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Am I a bad person for starving myself on purpose when so many people don't have enough to eat in the world?

15 Answers
Last Updated: 11/15/2016 at 9:21am
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Lindsay Scheinerman, MA, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

My work with clients is to help them recognize and build on their strengths to find solutions for the conflicts presented in their lives.

Top Rated Answers
maggicantdraw
August 2nd, 2015 9:22pm
Of course not. People may tell you that, but understand that you have a mental disorder. People wouldn't tell a schizophrenic to stop seeing things because there are people who can't see. It's the same thing. You are not bad for this, but you can take control of it.
awesomeMelody48
July 11th, 2016 11:18pm
If you realize that then no you aren't. Realization is the key factor to achieve anything in life. If you know it then surely you can overcome it and live a happy going life :)
Anonymous
September 13th, 2016 1:00am
No, that does not make you a bad person. You're feelings and actions are all valid, no matter the situation others may be in.
LucVincent
March 7th, 2015 3:11am
NO you are not a bad person. Starving yourself is a poor coping skill for something else that is going on in your life. Try learning and practicing good coping habits like meditation or yoga.
Anonymous
April 28th, 2015 5:24am
Starving yourself doesn't make you a bad person but it does make you unhealthy. If what you want is to be skinnier than eat small portions of healthy food and exercise because in the long run starving yourself will make you gain weight.
KathyTheHealer
May 16th, 2015 3:04am
No, you are not bad at all. What you do with your food is not related to anybody else in the world. What is bad here, is that do you earn money to make that food? If you are provided the food by your family, then you should feel bad for your family, not the hungry world. Your family work hard to support you, but you just dont care. IF you earn money yourself, then you can do whatever you want.
Anonymous
August 17th, 2015 11:56pm
Nope!! It isn't your fault that your brain works that way. Sometimes people can't help it. Don't feel guilty for your brain not working like everyone else's and the only people who might say yes to this are people who don't experience e it.
Anonymous
August 18th, 2015 3:01am
You are not a bad person. You have a disease that you didn't ask for or cause, even if it might sometimes feel that way. You are not a bad person at all.
Anonymous
November 23rd, 2015 2:21am
You are not a bad person, but it is not healthy to starve. When you do just keep in mind those who don not have anything to eat.
DancingAlong
December 15th, 2015 9:58am
Absolutely not. Mental illness doesn't make sense in a lot of ways. Disordered eating is a vastly complex thing. You need to focus on improving yourself and your behaviors before you can do other things.
colourfulWind85
December 29th, 2015 7:13am
No your not. Eating disorders are a mental thing it's not a choice and even if you think it's a choice it really isn't you can't really control it
Anonymous
June 13th, 2016 10:42pm
It does not make you a bad person at all. It means that you have emotions and feelings to, What you go through has no conection to feel guilty for.
Anonymous
August 15th, 2016 9:54am
Everyone is different. Born into different economic situations, born into different families, born in different places. You cannot judge on things that you could not choose for yourself. What is important is your own health and wellbeing. Is starving yourself good for YOU? Don't think about if it is good or bad compared to other people. You are the most important factor in this situation. I hope this is something to think about. :)
TajwarhQ
September 16th, 2016 10:13pm
No, starving yourself never makes you a bad person. Self-starvation is a coping mechanism, and although unhealthy and potentially permanently damaging, you should never feel guilt about it. Crash dieting and starving yourself is incredibly unhealthy and not good for losing weight, especially with so many easier, healthier and more rewarding alternatives. It is not fair on yourself to compare your situation with people less fortunate, as there is no gradient as to who's suffering or not. You can't control your situation, but you can control how you react and adapt to it, and guilt is not the way,
allisonraee13
November 15th, 2016 9:21am
Eating disorders aren't rational. Someone else not having food doesn't make a mental illness go away.