Is it an eating disorder?

[KaylaSue]

I have always been overweight.. like WAAAY overweight.. finally I have started eating right and working out and have lost [edited] lbs. For the past few months I have been working out and eating right... occasionally I eat unhealthy and occasionally afterwards I make myself throw up.. but it seems like it becomes more frequent.. It was only every other month.. then a few weeks apart.. now it seems like it is everytime I eat unhealthy, which still is only every other week at most.. but is it considered an eating disorder?? And how do I stop??

Hey Kayla,

I can't diagnose you with an eating disorder as I'm not a mental health professional, but regardless, it does sound like you're really struggling right now. I'm sorry to hear that! I'm glad you turned to us at TeenHelp for help! It takes a lot of strength and courage to come forward with something like this. I'm proud of you!

It is concerning that you make yourself throw up after eating unhealthily, especially if it's becoming more and more frequent. Like I said, I can't diagnose you, but that is how a lot of eating disorders develop. However, I'm thrilled that you want to stop! Again, what courage! As I'm sure you know, purging can have many adverse effects on your body, and I'd first encourage you to go see your doctor and talk to her about what's going on. She'll be able to examine you just to make sure your body is still healthy and maybe refer you to a therapist who can help you to get to the root of the problem. One thing that's important to remember is that it's very hard to address the behavior without addressing the mindset and tackling the problem at its core. Very often, there are thoughts that are fueling the behavior, and if those thoughts aren't addressed, you'll probably still have very intense urges to continue with purging. Some questions to ask yourself might be: Why do you purge? How did it start? What thoughts are fueling this behavior and causing it to become more frequent? Is it purely a fear of regaining the weight, or are there other reasons as well? Try to pinpoint the emotions that come up for you when you want to purge. A therapist can help you to answer these questions.

I think that having the support of a therapist is really essential to recovery. Is there anyone else in your life that you feel you can confide in? A friend? A family member? I'm sure those around you care about you a lot and want to help support you through this very difficult time, and having their support can go a long way to helping you feel better. Purging is a behavior that can be very difficult to stop on your own.

Remember that recovery is very much a process. Even after you're able to pinpoint the thoughts and emotions, it may take some time to completely stop. That's okay. The important thing is that you're trying. I personally suffer from bulimia and have been in recovery for quite a while now, yet I still struggle with urges. You may find that on the road to getting well, you have some slip-ups and setbacks. Again, that's okay, as long as you do your best to pick yourself back up afterward and continue on the path to recovery. Take it day by day. You might want to check out our Alternatives to Self-Harm thread for some ideas on how to distract yourself when you feel like purging. While it's important to get to the root of the problem and not distract yourself all the time, distractions are good for intense, in-the-moment urges. Remember, even if you can distract yourself for five minutes before purging, that's progress! I'd encourage you to print out this list and pin it up somewhere that you can refer to it when needed.

I hope this helps a bit! Best of luck in getting well! I know you can do it!

Kylie