Eating Disorders 101 (Fast facts) #2

While I want to keep these posts informative, as a 17 year old myself, I generally lose interest scrolling through paragraphs upon paragraphs so that's the reasoning behind the (Fast facts) for those who were wondering!

ANYWAYS, the first two eating disorders I listed were Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. So they are the first two I plan to shed some light on! 


Anorexia Nervosa (Anorexia) 

• People generally refuse to keep a healthy body weight, can be severely under weight.
• Looking in the mirror and seeing a distorted body image.
• It can cause people to have an extreme fear of gaining weight.

People suffering from anorexia tend to be afraid to let other people see them eat.

They can get more than the usual happiness from losing weight.

They are concerned with losing weight, not being healthy. 

Below are only FOUR commonly seen symptoms of anorexia:

• Avoiding eating in public, cutting up food and moving it around, rather than eating it
• A pattern of going to the bathroom after meals
• Depression
• Denial of their actual weight

Bulimia Nervosa (Bulimia)

• It is found that people have an almost uncontrollable urge to BINGE and then PURGE afterwards due to guilt about the food they have eaten.
• They have a desire to stay thin but cannot help the cravings to eat as much as they want.
• Having an unstable weight. 

People suffering from bulimia can be anxiety ridden after eating. They are almost obsessed with there weight. At first it may seem harmless but it can quickly turn into an endless cycle which a sufferer would feel trapped in.

Taken from: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/bulimia_signs_symptoms_causes_treatment.htm

It’s important to note that bulimia doesn’t necessarily involve purging—physically eliminating the food from your body by throwing up or using laxatives, enemas, or diuretics. If you make up for your binges by fasting, exercising to excess, or going on crash diets, this also qualifies as bulimia.

REMEMBER this is just a brief insight on these disorders, don't rule out the possibility of having an eating disorder without seeing a doctor. 

Knowledge is key. 

Suicide never has to be an option.

With more and more people struggling with day to day life, me being one of those people. I've been there and I'm sure a lot of people who end up reading this have too.
I just want to kind of to write a small post on how many other options there are. Seriously!
A few years ago I would of probably believed suicide was the only option. There are so many things you can do whilst feeling suicidal. For starters there are a lot of good help lines and sites!

Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (For younger kids and teens)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Any Emergency Number in your Area. (991 etc.)
Check your Local Phone Book. (The front should usually have a list of crisis numbers)

http://www.itgetsbetter.org/ is an awesome site for LGBT youth or anyone who'd like to support those youth!
http://www.suicideprevention.ca/ a great Canadian association!
http://www.allianceofhope.org/ for anyone dealing with the loss of someone from suicide, check this out!
http://www.suicide.org/suicide-hotlines.html a list of hotlines all through America!

These are just a few I know of and have heard great things about, I'll update it someday when I get more infortmation :)
Remember to smile!