Hi, new to this forum, and struggling.

[claire30]

Hi All, this is my firsy post here, only just joined.
I have had food issues for a very long time (earliest memory is about 7 years old, refusing to eat).
After my eating got much worse about 5 years ago, i realised that i had a problem with it, but felt unable to tell anyone about it.
Anyway, last year i went to my GP, who refered my to a CBT counsellor, who i saw for about 9 months, but then moved away and thought (stupidly) that i could escape my problems..silly me!
Within weeks of moving house, i had started restricting my food intake again. Not a massive amount, just cutting things out slowly, in what i thought was a sensible diet (no junk food etc).
Since September (when i started uni), i have been getting worse, cutting out more, having worse and worse feelings about food, feeling guilty for even eating etc.
I went to my uni counsellor and told her that i had a 'few issues with diet and food', so she refered me to an Eating Disorder Service..and i now see a counsellor every week, and a dietitian every week too.

The thing is, i am not sure i have an eating disorder. My counsellor thinks that i am Bulimic/Anorexic..but i dont know if thats true! I have never purposely vomited/taken laxatives..i just used to exericse a lot, to burn off the calories/fat/food.

Right now, i certainly know that i have anorexic behaviours (severe restriction of food for the last few weeks)..but that doesnt make me Anorexic does it!!?

I am so confused..not sure what type of eating disordered person i am!

Sorry for the long post, but just needed to get it all out there!

 

[claire30]

Oh, sorry, i forgot to add that the reason i am so against the idea that i have an Eating Disorder is that i am not underweight. i am 9st 6lbs, and 5'6.
Admittedly, i have lost 10lbs in the last 7 days (due to the restriction).

 

[Astrid]

Exercising excessively is a purging behavior just the same as taking laxatives or forcing yourself to vomit, which is probably why your counselor mentioned bulimia. Even if you are not technically "underweight", starving yourself or severely restricting calories is still disordered eating. Please continue with your counseling, especially if this has been an ongoing problem, as you said.

 

[claire30]

Thanks for the reply Astrid,
i guess that i just always thought of an eating disordered person as someone who looks physically ill (ie, too skinny), but i just look normal. Yes, i used to exercise a lot, but no longer do that, its more restriction at the moment.
Thanks again for the reply.