Eating Disorder Support & Recovery

Have you ever actually met someone struggling with bulimia or anorexia just because they feel like their life has zero meaning?

northernfalcon30 said:Have you ever actually met someone struggling with bulimia or anorexia just because they feel like their life has zero meaning?

Look, neither you nor I have the credentials to be throwing around Eating Disorders diagnoses like candy... we aren't trained for this stuff.

Check out this reference—give the paper a read and then tell me if you still don't buy the idea that EDs are mental illnesses:

Journal of Psychiatric Research, 39 (2005), 303.

If you can't track it down online, I can just shoot you the PDF via email.

Seriously though, why are we even getting so worked up about this topic? Is there actually a licensed psychologist or a doctor in the house? And all these claims about mental illness... what are you guys even trying to prove here???
Has anyone here ever actually sat down with a psychotherapist? Or maybe even gone through therapy yourself?
Most of the time, the whole experience just ends with them prescribing some heavy meds meant to "calm you down." Honestly, one of those prescriptions made me feel so incredibly sick I legit thought I was going to die. It didn't help at all—instead of fixing your head, they just drug you into oblivion.

Look, don't get all worked up—I'm seriously not trying to be mean when I call this a mental illness. A sickness is a sickness, right? Or are you actually suggesting that Eating Disorders aren't even real illnesses... like people just make them up for fun?

I mean, there are actual scientific journals out there dedicated to psychiatry, psychophysiology, and all that stuff—places where they publish legit research results regarding the treatment of eating disorders

The reality is that everyone's approach to treatment is different, mostly because we're dealing with such a messy, complicated issue

But at the end of the day, you're always going to have a Psychiatrist involved one way or another, or at least some kind of psychologist.

Wait, where did I even give that diagnosis?

northernfalcon30 said:Wait, where did I actually give that diagnosis?

Look, if you want to answer that...

northernfalcon30 said:Have you ever met anyone struggling with bulimia or anorexia just because they can't find any meaning in their life?

Well, you’d really have to be certain that the person—the one you’re actually talking to, whether they mention finding purpose or not—has an actual diagnosed Eating Disorder.

Do you personally know someone with that diagnosis?

Me? No. I mean, maybe I do, but nobody's ever sat me down and said, "Hey, I have this diagnosis." But, you know, when you read these academic papers, the authors always talk about their patients—people they've already officially diagnosed.

rustymoose54, come on, at least show these people some respect.🙄 😢

Don't go blowing a fuse on me, but this whole version of psychiatry you're talking about? It's ancient history... and honestly, it just leaves people broken and miserable.

I know we haven't quite caught up to that here in the States yet, but treating psychiatry with more humanity is the only way doctors will finally realize that the human psyche isn't just a bunch of firing neurons... it's a real mental illness.

northernfalcon30 said:Look, rustymoose54, come on—at least show these people some respect.🙄 😢

Don't go blowing a fuse on me just yet, but this whole version of psychiatry you're talking about? It’s ancient history... totally outdated... and honestly, it just leaves people broken and miserable.

I know we haven't really seen it here in the States yet, but treating psychiatry with a bit more humanity—you know, as an actual medical field—is the only way doctors are gonna realize that the human psyche isn't just some collection of firing neurons... it's a real, heavy mental illness.

Listen, I'm literally quoting articles from journals that fall under Current Contents.

Are you seriously trying to tell me that the Journal of Psychiatric Research (which, by the way, is published by Elsevier) is obsolete?

Or what about Clinical Psychology Review? Biological Psychiatry? Psychiatry research? You're telling me all those journals don't mean squat in your book?

Maybe things are different in America. : shrug :

So, you actually read everything in those journals?

Do they have any of those "cryptogram" types in there? Those are my absolute favorite...

Kisses to all the lovely ladies. Let's catch up when things settle down and everyone's actually open to a real conversation—you know, where we actually respect the Human in all of this.

👋

northernfalcon30 said:So, you actually read all this stuff in the journals?

👋

Yeah, basically... if it's indexed in the Current Contents database, you're looking at the absolute cutting edge of scientific research—stuff that hasn't even made its way into textbooks yet (though it eventually will, I guess). Sure, you might stumble upon some mediocre papers here and there, but hey, everything goes through a peer review by three independent, anonymous reviewers first... so there's some level of quality control, right?

northernfalcon30 said:So, you've actually read everything in those journals?

Do they have any "cryptograms" in there? Those are my absolute favorite!

Just as a little heads-up—"scientific journals" translates to "scientific journals," even if it has nothing to do with Milo or the cosmos. Much like how you seem to have nothing to do with the brain, apparently. But hey, keep on spamming! I'm sure that helps people struggling with Bulimia immensely.

On a different note, I can only sigh when it comes to the Little Red Riding Hood story. I’m incredibly critical of myself and my appearance—I used to carry about 45 pounds of extra weight (which I eventually lost), but I was never actually ill. Listen, girl, next time you feel that hunger pang, try to realize that food travels through your bloodstream to nourish every single part of you. Food is what allows you to lift your hand to write a post, to open your eyes, to let a smile spread across your face. I know that sounds a bit pathetic, but you really have to shift your mindset regarding yourself and food. That way, you won't feel the need to overdo it.

"Don't get worked up, but this psychiatry you're talking about was outdated ages ago... and all it really did was create a generation of permanently sick, unhappy people. I know we haven't quite reached that point here in the States yet, but treating psychiatry as a more humane medical field is the only way doctors will finally realize the human psyche isn't just a collection of firing neurons, but that an Eating Disorder is a legitimate mental illness."

I'm in total agreement with everything northernfalcon30 said, mostly because she actually uses her own brain—unlike some people—and tries to frame things logically.. 👍

It’s been obvious to me for a long time now that there’s far too much blind faith placed in doctors who, frankly, know next to nothing about nutrition (not that I need to repeat myself on why), and so when they face a problem like Eating Disorders, they react in a way that makes it impossible to grasp from any angle. They just focus on what's "in the head," which is how THEY decided to label it as a psychological disorder, and then they scramble to find a solution, even if it's a bad one..
The brain is arguably the least understood part of the body, something every con artist and fraudster knows perfectly well; if they need a sick day, it's easiest to just claim a massive headache or say they aren't feeling right to snag a few days off, because they know the people making those calls can't exactly call their bluff since it's such an uncharted territory for them too.. 😁

To be clear, I'm not dismissing the value of talk therapy, even from a psychiatrist, but it infuriates me when a "patient" is shoved into a category where they are treated as their own worst enemy, or when any form of help outside of the doctor's office is rejected simply because they're the only ones holding a "degree"... but really, what kind of degree? Most of them finished their schooling back when these specific issues weren't even on the radar.. 😕

Seriously, where are the moderators hiding? Can someone please just get this preacher out of here!

nimbledriver81 said:Look, next time you feel that hunger hitting, just try to remember that food travels through your entire bloodstream to nourish every single cell in your body. It’s what gives you the strength to lift your hand and type out a post, or open your eyes, or even manage a smile. I know how pathetic that sounds, really, but you have to shift your perspective on yourself and on eating. If you do, maybe you won't feel the need to go overboard.

I’m with you there; once we start viewing food as a necessary tool—almost like preventative medicine—and actually take ownership of our own health and lives, our relationship with actual medication will change too, because we'll realize we can bypass a lot of them when we see how one "helpful" pill often leaves ten nasty side effects in its wake... 😲

It's the exact same story with psychiatrists who just keep handing out dangerous prescriptions to patients, knowing full well there's usually no turning back once that cycle starts. 👎

nimbledriver81 said:Seriously, where are the mods hiding? Someone please get this preacher out of here!

Your old man is the one preaching, buddy... 🙂

mistybear4 said:Your old man sounds like he’s practically a preacher! .... 🙂

Actually, my dad passed away—since you decided to bring him up—but seriously, I'm flagging this for spamming. You can't just come in here and push blatant advertisements like that. It's against the rules.🙂

nimbledriver81 said:My dad is dead, since you brought him up. Also, you've been flagged for spamming. Aggressive self-promotion isn't allowed here. 🙂

I'm sorry for your loss; my father passed away too, and if I had possessed the knowledge I have now back then, he probably would still be around, so if I can't bring him back, the least I can do is try to help someone else avoid the same fate.. 😢

I honestly don't see what you mean by aggressive advertising here? I’m just laying out the facts and pointing out the issues, and if there's a way to fix someone's problem, I feel a moral obligation to share it so they can protect their health (or get it back).. that's why this Forum is called "Health" (not "Sickness") 😕 😁

mistybear4 said:Look, I’m just laying out the cold, hard facts and pointing out where things are going sideways—and if there happens to be a way to fix someone's situation, I feel it is my absolute moral duty to share it right here so their health can be preserved (or even totally restored!). After all, that is exactly why this whole Forum is dedicated to "Health" (rather than focusing solely on illnesses), isn't it? 😕 😁

And yet, you just keep dodging the question about what you actually do for a living and exactly WHAT it is you're trying to sell.

rustymoose54 said:Yeah, the journals indexed in the Current Contents database contain results from the most cutting-edge scientific research out there. You can find stuff in there that hasn't even made it into textbooks yet (though it eventually will). Sure, you'll run into some subpar papers, but everything goes through a peer review by three independent, anonymous reviewers.

I guess I'm just feeling a bit empathetic toward this topic... and as for you, rustymoose54, I totally believe what you're saying is spot on. I haven't once tried to smugly challenge any medical authority here, but I am trying to open up a more human approach—something that started gaining traction back in the States in the early '90s. Basically, using these scientific foundations to build an approach to psychological issues that actually respects the noetic (noos = spirit) dimension of a person.
Don't take this as some new religion or some mandatory link to existing faiths, either. It’s just an approach that asks doctors to respect the patient's soul (the spirit, call it whatever you want)... the one thing that's truly human about them.
We shouldn't be bickering about this; these two perspectives really ought to overlap. It's pseudoscience to only value what I'm talking about, just like it's pretty ineffective to only value what you can provide hard evidence for. Our goal is to help people, right? Anyway, there's a lot to unpack here... if the weather holds up, we'll get to it.

By the way, do psychiatrists actually equate "mental illness" with "mental disorder," specifically when it comes to this issue?

Anthony Wood54🙂 ,

Look how self-aware you've become, laying everything out in such vivid detail.
(And feeling that sense of relief 😉 along the way).
There was a period where you couldn't put any of this into words—
in fact, you weren't even aware of half of it. But now? You are.
It’s a process.
Now, it's going to take more time—maybe three years, maybe five, or even
seven—to fully process everything you're carrying inside.
Unfortunately, nothing just vanishes overnight.

Of course, you have to be an active participant in your own recovery, which means--
seeking professional help (do your own research to find
a high-quality specialist), reading motivational
books, studying for your college exams, graduating, staying active through sports
(find something that actually resonates with you—whatever
might bring you joy), spending time with
people who make you happy, finding a job—whether part-time or
full-time—setting goals, or just starting to think about them, making an effort
to find a hobby, signing up for a class, and so on.

All of this requires real energy and resolve. It isn't easy.
It's much easier to just post on the Forum 😉 ,but even that matters—SOMETIMES.

The only thing you can do right now is fight and try to enjoy life. Gradually. With total commitment.
Day by day, month by month, year after year,
you will break free from this cycle.

You'll make it.👋