this out there, but I want to be able to get a point in my life where I come looking back, looking at how my thoughts had consumed me.. I'm determined to recover from these self-sabotaging, self-destructive thoughts. 
1) I'd like to have a art table because arts&craft's make me happy.
2) Body image to me is how I view my body, but the way my body looks affects my percwption of myself. To me my body isn't good enough and that hurts.
3) An eating disorder is having thus dark cloud telling me that if I was thinner and I lost the weight people would like me. It tells me that I deserve to punish myself.
I forgot questions 4&5
@Lavenderlove96
Hey there, Lavender
I do hope you get an art table, since it makes you happy! I love arts myself, it's a great way to express any hidden emotions sometimes, word aren't always enough I guess.
That's a great way to define body image. I'm sorry to hear your body isn't good enough for you, and that thought hurts you.. do you think looking at what you love or like about your body would help you gain more confidence in it?
It's interesting to see how an eating disorder associates "A thin image" with "People liking you" ... do you think that's quite deceiving and false? and you're right, that self-destructive ED voice likes to tell us that we deserve to be punished, but in reality no one does deserve such a thing. don't you think so?
@MimiBliss I feel like if I do look at certian parts of my body and honor them I would be a bit more confident. I've been doing this for the past few days. There are times when I love my thighs and I like my tummy. Those days are some of my best days- where I can just honor my body even if it doesn't fits societys bs stadard of what a healthy and beautiful body is supossed to look like. I know that being thin doesn't equate to succsess, happiness or love. It's hard to belive this when people have critizied my body constantly.
1 ✒ Let us begin with an Ice breaker! What item that you don't have already, would you most like to own?
i would like to have a functional house and a swimming pool.
2 ✒ On a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, how would you rate the way youre feeling right now? Can you explain why you feel this way right now?
I had an awkward fight with my husband, i would like to disappear and i feel like eating a full jar of Nutella. thank god i m too lazy to go downstairs to get it.
@pluckyGlobe2538
Hey there, happy to see you partaking in the discussion!
Those are some great desires! I do hope you receive them at one point in your life.
I'm sorry to hear you had a fight with your husband, sounds like the awkwardness was difficult to handle. I do hope you're doing better now though!
