A bridge over a beautiful waterfall

A bridge over a beautiful waterfall
Nature brings magic

Thursday, April 10, 2014

I is for Image (Trigger Warning: Eating Disorders)




Body image is something many of us struggle with. Some of us think we're too fat. Others think they're too thin. Some take these images to an extreme, which is where we get eating disorders. These are illnesses that need to be treated as such. As far as I know, those of us who have fought them don't ever truly recover. There's a chance that we could relapse. Our body image issues can be brought back by as simple a thing as a comment that feeds into our insecurities.

I was never classed as having anorexia or bulimia. But in high school I would starve myself for a few days. I would tell my parents I ate but I wouldn't. I would push food around on my plate at dinner to make it look like I ate but I'd tell my mom that I wasn't that hungry. When I did eat, I'd either gorge myself and feel horrid or I'd eat lightly and still feel horrid. I wasn't a light teenager. I was overweight. Not too bad but I was teased for it. My view of my body was skewed and I've been struggling with that ever since.

If you have body image issues, if you aren't happy with how you look, change it. Talk to your doctor. See what he/she/ze says. If you don't agree with them, say so. Don't be afraid. The only thing stopping you from getting help is yourself. Sometimes they'll do something you don't appreciate. Other times their advice will help you.

Eating disorders are nothing to consider as a passing phase. They can lead to a person's death. You need help. If you know someone who has one, talk to them. Encourage them. Try to give them as much support as you can. If you can, talk them into getting help. Tell them to talk to their doctors. Don't tear them down about their appearance. Don't tell them you wish you were as thin as they were. Don't tell them they're fat and need to lose weight. Just support them as they come to a place where they can resolve their issues.


10 comments:

  1. Thanks for this thoughtful post, Annikka. As someone who's been living with an eating disorder for 30 years now, there were moments I wanted to argue, but then you know I always want to argue :D Beyond body image, I think when we're discussing eating disorders- not just body image, which is skewed enough in this culture without adding mental health to the balance- I think it's too easy for people without eating disorders to think that body image is the main piece of it; that of course differs for each person with an eating disorder.

    I'm also interested in how a person's perceptions can change over time. A snippet from the spin off that I was reading last night that won't ruin any plot trips for you- The Queen takes Kaya shopping because well he needed to spoil her :D She was anxious to admit her underwear size to him; she still needs him to remind her that he finds all body types attractive and doesn't even really like the super skinny look. But she's embarrassed to admit she's a size 6; after the recent horror of needing a size 12 jean, I'm re-thinking Kaya's size 6.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We won't go into what my underwear size is. Or my jeans size. I think you're right though. Body image is only a part of an eating disorder. Mine I think was also about control. It was something I could control in my life when there wasn't anything else I could control.

      Delete
  2. A tender and honest post. Thanks for allowing us to read it.
    Deb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not easy talking about it. But I felt it would add more to the post. Thanks for visiting Deb.

      Delete
  3. Great post! Thanks for sharing your story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for coming by, Patricia. I'll head over to yours soon and see what you've got.

      Delete
  4. I am always worried about this with my daughter. I think growing up so close to Hollywood can be a curse for young girls' self images.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hollywood and super models can be a detriment to a woman's vision of herself. No matter what the age, the super skinny bodies are a danger because somewhere in our hearts we want to be like them. I hope your daughter knows she's beautiful at any size.

      Delete
  5. The first thing that struck me about your blog was the background image -so I chuckled when I saw the post title - On body image, I simply dislike it when anybody's first comment to a little girl is how pretty she is... I'm glad I was never teased for my size as a kid, it came as a shock to everyone in my school the year we lost a friend that suffered with anorexia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I knew someone who was thankfully treated for her anorexia. She was so thin you could see every rib. We didn't see her back but i know now that we'd have seen her spine. She finally got back to a healthy weight but was still fragile when it came to someone mentioning how she looked.

      Delete