Eating help: How do you know if you have an eating disorder because I don’t know whether I have or haven’t. - Help.com

No, you really, really don’t want one, even if people would notice you.
Eating disorders are mostly a symptom of a deeper problem.
Fistly, are you ‘underweight’? If so how much. That’s by the scales, not the mirror.
Secondly, do you think you’re fat even tho you’re underweight?
Thirdly, do you make yourself throw up after eating if you think you’ve eaten the wrong thing?

james - i’m not ‘underweight’. I think I’m fat even though people say they wish they could be as skinny as me. I don’t throw up after eating but I punish myself and I feel like I should throw up.

Sounds like you haven’t got an easting disorder! I’m so glad. :o) :o) :o)
It’s normal to think you’re fat, even when other people don’t think you are. People tell me I’m not really fat, but I don’t see it!
Don’t give in to the temptation to throw up or punish yourself. The feeling will go away oooooh so much quicker if you never do it.
:o) Tell me which bits of you you think are fat? Chances are you’re just uber-critical of yourself! Who isn’t? Which bits of you do you really like?

james - I like my eyes, but they’re not fat and they can’t physically be fat. But if I don’t punish myself and do loads of exercise then I might make myself throw up and I don’t want to do that because then it would confirm my idea that I have an eating disorder. Punishing myself is the ‘lesser of two evils’.

Keep fighting the temptation to have an eating disorder. It sounds like you’re doing really well. Stick at it! You’re strong, you can do it. So long as your punishment is exercise, and you’re not cutting yourself or anything like that?
Can you go talk to your mum or something? Or even your doctor? They might help you.

You could start with this link http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/useful… it will work out if you are over/under weight.
Then click on the links that tell you what to do with any problems it comes up with.

If you are having serious problems with your weight you should get your doctor to help you.

Maybe it’s not an “eating disorder,” but it’s probably some variation of obsessive compulsive disorder.

james-my ‘punishment’ varies. I’ve thought of cutting but never been strong enough to try it. I flick myself with an elastic band, not allow myself to have snacks, exercise compulsively or not allow myself to sit down. I could never go to my mum.

thep-Sorry, can’t go to my doctor either

dizzy-Probably :P

I dont think any one is going to be able to help you, if you reject everything out of hand. You have to be willing to help as well.

It sounds like you’re doing well, An. Stay strong! Don’t cut, just don’t start. Much, much easier not to. It’s not strong to do it, it’s weak. Got a friend you can talk it all through with? I agree with Dizzy, maybe you have got ocd. Remember that when people call you skinny, it may be that they’re right. Perhaps you’re really beautiful, just looking at yourself all wrong?
btw, your Mum prob went through exactly what you’re going thru at some point, so altho you may not want to talk to her, she’d prob be more understanding than you realise.

james-I don’t think she did. She seems so together. I have a friend that I tell a lot of things to but I don’t think I could tell her this because she’s got a lot of things going on at the moment. I’ve got no-one to talk to, that’s why I came on here.

thep-I don’t want anyone to know, that’s why I can’t go to anybody. I’m not strong enough.

I think perhaps youve made your mind up already, about the direction you want to go. All I can say is, I would like it if you try to do as much as you can to help yourself.
There will be others on here that have been in the same position as yourself. They might have advice as to non harmful, over the counter, safe meds. If you live in the UK this advice is available free, from ANY chemist or ANY NHS medical drop in center.
Also if you eat at some time during the day, where you dont spew up at the first opportunity, then take vitamin+ tablets. The + means they have vitamins + minerals. this at least gives you the chance to get the daily recomended amounts of vits and minerals your body needs.
For any tablet to work propperly, it needs some food to help it into your bloodstream and should always be taken with water. Unless it says different on the instructions or your doctor tells you otherwise.

I dont know of any self help cures for mental dissorders, these do need experts to find out what is the best treatment for every individual case.
I cant help any more than this, I dont know enough about the subject or your problems.

I dont know for sure, but I have the feeling we have talked together previously.

Why are you talking about tablets and mental disorders? I don’t understand. We may have talked before but nobody is helping me. I don’t want to be like this, please help!

just because your not physically throwing up the things you eat, excessive exercise as punishment after you eat is another form of purging and it is often times considered an eating disorder.
think about it. your PUNISHING yourself for eating. something that should be a normal human thing. that doesn’t deserve punishment.
however, i wish i could help you, but i’m struggling with similar things.