"Don't worry, it's just anxiety", confused:-(

[Kessa]

Hi everyone,

I'm just confused about my eating disorder assessment with my GP..I was referred by another doctor to him but the whole assessment was weird..

He asked things like "Do you like food?" ,"Do you eat meat?"..after saying no ( it's one of my fear foods) he was like "are you a vegetarian?"..then he asked "Are you worried about calories and being fat?"

And I was like no..( I don't count calories anymore, it just leads to binging so I'm not actually worried as long as I don't gain a lot)..

I told him I had concerns about my weight, that I had been on a lot of diets. I constantly check in the mirror to see if I have fat on my tights but when I restrict it's not mainly about calories, it's more about compensating for the food I eat during my emotional eating/ binging episodes, it's a lot about managing my emotions..

I don't worry about single calories or nutrients so much but my goals about my weight are not achievable by eating in a healthy way, so I basically starve myself to maintain a low weight..

I spend half of the day watching videos about fad diets or TV shows like supersize Vs superskinny.. constantly..I think about about my next meal all day..

He weighted me and said I was not so underweight..

I don't know I feel like I still struggle but maybe I don't have a typical eating disorder..i feel it might be disordered eating? I know some people struggle with abnormal eating patterns but they don't necessarily have an eating disorder.

I'm just confused about this being just anxiety..maybe it's me and I'm overreacting..

I don't know what do do, I just want to give up at this point..

[openmindmh]

I think you need an assessment with a mental health professional, not a GP. GPs have very little knowledge of eating disorders. Go back and ask for a referral, mention the bingeing, the starving etc. It sounds like you need help.

Good luck, don't give up!

[Kessa in reply to openmindmh]

thank you all of you for the replies..

I will try to get a referral for a specialistic service. Unfortunately seems like in my area you have to be referred by your gp to access specialistic treatments. When I went in, he looked like he didn't know why I was there. He just started to make up some questions about food..If he just keeps giving me anxiety tablets, I might definitely think about changing gp or surgery..

xx

[Icanhelpyou5]

Hi dear

That GP has not taken you seriously enough which is very sad. To me, you already have ED and it’s important you get proper treatment and support for it now. I had a similar encounter with a food therapist who asked me “What kind of food do you binge?” I said “Healthy food like bread, yogurt, fruits, etc” she said “well then it’s perfectly fine as long as you don’t binge sweets.” I was looking at her like “Are you serious? That’s what you tell someone who is binging and has bulimia?” The woman wasn’t taking me seriously and she didn’t understand what I’m going through so I just stopped going there and got better by myself and with the grace of God. The urge to stay alive and healthy became bigger than wanting to be slim and die or fall sicker (I developed arrhythmia as a result of anorexia). So please Kessa, take your situation seriously, regardless of what others say and get some help before your condition gets worse. You are beautiful and perfect the way you are and you can get the body you want with a good diet and an exercise plan. No one has to starve themselves to look good. It’s not worth it.

Always feel free to talk and ask any questions if you want.

Love, Maria

[Kessa in reply to Icanhelpyou5]

did she seriously tell you that? I'm speechless. I'm sorry you had to hear that. I don't know if I have an Ed but I can see how many people have misconceptions about eating disorders or they think it's just about wanting to lose weight. I've never had to watch my weight actually, the reasons I lose control around food are different.

Thank you for the nice words Maria!:)you are beautiful as well and seem a really nice person. you were very brave to fight to get better, especially doing it on your own. it must be difficult. i hope I'll have the motivation to do it as well. I had actually managed to get better but relapsed every time, especially because i triggered by other people.

Did you read any self help book or did you talk to someone (friend, family..) about it?

[Icanhelpyou5 in reply to Kessa]

Lol yes she seriously told me that. Thanks ❤️ I think you should still get help for your situation. It doesn’t have to be ED for you to get help. You have the signs and now is the time to act before it gets worse. I didn’t read any books. I had my family and friends as my support that helped me to get through it but I wasn’t able to talk to anyone with ED so no one really understood what I was personally going through. But talking to someone about it in general helped me. You should do the same and most importantly try to understand why you lose control every now and then and how could you get the control back?

[Kessa in reply to Icanhelpyou5]

I'm happy you had some support from people around you. My partner and family know but I try to hide it from my family because i feel sorry they have to worry and because they stopped my weight loss 5 years ago and that's how I started overeating and binging. i think it's easier to lose control over food when i'm on those pro-ana website (I'm not pro eating disorders tough), i just can't get away and stop looking for tips and i can't stop watching Supersize vs Superskinny. it all makes it worst because people are so skinny I feel so bad when i watch them but still cannot stop.

The Dr. now gave me vitamins but he just seems to cure physical symtoms:/

thank you again for replying<3

[Icanhelpyou5 in reply to Kessa]

You need to stop watching that show or any movie or any picture that represents or admires skinny people with any ED or whatsoever. The only way you can mentally get rid of the disease is to ignore it and distract yourself positively with something else. Something healthy that gives you peace, joy and strength for example music or art or reading. And you need that diet plan, exercise plan and a psychologist you can talk with. You know binging and bulimia comes as a result of fasting and not eating? Your body craves for all that it has lost. It won’t stop until your body has gotten everything it needs to function well and to stay healthy. Binging is the result of your body crying for help. Listen to your body and take care of it. Try to avoid binging ofc and what you can do is take something little every 2 hours. Fruits, berries, vegetables, nuts, something light that will keep you from binging but will give your body the energy it needs.

[Redpand]

I’m so sad to hear this, please go back to your gp and ask for another referral. I took my daughter numerous times to the drs as I knew things were not right regarding her eating (very much like what you have said) eventually 2yrs later we saw another go who instantly recognised she had a eating disorder, she then referred her to a mental health team who were fantastic, she had a assessment which took 2hrs and was diagnosed with anorexia 😞. Unfortunately things had been left too long and she is now a inpatient on a ED unit , so far she’s been there 7months and now doing amazingly well. I’m sure that had my concerns been take seriously at the start then she would have recovered with the community mental health team so please don’t leave this as getting help early is essential for a faster recovery and living a good life that you deserve. I wish lots of luck, you can and will do this with the correct help x

[Kessa in reply to Redpand]

I'm so sorry to hear you had an unpleasant experience with drs as well it makes me sad that it almost feels like you have to get worst before you can get some help.

I'm so happy your daughter got eventually the help she deserves and is doing better. it really gives me a lot of hope, and i really thank you for sharing this because i was so disappointed that i was like " Scr*w it!, i will continue with my diets then!"..but after reading about your story, i thought I don't want to get worst, i know i'm ok enough to avoid inpatient and i would like to focus on other things in my life other than food. I just have to know how to manage my emotions without using food. I also have to visit my parents soon and I know I lost some weight - even tough not excessively- and I'm so anxious about it because i don't want anyone to worry.

Good luck to both you and your daughter!She is very brave for taking the steps to get better!if you feel like giving us updates on how she is - if she wants to - feel free to write anytime. I've heard inpatient can be hard but I know she will do amazingly and she'll have you to support!x