Myths about eating disorders

[Catnip]

What have you heard, read, etc. about eating disorders? What do you think are the most common myths? I've heard as well as read tons of myths. Most of them are completely ridiculous, others are quite offensive, some are just plain stupid.

Here's some:
- Eating disorders are a modern, fad illness that this generation has dramatically decided are real problems.

- That you have to be deathly ill/thin/hospitalized to be hurting.

- That eating disorders are something you mature out of.

- Eating = cured.

 

[noir nuit]

i havent actually heard too many myths on the subject but i've heard theyre just a phase you, and that skinny or just small people must have an eating disorder, not necessarily the case

 

[Catnip]

I don't think people are as enlightened in the topic of eating disorders, specifically anorexia, as they should be. I myself was anorexic at one point in my life, but I didn't know I was. A certain myth, a stupid one, is what kept me in doubt, thus allowing me to continue that insane diet -one I never really wanted in the first place.
"All anorexics are bone-thin/you're only anorexic if you're bone thin."

Not. Fucking. True.

 

[Bambi]

My friend thinks I have an eating disorder, so does her friend as well actually <_<

I fail to see how they draw this conclusion considering the fact that all Im doing is crash dieting (unhealthy yes, eating disorder? No ), Im still eating and I'm not secretive about not eating alot either. The whole world and his wife knows I'm on a diet and I want to stuff my face with pizza but I'm waiting for a couple more weeks before I do ¬_¬ I don't plan on keeping it up either, I just want to not look fat when I wear this dress. It was too small when I got it and I looked like a whale when I tried it on Which brings me onto my other point, she seems to think I'm too thin, which is ludicrous, Ive been thinner than this, Im about where I want to be , i just need to maintain it for a little longer

And this is where I get onto the possible 'myth' are all people with eating disorders secretive about it? I'm really hoping that's not a myth or it will give her more ammo

 

[Shu]

You know, I've drawn my conclusions on the subject but women are subject to sabotage by their own sex frequently. I have many case scenarios in which other women are constantly trying to bring others to their level because they have a thing called inner guilt and to satisfy it no one else can be happy around them especially when it comes to weight.

For instance my fiance has probably lost a good 12 lbs in the past 2 months, but it is for the wedding dress. Now ever since I've even known her she has a complex about her sister. Now let me lay out the scenario, her sister used to be a middle sized girl. I wouldn't call her big, but anyway that's besides the point. The point is now she is disgustingly thin. She has admitted to constant bouts of constipation to her siblings and also she's fainted once or twice. If you look at her she's super model thin if not worse. Whenever we spend thanksgiving over there we always hear her say something about how she's gained weight and feels like she's fatter.

If you called this girl fat, she would kill herself from starvation before picking up a piece of food again. As a side note an old friend of mine was dating a girl from IL for two years straight and she was an in the closet bulemic. Well one day she took it a bit far and killed herself in the process leaving my friend completely destroyed. I mean when you have to stick clothes hangers down your throat in order to purge.. you need help.

 

[Demonata]

My friend is 20, is about 6 foot tall, and ways 100 pounds. HEr mother freaks out because she thinks her daughter has a eating disorder. She eats more food then I do in a day and gains nothing. She's that ideal girl.

Everyone stares at her as if she's anorexic though, and I've had people ask me. So I guess it is a generalization that all people that are skinny must be anorexic.

 

[jasminepotts]

- Eating disorders are a modern, fad illness that this generation has dramatically decided are real problems.

Hardly a fad, and its not this generation. People in other decades and such have suffered from them for different reasons.

- That you have to be deathly ill/thin/hospitalized to be hurting.

I don't regard being underweight as the only form of eating disorders, there's the obese side of things. But I don't think the appearance of someone is the best way to judge on that. I have friends that are naturally very very slim, they don't have an eating disorder. Some re bigger, they don't have an eating disorder. Its all about how they feel when they look in the mirror. Its more psychological than physical.

- Eating = cured.

Eating won't change the mental welfare of the person.

- That eating disorders are something you mature out of.

an eating disorder can occur at any age. not just teenage years.


whoever came up with these myths deserves a slap D: