caraway

(I hope you're going to follow up on this thread - I'd love to hear how things go!)

sobergirl77

Tazman, your letter was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes!

I understand all too well the anorexic alcoholic problem sweeping the world... the experts are calling it "Drunkorexia". I myself had a touch of this during my last couple of months drinking. I know of a lot of people who would deny food to save calories for alcohol.

I'm glad she is getting help... it's a huge step towards recovery. You and your family will be in my prayers!

Toomutch

Taz,

It tore at my heart to read your post.

My daughter was hospitalized last year for anorexia. She was in a hospital bed for two weeks straight on a heart monitor because her heart rate was so low. Se then moved to inpatient and finally on to out patient. All together she spent 3 months at Childrens Hospital in Denver.

It is such a scary disease my daughter is a athlete and an over achiever. I would venture to guess that you daughter is an over achiever and a people pleaser. That personality type seems to be almost without exception a rule. You will find that it does not have so much to do with eating, but more about what is going on inside of her.

It will not be easy for you and your family, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The doctors and therapists told us all along that we had age on our side. She was 13 at the time. For some reason the younger teens make a full recovery much more often that older older,say college age girls (or boys) do.

The doctors were right about Kaylee. She is fully recovered now. From 5'7" and 77 lbs. up to 132 at 5'9".
Please PM me if you would like to. I spent months in group and family thereapy with her and I have a fairly good understanding of the disease.

I will be praying for you and your daughter.

PrettyViolets

I just wanted to share my experience as well. I suffered from anorexia when I was 14 years. I lost down to 80 lbs. I would have to say that anorexia is an addiction of too much control--I controlled how much I ate, I counted calories, I exercised a lot. I am very much a perfectionist and overachiever. I would look in the mirror and I was never good enough. I am very much a woman with a lot of emotions--I can cry a lot. When I lost the weight, I controlled those emotions--I did not cry. The addiction of anorexia comes across childlike--it was like I was afraid of being an adult and my own sexuality. Luckily, I was hospitalized and they got me to 100 lbs(I thought more rationally after that point). I remember looking at a picture of Audrey Landers and saying--I want to look like that (I want to have meat on my bones and be a woman with emotions and just deal with life)--I think that was a breakthrough (rather than I am not perfect enough and I need to control my weight).

I am 36 years old now. It is wonderful to have a life now that I no longer need to control my weight--when I am hungry I eat, and I have gained more balance in my life and my eating habits (all of the guys in my life like meat on my bones).

lovingseren

Taz,
I appreciate your words so much, blessings to you, your family and all who shared here.

Seren