Be Aware of Eating Disorders

February 1-7 is Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Eating disorders are something that I am very passionate about, as much of my teenage energy was spent battling both Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. However, I was not an "anorexic" or a "bulimic" - this is something society too often does: labelling the person AS their disorder or disease. A person is not "anorexic", they are a person WITH Anorexia. A person is not "schizophrenic", they are a person WITH Schizophrenia. Be aware of the way you talk about people who have mental illnesses. Stigma & labelling hurt.

- Image is a P.D.A. print of Sheena's Place. Visit www.sheenasplace.org

Top Ten Things My Eating Disorder Has Taught Me by Patricia Hart

TOP TEN THINGS MY EATING DISORDER HAS TAUGHT ME: Do not go for a walk where you pass restaurants with pictures of perfect plastic models of food in windows Do not starve to the point of eating perfect plastic food models Do not try to have the ‘perfect’ body of models with perfectly performed plastic surgery Do not try to be the perfect plastic Barbie doll Do not pretend paying for food with plastic for disorderlied eating purposes makes it less of a strain to your budget Do not consider it a perfectly understandable personality quirk Do not believe in perfect protein meal solutions Do not tell co-workers you have medical reasons for choosing low-fat food, then take a few pieces of sweets to go. Do not read Margaret Atwood to escape mental food imagery Do not make lists of things not to do when having an eating disorder (it’s all-or-nothing thinking; another thing not to do with an eating disorder) IN CASE SOME OF THESE ARE NO GOOD, HERE’S SOME SUPPLEMENTAL ONES: Do not believe in perfect meal plans Do not believe one last blow-out Do not concentrate too hard on other people’s pantries, pretending to be just curious

- "Top Ten Things my Eating Disorder has Taught Me" link: http://www.sheenasplace.org/flushed/literary/literary3.html

"Appearances" by Kyla

I hesitate
to admit
my obsession,
the comfort
it brings
battles depression.
Outsiders can't see
approvals not sought,
thoughts deep within me
are what must be fought.
Turned back on myself
I swallow aggression
once admitted
I face
change is within
my possession.
-http://www.sheenasplace.org/flushed/poetry/poetry1.html


"Food and Weight Preoccupation"
Thoughts, feelings and behaviours related to managing food and weight can begin to interfere with our everyday activities. When we focus too much attention on our bodies and our eating, these preoccupations can quickly lead to missed opportunities in other parts of our lives. Our personal, school or professional lives, not to mention our overall well-being, can be drastically affected. Food and weight preoccupation can also lead to severe physical and emotional problems.

text: http://www.nedic.ca/knowthefacts/foodweight.shtml
painting entitled "I hate myself" link: http://www.raderprograms.com/paintings.htm

"Why I Want Recovery "

I want life, not this death
that I have lived in
I want peace, and not anxiety

I want health and strength,
not weakening and decay
I want to receive what I am given,

and not regurgitate
be it food, friends, compliments
gifts or gaiety

I want to nourish my body
and nourish my soul
I want to love myself
so that others I can love
I want to clearly see myself
so the world I can make out
I want to tell the truth

and stop living in this lie
I want to stand up for myself
and not to compromise
I want to feel to dream, to try
and not hold back, restrict
and die
No longer wish I to deny
myself the chance to learn
to fly
I want to be free just to be me
to comprehend serenity
That's why I want recovery

poem link: http://www.raderprograms.com/paintings.htm