Introduce yourself to the 7 Cups Eating Disorder Community!
Hi Im Emma and Im really struggling, especially this week. I feel so stuck and awful and I have no diagnosis because I have refused to go to a doctor because I am terrified. Im always tired and usually dizzy. I promised myself and my best friend that I would go and get help if I felt I needed it but I dont know if I do. And also I just want to continue to lose weight but I also am so scared I feel so confused. Any help would be lovely.
@Emma234512 good job on reaching out here. Asking for help can be terrifying but you took the first step already. Is there anyone in your life Who you trust enough to talk to about what's going on? A family member, school counselor or even a friend? Everyone is here to support you through the process of asking for help.
@Notquiteanonymous I mean I could technically ask my parents but they are the ones who see me eat most often so I doubt they would take me seriously. I feel like if I lost a little more weight I could then go for help but I dont know
I'm 24, female, diagnosed with bulimia. I was diagnosed a few years ago when I was hospitalized twice in one year. I'm in a fairly good place compared to where I was a few years ago. I do still struggle. I've had an unhealthy relationship with food for as long as I can remember. I'm new to 7 cups. I am interested in providing and receiving support within a trusted community.
@Eccentricsome1 welcome. Glad that you are here and please let us know if you need anything.
Hello I am warm hearted globe and I am 13 I suffer from an eating disorder called binge eating disorder and I have been fighting it for years but I know one day I will be better.
@warmheartedGlobe8527 - Welcome! I'm glad you're reaching out here, and you are 100% right that you can get through this and recover! If you ever want to talk, you can always feel free to PM me or any other listener here - we would love to support you through your recovery.
Stay strong, warrior!
I'm 23. I feel ashamed of my eating disorder because I know my habits are wrong in a lot of ways but I also feel uglier or gross if I don't do them. I feel more like a failure because I struggle with my weight and body. I have a hormone disorder, and it's so hard to lose weight. I just can't stop getting upset over it.
@breeisokay - I'm sorry that things have been so hard for you lately, but please know that you are not alone in this. It is hard, and it does feel shameful at times, but that's a reflection on the disorder, not on you. If you want help working towards recovery, you can PM me anytime. Remember, you are brave than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Stay strong, lovely!
Good morning... I'm new here and new to acknowledging my eating disorder. It's only been going on for a short while but it's really hard to overcome.. I really need advice
@Raebear016 - Welcome! Opening up is the first step towards getting over this, and I'm proud of you for making that step. And talking to people about where you're at and what things you can try is a great move. On 7 Cups, we cna't give advice, but we can help talk through options, support you, etc. If you ever need to talk, feel free to PM me.
Im 20, and have struggled with eating for the past 4 years, following severe bullying. I developed Bulimia July2015 and began to recover in January 2016, but Im relapsing again mid February 2016. I'm using 7cups to help me cope with my eating disorder and college stress. Self harm used to be one of the ways I coped, but having been in recovery from that for almost 2 years, bulimia seems to have replaced that. I still get urges to SH from time to time, and this usually conisdes when Im heavily caught up with my eating disorder. Its just another way for me to try to cope.
@Hummingbird95 - I think it's pretty common to see one unhealthy coping mechanism replace another, but you can get out of that cycle. What are some healthier coping mechanisms that could help you work through the same emotions that drove you to self-harm and now to your eating disorder?
hello, my name is isabella. im new to 7cups. i struggle with anorexia. ive recently tried to get better (from [edited by Anomalia for weight specifics / triggers]) but i can feel myself drifting off into that direction again. i hope i have some hope to get over this once and for all
@isxox - Eating disorders are hard and painful to recovery from, and sometimes it takes a few tries, but that doesn't mean there isn't hope. There 100% is. The lessons you have learned from starting to heal this time around are the same ones that will help you fight off this slip and will keep you on track with recovery. You can beat this, and we are here to support you in any way we can.
Hello y'all. My name is Jessica. I'm 24 and I've struggled with an eating disorder since 2010.
Its si incredible nice to have others who understand what you and your mind are going though.
I'm a true believer in having such great support around. Makes a simple day an easy breeze. That's what we all need.
I'm here if anyone needs to talk to for me to listen!
@Jessicaml237 - Welcome to the community! I definitely agree that having good support around you makes such an incredible difference in recovery. If you ever feel like you need some extra support, don't hesitate to reach out to me! Take care, lovely, and stay strong in your recovery!
Hi, I've been struggling with an eating disorder for quite some time. I am only 19 but I've been struggling since I was around eight or nine, which is crazy. It's just that I don't quite believe my therapist, who is actually an ED specialist and one of the top ones in my area, when she says that I have severe disordered eating. I don't view it as a problem because I do not see the signs an average person would notice. Everyone keeps congratulating me out the weight I've lost but I keep feeling as though it is just not enough. My parents don't believe my therapist. I don't believe her either since it's not affecting anything but I know from past experience that it can and it will. How do I convince myself I need to eat right? And convince myself food isn't scary, it isn't the enemy, and that it's okay to eat? Sorry this was so long. I've been keeping this locked up for years.
@Tellmethethings - I think a couple of things can be really helpful in convincing yourself.
First of all, try to stop looking at it as 'am I the sickest person' and instead look at it as 'would my life be better if I didn't spend so much time focused on what I am and am not eating?'
Second, start making some lists. The first one is all of the things that you can't or don't do now that you want to get out of recovery. That can be things like being able to go to lunch with friends and enjoy yourself, celebrating birthdays with cake, rekindling a friendship that has faded because of this, having the strength in your body to be able to take up a new sport or hobby, etc. The next is a list of all the things that are more important and more interesting about yourself than what you look like to remind yourself that this is not the end all be all.
Third, keep reaching out and talking about it. It's not easy to get to the point where you feel ready to really recover, but talking about it, hashing through the feeling you're having with others, and really processing it all will help. I'm here if you want to talk, or you can message any other listener, keep posting in the forums, or whatever else is most helpful for you.
Take care of yourself - you can beat this, and I promise it will be worth it when you do.
Hi guys...
Im a 16 year old actress/dancer. My image is everything in my career and could literally make or break it. Ive been battling anorexia since i was about 11. Ive been admitted to the hospitals for blackouts, fainting, collapsing, and/or low blood sugar too many times to count. I spent last July and August in a rehab facility for my anorexia and they helped me get to a "healthy" weight, but i feel is fat, but whatever. I just hope to get to a point where i can be ok with my body, be healthy, but still be thin.
@BroadwayBaby24 - I'm glad that you were able to get some help at the rehab facility with the physical pieces of your eating disorder, but are you currently receiving any kind of treatment or support for the mental and emotional pieces? It's important to get the help you need and deserve to get to a place where you can be comfortable in your body, not just weight-restored.
@Anomalia my mom doesnt believe that I have a really problem so she doesnt get me the counseling or treatment i need unless my school requires it. It really messed up.
@BroadwayBaby24 - I'm sorry that you're not getting the support that you need from your mom. Are there ways that you can get some of it without her? For instance, does your school have a counselor you can talk to? Are there support groups in your area (anad.org has a good list for the USA)? Do you have a support network of friends you can lean on?