by Megan Furner

Created on: December 19, 2009

Admitting one has an eating disorder is easier than treating it.  Having battled both anorexia and bulimia within the last six years, I cannot reiterate enough the psychosocial and physical damages resulting from these sicknesses.  It is mostly true that those experiencing an eating disorder are aware of the injurious risks; however, they perceive the benefits to far outweigh the cost of their activity.  

Especially in teens, eating disorder patients often believe their habits will lead to true happiness.  Some examples include, "If only I were thinner I could date one of the cute boys at school," or "Look at those Victoria's Secret model's, their bodies are absolutely perfect, and their lives are just fabulous."  Also, "My chances of making the wrestling team or cheerleading squad will increase if lose a lot of weight before tryouts, " or "It's almost bikini season, yikes!"  I've contemplated many of these statements, thinking that losing weight would positively change my life.  Ultimately, the patient's pre-occupation with food, or lack there of, inhibits the achievement of many of these goals.  A relationship would be difficult to sustain and barely enjoyable.  What does one do at a dinner date? Overly thin cheerleaders and wrestlers would lose the muscle essential to the improvement and maintenance of their performance.  Regardless, many eating disorder patients, including myself, doubt reality and follow their own course.

In 9th grade I was the husky cheerleader on our school's JV squad.  In fact, though they were joking, the miniature squad members referred to me as "The Hulk" inasmuch as I was physically built to hoist a flyer into a pyramid with little to no effort.  And the funny thing is I wasn't considered "fat," at least according to my BMI.  I was 5'6 1/2 and 150 lb.  I wore a size ten and a large shirt.  Despite social offenses and personal dissatisfaction with my body, I felt no need to change my weight until I realized it was easier than elders have professed.  My ostensibly magical 10 lb loss inspired me to lose more.  I became incredibly conscious of my calorie intake, rarely exceeding 800 calories per day.  Within a short period of time I lost 30 lbs and was able to wiggle into a size 4, which at a taller height was deemed underweight.  While anorexics weigh well below normal, it is not the numerical factor that is the most crucial-it is the image,

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