Week 8 : Purging Disorder

This week I'm going to focus on Purging.  Purging disorder is when you...well. Purge.

As all disorders.  You can be any body weight.   Purging is when you make yourself vomit in simpler terms.

Other ways is by taking laxitives to seep food through your body. So that your body doesn't have enough time to absorb the nutrients of the consumed foods.

Often purging disorder is linked with bulimia nervosa.

Signs of purging disorder can be :

•trips to the bathroom soon after eating

•regularly using laxitives

•obsessing over weight and appearance

Indications of regularly vomiting are :

•clear looking teeth

•swollen cheeks

•calluses or scrapes on the knuckles

•broken blood vessels in the eyes

The reason for the calluses or scraped knuckles are from using your fingers to vomit. 

As any ED it can lead to depression and anxiety.  Or vice versa.  Sometimes the disorders can get so severe that the person becomes suicidal or clinically depressed.  Which of course is a very bad thing to happen.  Nobody wants to go through any of the EDs.

Nobody wants to stress about how much they eat or what they eat.  You want to be able to be happy with your body.  To not stress every time you take a bite of food.  To not have the constant thoughts of calorie intake.  To feel pretty/handsome in your clothing. 

We ED sufferers all want this. To feel pretty or handsome in our own skin.

If there's someone you know you suspect has an ED please. Please talk to them.   Make them feel loved.  Have a heart-to-heart talk with them.  Make sure they know their loved.  That they can always come to you  for a talk or for some help. 

If you think your suffering from a possible ED please find someone you can talk to about your feelings.  As awkward as it may be.  Please.  It will help.

Goodbye lovely-Alexa 

Picture found on Tumblr

Week 7 : Coping Strategies When Eating

This week is going to be about coping strategies.  I'll share some of the coping methods I use to combat my ED.

Most of the time when I eat, I can feel the weight pile up; even if it's a 90 cal granola bar.  It makes me feel disgusting.  Yet! I have found some things that helped me divert my attention away from the meal.

The first method I use is to read. It seems weird I guess but it's seemed to work for me.  Considering my family does eat at a table together, I have to eat in our living room or my own room.  I know what you must be thinking.  If I eat in my room then shouldn't I be able to skip dinner? Well.... They make sure I eat dinner by making sure they see my plate before and after I enter my room. Sucks I know... I'd purge it out if I had the guts to purge.

Next method I use is something my therapist taught me for my panic attacks.  He told me to rub a fabric, either being a soft fabric or rough.  Something with texture.  The idea is to focus on the fabric instead of your thoughts on the food.  I don't use this method for eating but I have used it for my panic attacks  It sometimes works for me for my panic attacks.

Another possible strategy is to tell yourself "its okay to eat this."  This technique has helped me personally. By telling myself things such as "I'm going to be okay" or "This is beneficial for my body" I can usually eat better.  I mainly use this when I'm alone or can't use a book to read or my phone to read.  As silly as it may seem at first, it actually works. 

Below is a picture of little awards for doings things.  Sometimes something as simple as just making the bed can be the biggest accomplishment you did that day.  And you know what?  That's okay!  Maybe you went outside or drew a picture that your really proud of.  That's completely fine!  Making a healthy meal or snack is great too!  Keep your head up and keep trying to get better everyday, even if it's the little things.

-Alexa

                                          (Picture from Tumblr)