Eating disorders are tough all around. They are tough on the body, tough on the mind, tough to recognize and tough to overcome. The good news is that these disorders don’t have to be fatal. There are many successful recovery stories, and with treatment, ED can be left in the past.
Jennie is in her 30s. She has a full-time job, a new puppy and is glowing from getting married to the man of her dreams. She’s also a diagnosed anorexic with purging tendencies, something that she treated through therapy and hard work.
“I’ve had trouble with eating disorders for over 20 years, since I was 16 years old. In the past I went to treatment and saw different therapists on and off. Now is my first time finding success,” said Jennie, adding that before recently, “I just don’t think I was ready to get some real help.”
Jennie initially sought help at Solutions Recovery, Inc., an addiction recovery center in Las Vegas, to treat an addiction. The organization recognized that she also needed help with her eating disorder. She saw therapists and clinicians who encouraged her to attend groups for ED.
“The program definitely helped. They gave me an edge and they kept me safe for a while and did a good job of watching me. They helped me see what was causing (the ED), why I was still doing it, and helped me learn how to let go,” she says. “Your eating disorder becomes your best friend, your crutch you can lean on. They helped me see that my ED was a way for me to have control over something in my life. They then taught me how to have real control.”
Jennie said that learning all this, and experiencing horrible health consequences, was ultimately what has helped her stay successful in beating her ED.
“I was in a coma for 9 1/2 days, pronounced brain dead. I had fallen into a diabetic coma from not eating, had a stroke and my right lung collapsed. They thought I was gone,” said Jennie. “I’ve also had bleeding ulcers and colitis, both of which could be caused by something else, but it’s pretty likely that my ED was involved.”
Alana Jackson, a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor with Solutions Recovery, says that eating disorders are dangerous and should be taken very seriously. Jackson, who also has a master of science and is a certified professional coder, notes that treating ED isn’t just about looking at food and nutrition. You have to look at the brain, as well.
“Binge-eating and bulimia have a dopamine release that occurs in the brain. Anorexia and bulimia usually go hand-in-hand with body dysmorphia,” said Jackson, referring to a chronic mental illness in which individuals can’t stop thinking about a flaw in their appearance.
Ultimately, ED often involves distorted perceptions, regulation of emotion, as well as a struggle of internal versus external locus of control, a term describing how much individuals believe they can control events affecting them.
“ED is hard. You have to eat to live, so changing the association of food in someone’s brain can be much more difficult than you would think,” said Jackson. “There are some medications that can be used, cognitive behavioral therapy is strong in treatment, and some people need an in-patient setting to help with monitoring.”
There are many forms of ED, including binge-eating, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, bulimarexia, pica and rumination disorder. With so many types of ED, it can be extremely hard to recognize.
“Identifying it, like any addiction, usually needs family intervention,” said Jackson. “A lot of times people can’t see it. With ED (other than anorexia) they usually maintain a healthy body weight, so unless you see them in their ritualistic binging or purging, you’ll never know. This can go on for years.”
Sometimes it goes unnoticed until, like Jennie, there are major health consequences. “Bleeding ulcers, heart conditions, kidney failure, teeth enamel damage, gastro-intestinal issues, hair loss, calcium deficiency, bone and muscle weakness...,” recites Jackson, adding that the list goes on.
If you have an ED and are ready to get help, or if you know someone who does, Jackson recommends you seek help immediately. “Get help both with medical (care) and therapy. A full physical is needed. You should also seek out a dietist and nutritionist,” said Jackson. “Support groups are very helpful, but make sure you find one that caters to your specific diagnosis.
Jennie now sees two therapists a week, twice a week, which she says is very helpful to her continuing success.
Eating disorders are far more common than many people think, and Jennie is just one of many success stories. If you or someone you know is dealing with an ED, don’t wait to seek treatment.