Dieting to an addiction?

[Sea Monkey]

Since the start of this month my family decided to go on a diet. I did it how they wanted to do it for about a week, then I started going by own way about it. I started looking in the mirror, and all I could see was fat and started saying to myself that everyone will hate me if I am fat and now I am really desperate to become thin and 'pretty'. I look at girls that 'thinspire' me, some of the celebrities I see look so great and perfect, and I just want to be like them. As the days have gone by I've been eating less, but when I have eaten quite a lot, I would exercise it off immediately afterwards. It's becoming an addiction.

Does anybody have any ideas on what I should do?

[Blair]

Right now I'm guessing you have an EDNOS which basically means you've got a disorder in your eating habits but it doesn't fit anorexia or bulimia. First thing to do would be trying to shift your focus onto other non-aesthetic areas of your life, which is most of your life. Looks are not important enough that you should be crying over them. I bet you don't pick your friends by how they look. I bet you don't love your family for how they look. I bet you don't hate the people you hate for how they look. Most jobs are not about looks. There is no box for pretty or not pretty on a college application. That being said, you actually are really pretty. But that's not all you are or all you should strive to be. Think about how an ED (which will progress into something more detrimental if you let it) will affect your life. They take up all your focus. They take away all your energy. They make you paranoid about hiding it. They mess you up. Don't let them. Sometimes when I feel I'm being too obsessive with my figure I'll write this on the mirror "There's more to life than 'skinny.' My weight does not define me." Lame I know but it helps some.

[p_fine]

Hello Fauzia

I really admire you for sharing your concerns about your desire to be thin. It is so easy to compare yourself to other people. Remember: thin is not pretty and can be so dangerous for your body! I strongly suggest you seek help from your doctor or a close friend so you can share your thoughts with those nearest to you. ED's are so interfering - if you can help it, try and ignore the desire to do as "it says".

Take care xx

[Millarw12]

Look i know how it feels to look in the mirror and all you can see is fat. I constantly battle this every morning. What I've tricked myself into doing is checking my BMI, and i try to stay around middle to lower-middle range of a healthy BMI, because that IS the healthy weight to be. I also confront myself in the mirror every now and again after i get out of the shower. I stare at myself and battle the thoughts like "You fat ugly cow" and "You are disgusting, look at all that fat around your tummy and thighs!" and i counter act them by picking out parts of my body i actually like, no matter how small/weird/insignificant it still helps. I usually start from my head and work my way down choosing parts of my body I like or am comfortable with. For example i really like my shoulders and that general area, and my lips and eyes.
Basically you have trained yourself into this state, and if you really want it you can escape it by re-training your mind. There is no easy way out, its a long process but if you want it, you can achieve it!

I hope this helps at all, good luck!

[emma01]

The celebrities you see who are stick thin most likely have Anorexia. Now let me tell you Anorexia is NOT perfect. Anorexia doesn't allow you to have a life, it doesn't allow for friends and fun and it doesn't allow you to concentrate on anything other than food. You pretty much have to say goodbye to your friends, social life and grades and any hope of a good career.
Anorexia doesn't make you a perfect person. You are only as perfect as you feel, and can only be perfect in your own eyes. And I can tell you know when you are anorexic, you never feel perfect. Anorexia is not beautiful, its a horrible nasty, often FATAL illness. No one wins with anorexia anyway, you either gain weight...or die. What a waste of a life trying to lose weight, only to die and not be recognised as stick thin, or gain weight...and still not be recognised as stick thin!

[purplekc95]

awwh hunny Lex, i think you're beautiful and dont let anyone tell you different <3
PM me if you need anything okk?? or facebook me. either or works !