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ANSWER KEY:

1. Answer: b.

While malnourishment, osteoporosis and liver disease could garner an anorexic an extended hospital stay, the most common reason that anorexics are hospitalized is heart damage.

2. Answer: c.

Anxiety problems often go hand-in-hand with anorexia (or other eating disorders).

3. Answer: a.

Anorexia is thought to affect less than 1 percent of the population. (There is a caveat to that, however, since many people are not properly diagnosed. Thus, the results may be slightly skewed.)

4. Answer: c.

About 90 percent of all anorexics are female.

5. Answer: b.

Anorexia has been diagnosed in girls as early as four or five years old.

6. Answer: a.

Although media and images of slender women isn’t the primary cause of anorexia, it has been shown to contribute to a culture’s mentality of the “perfect” body shape.

7. Answer: a.

Many anorexics’ families have a history of eating disordered members.

8. Answer: a.

An active anorexic can become pregnant, though it is admittedly very difficult. And if an active anorexic does become pregnant, miscarriage or other problems are common.

9. Answer: b.

One the DSM-IV’s criteria for anorexia nervosa is that the patient weighs less than 85 percent of what would be normal for his/her height/age/gender.

10. Answer: b.

Up to 10 percent of anorexics die prematurely.

Sources: MamasHealth.com, medicinenet.com, womenshealth.gov, webmd.com

Post from: Blisstree

How much do you know about anorexia? (answers!)

For example, I was at the gym today.  Changing.  As I put on my shorts, a women in her late 40s/early 50s walked up to me.  When she was about a foot away from me, she said (very loudly), “And what are you?!?  A size zero or something?”  She wasn’t laughing, she wasn’t joking around.  She was… well… kind of mad. 

It was strange. 

Was she mad at me?  I wanted to tell her, “Hey, honey.  Chill.”  But instead I just shook my head in shock and answered, “No, I’m not.”  (And truth be told, I’ve never been a size zero, for the record.)

People with eating disorders know about this anger, I think.  Hey, try saying something totally laid back about anorexics or bulimics or binge eaters on a blog like Breaking the Mirror–the angry comments can often be brutal.  I’ve been called everything from a “wannarexic” to a “retard”.  It’s interesting.  And bizarre.

Anyway, I’ve come to the conclusion that the topic of weight and size infuriates people.  I’m not certain why, exactly, but it seems to make otherwise rational persons go nuts.

Thoughts?

Post from: Blisstree

Anger and eating disorders

Therefore, I suppose it shouldn’t be too surprising that plenty of women and men with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating turn to self-mutilation.

Don’t believe me? Just head to any pro-ana or pro-mia discussion board. (Or don’t – I wouldn’t want them to trigger any latent EDs.) The subject of “cutting” appears far more frequently than you might imagine.

I’ve tried to uncover figures to see how many anorexics, bulimics and binge eaters tend to “cut” or perform another self-injurious action. Here’s what I’ve found thus far:

• At CaringOnline the authors report that “…A study by Favazza and Conterio (1989) states that episodic and repetitive self-mutilation are frequently seen in conjunction with, or as a replacement for, eating disorders. In a study of 290 self-mutilating women, they found that 22% of the subjects suffered from only bulimia nervosa, 15% from anorexia nervosa and 13% from both disorders, for a total of 50%.”

• At MentalHelp.net, Allan Schwartz, Ph.D. states “…It is not unusual for some people suffering from eating disorders to engage in direct bodily self-harm in an attempt to reduce the emotional pain and suffering. The self-harm can occur in the form of cutting and self-mutilation with a razor, knife or any sharp instrument.”
• TroubledTeen101 claims “…because teens who self-injure or self-mutilate often do not know how to ask for help, it is important to watch for some of these signs that a teen may be harming him or herself, or is at risk for doing so:… Unexplained injuries, such as cuts, scratches, burns, bruises, etc.;… A history of eating disorders…”

When I was at my worst, I never cut, but I would sometimes hit my thighs as hard as I could just to FEEL something besides the agony of loneliness and depression.

Does this whole connection between eating disorders and self-harm resonate with you?

Post from: Blisstree

On the “cutting” edge of eating disorders

Sarah, a commenter, had this to say.  It really impressed me… especially the last bit about commodes:

I was just thinking about this. I have had quite the history with bulimia and while I have mostly overcome it, last week I had gastroenteritis. While sick I made myself throw up multiple times because it made me feel better. I did a lot of thinking about WHY it made me feel better, and when my throat started hurting today (a week after the itis started) I got to thinking about all the germs I introduced to my throat by purging.

While I was actively bulimic (are we ever NOT actively eating disordered?) I never thought about this stuff – but my toilet was the cleanest on the block.

I never considered that bulimics probably have a habit of cleaning their toilets fastidiously.  But it would make perfect sense.  Who wants to have splatters around the rim?  And wouldn’t they be tell-tale signs of bingeing and purging?

Post from: Blisstree

This week’s favorite comment: Bulimics and clean commodes

I’m not talking pica in terms of font size, but the medical condition. It’s a strange one, indeed.

A person with pica has a craving for and may (or may not) ingest non-food materials such as clay, dirt, paper, feces (this one is mostly found in kids or those with severe psychoses), hair and many other items that most of us wouldn’t swallow on a bet.

Those suffering from pica are not diagnosed as have eating disorders, per se; after all, the pica is a symptom of something else at work.

For instance, in young children, pica could be simply a strange way of orally “exploring” the world around them or possibly emulating animal behaviors. (Ever watched a dog? They nose around their own waste and sometimes munch it up. Blech.) Many pregnant women also report bouts of pica; in fact, I knew of a woman who craved charcoal while she was carrying twins. (She never ate the stuff but wanted to.)

In the case of eating disordered patients, especially those with anorexia and ED-NOS (which stands for “eating disorder not otherwise specified”), pica may stem from the individuals’ naturally compulsive natures. Pica can also be a way to “fill” the stomach with anything other than food or liquid in an attempt to stave off severe hunger pains or put on weight.

Now, I’ve never experienced pica, though I must admit that during the height of my eating disorder I contemplated eating notebook sheets instead of meals. (Yes, I’m serious.) However, from what I’ve read, I’d say that pica is not as uncommon as many believe. In fact, I’m willing to bet there are people who engage in pica behaviors and have no clue there’s a name for it.

Have you ever found yourself eating non-foods for any reason? If so, why?

Post from: Blisstree

Pica: An odd symptom experienced by some anorexics

Let me preface this post by telling you that I’m not a germaphobe. Far from it. I don’t get too grossed out by a messy house. If a potato chip falls on the floor, I casually brush it off and happily eat it. But the more I thought about the subject I’m about to bring up, the more it gave me a case of the good old-fashioned willies.

Here goes:

Every time you stick your fingers down your throat, you are introducing millions of germs into your body. Some of these germs are probably present anyway, of course. But there must be some that shouldn’t be wiped on your sensitive throat and mouth tissues, right? Even if you diligently wash your hands before purging, you could be infecting yourself with a nasty strain of god knows what.

Um. Ew.

It’s no wonder people who purge have more colds, sore throats, viruses, you name it. I used to think it was because they were irritating their esophagi or they were just too run down to fight off diseases. Now, I’m beginning to rethink that assessment. Maybe part of the problem is that any germs on their hands or fingers lands smack dab in their throats.

Truly, I never thought about this before, probably because I’ve had difficulty with anorexia, not bulimia. (And I’m not suggesting that bulimics are “worse” than anorexics; we all have disturbing elements to consider thanks to our eating disorders. This is just one of those elements I hadn’t mused about previously.)

So… am I alone in thinking about this weird topic? Is it something you’ve mulled over, too?

Post from: Blisstree

A wretched reality regarding self-induced retching

• You can get pregnant even if you don’t have your period.

Yep, it’s what everyone learns in junior high (maybe middle school). But for anorexics (and some bulimics), it’s worth repeating.

Why am I bringing this up? Well, a friend who is seriously anorexic and hasn’t had her period in 6+ years slept with a person a couple of months ago.

Now, she’s picking out baby names.

I’m very concerned because she has only just started to put on some weight and better her situation. I keep advising her to take it one day at a time and eat even when she feels nauseated.

Anyway… please use protection, especially if you’re trying to overthrow ana.

Post from: Blisstree

Please use birth control, even if you’re anorexic !

Post from: Blisstree

Top Eight Ways to Be an Eating Disorders Recovery Advocate

Jenna told me about Elizabeth Siddal, a pre-Raphaelite model who lived (and died) in the early-to-mid 1800s.  As her Wikipedia page notes:

“Some have suggested that she might have been an anorexic, while others attribute her poor health to an addiction to laudanum or to a combination of ailments…”

You can read the whole Wiki page on Elizabeth Siddal here.

Thanks again to Jenna, our ED history super sleuth!

Post from: Blisstree

An update on anorexics in the “old” days

We were told that tomato plants just need water and sunlight and they’ll grow.

Ours refuses.

It’s watered.  It’s sunbathing.  And it’s atrophying.

Damn.  Did I transfer my eating disorder to our tomatoes?

Post from: Blisstree

I think my tomato plant has anorexia