bulimia

A number of big stars died from bulimia. I believe it requires a professional counsellor and medical people. It is not something for a pastor to play with,,,,,in my opinion. I know I wouldn't.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Are eating disorders a diesease that requires medical help, or self control? What are the differences in how you would answer for the different eating disorders? Want to see answers before I say more.

 

I agree with Jim. Counseling, medical treatment, and possibly confinement would be called for here. I don't think talking would help an individual with an eating disorder at all. It is a disease that can kill, so counseling alone just won't get it.

 

I generally get bulimia & annerexia confused. Which is the one where the person starves themselves?

I know it is a serious & deadly condition.

I have often joked that I wish I had it just long enough to lose about 170 LBS (since I weigh about 360 LBS). Again, I stress, ONLY LONG ENOUGH TO LOSE THE WEIGHT. The only problem is, I can't purge myself. I don't see how anyone can willingly do that. If I go without eating for too long, I get extremely miserable. I'll feel like a beast that will tear anything down to get some food in my gut.

I remember, a few years ago, The Mobile Press Register ran a story on a woman who had annerexia just after she died. She was in her mid to late 30's. It showed a picture of what she looked like when she graduated high school & then it showed what she looked like just a couple of weeks before she died. She weighed about 130 LBS at her graduation & only weighed about 60 LBS before she died. She also appeared significantly older too. She looked beautiful in her graduation picture. Its sad to see someone go through that kind of transformation.

 

I do agree with you Sue.
I just wondered why people treat those with different eating disorders differently. As if some are a disease and others are not.

 

Like anorexia and obesity, bulemia requires help from someone trained in eating disorders. It's not something one can just "get over" by listening to a pastor's sermon on self control or a friend's opinion that "you look great the way you are." Problems with weight often involve emotional issues that need to be addressed before physical healing can take place.

I would recommend a good Christian councellor for the person and show lots of compassion.

 

I agree counseling is the first step, and that it should be christian counseling. Where do medications fit in that have been mentioned in other posts? Taking care of a disease medically?

 

I agree the eating diorders Bullemia and Anoroxia Nervosa require professonal medical treatement. The girls need coulseling and intervention. I knew a girl who waas anorexici,
Faithgirl

 

Anorexia is where you starve your self. The perosn who is anorexic thinks they are fat like the fat lady at the circus

 

Once again we see eating disorders limited to a few and not including them all.

 

All eating disorders are just that; disorders. The causes will vary between persons. There can be both a medical disorder and psychological problem. The treatment may include some medicines, and even "phoney" pills in some cases, hence the medical doctor's involvement. Along with the medical aspect is the psychological connection. It may all be in the mind, but it takes both approaches to bring about healing. Whilst I have had all kinds of counselling courses and even studied some psychology, I am hesitant to take on this awesome burden with someone's life, as a pastor who counsels. I don't mind being one of the counsellors, but I am not so stupid that I would handle it all alone.

People with anorexia nervosa develop chemical imbalances and these lead to fatal conditions even though from all external appearances the person seems to be on the road to recovery. One prime example is Karen Carpenter who admitted that she had "a lot of living to do..." Two weeks later she was dead.

Yes, there are all kinds of eating disorders, and You need to lose weight, or gain weight are not simple answers.

Hence, I repeat that professional people must be involved right to the end. Spiritual counselling enters the picture from beginning to end, and I consider it as vital, but not alone.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Yet we have people here who are constantly bashing, attacking people with these diseases. So how much do you think yelling at people like has been done here helps, or hurts, the situation.

 

Donna, some yell because they think it is all in the head and that John 3:16 solves every problem in the universe.

Sometimes one must take a firm stand, but it must be done with knowledge of the infliction and not apart from it. As the saying goes, firm kindess.

I have seen people come home from six weeks in hospital and head straight for the loo with finger down throat....back to day one. They gorge to satisfy the onlookers and purge to satisfy themselves. The chemical imbalance continues to destroy internal organs. It is like people who stop taking prescribed medications because they feel well, whilst the original infection revives.

In normal counselling, one has the person describe what they think is their problem. In the next session, you get them to describe what is actualy happening..........Then the counsellor can tell them the truth of what is happening.......Then we can start the cure.

Cheers,

Jim

 

What makes eating disorders (all of them) hard to cure, is that it is not only a disease, but an addiction.

IMHO, they should definitely seek out professional counseling and medical help.

There are mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual issues to be dealt with and they ALL need dealt with at the same time.

Usually (not always) an eating disorder stems from the way a person sees him/herself...which is very seldom the way other people see them.

Addictions have affected most of us, at one time or another. Smoking and getting drunk (I did not say taking a drink, though I personally don't drink) just to mention two. People know their addiction is killing them, but they cannot stop without counseling and/or medical help.

Over-eating or Under-eating can kill you just as quickly as drunkeness and smoking.

 

I wouldn't say that I have a disorder (just yet). I don't consider myself an emotional eater. I never get hungry when I am depressed. I don't feel the need to stuff myself when I am angry.

I know what my problems are:
My primary problem is I eat too much. When I am at the grocery store or a fast food place, I will generally buy things in twos. For example, I will buy two of most items or even four. When I am at a buffet, I feel like I have to finish off my plate. When I eat a meal at home, I feel like I am wasting food if I don't clean off my plate. That's my main problem. The way to fix this is cut back my portions - easier said than done.

Another problem I have is on occasion, I'll get a craving for certain foods that I am trying to stay away from. Lately, I have been trying to avoid fast foods, ice cream, cheese (blocks), & sodas. If cheese & ice cream are in my fridge, they don't stand a chance. There are times where I will have a craving for those (especially fast foods & sodas). When faced with this problem while not 100% effective, I have to use strict psychological & physical discipline. - This may include telling myself "NO!" or if I do decide to get one of those items I am trying to avoid, I may exercise to the point to where it hurts or beyond.

I weigh in twice a day. By doing that I can stay on top of my weight. When it starts to go up or if there is no change I can work harder to get it to go down. I almost have to carry an OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) mentality about my weight. If I don't, then I just lose intrest in trying to stay healthy.

I've been walking 2 miles four times a week for almost a month. I have tried doing three miles, my feet just start hurting at that point. The next step is cutting back my portions. I just need cut back gradually & not all at once.

 

Bossman, When I went to a diabetic diet for obvious reasons, and all food was served by weight, they suggested usng smaller plates. That way it looked like more and finishing the platefull seemed ample. I am not allowed to gain or lose 5 lbs.

Good old psychology!

Cheers,

Jim

 

I am glad there is some good conversation going on about addictions, and eating disorders. As with any addiction, any kind of eating addiction needs medical, spiritual and psychological help, not yelling or demanding.
Some would do well to remember that, perhaps they could actually help someone, and not do them more harm, as we've see done here before.

I've had others here before tell me in pm about psychological problems, or addictions and they were afraid to say anything publicly because they were afraid of being abused like they'd seen others here done. Especially when it comes to using medications for these problems. In these cases the yelling and demanding did not help a single person but it did harm people.