Starvers and Barfers: The Many Faces of Eating Disorders

Adolescents with eating disorders usually fall into two categories.
They are either starvers or barfers.

Most adolescents don't experience both, although there are a small percentage of adolescents who do. Most adolescents with eating disorders have a love-hate relationship with food.
They love to eat but hate to have eaten it. After they finish eating, a tape plays in their heads saying: You're so fat! What the heck did you eat that for! You're so out of control! Can't you just not eat! Those this sound familiar? We must recognize that negative self-talk is part of what causes a lot of eating disorders in the first place.
Adolescents who have eating disorders tend to have a low self-image and a low body-image. And because of this, they tend to say really negative things about themselves constantly in the form of negative self-talk.
If you're in a similar situation, there are a few things that you can do to stop the onset of the self-hatred that can result in an eating disorder.
1.
Know that you are great just as you are.

Practise standing in front of a mirror and saying at least five things that you like about yourself out loud. Do this for a few weeks.
You will feel so much better as a result.
2.

Enjoy what you eat.

Eat healthy foods and go on a healthy eating plan. But don't diet, and don't take diet pills.
Further, don't take diuretics or laxatives. Realize that you are beautiful just as you are and you don't need those things to make yourself feel better about yourself. 3. Avoid purging or starving yourself after meals. If you discover that you have been doing one or the other for a while, you should try and seek help.
Go and see your general practitioner and talk to him or her about your difficulties.

You will be really glad that you did and you may be able to avoid further difficulties later. 4.

Remember that you don't have to live up to our society's view of what is perfect for you. Each of you are unique.

That means that your body shape is different and you each have both physical and mental features which are praiseworthy, and beyond criticism by your peers or the media.

So, take the time today to honour yourself.
Take the time to have a good and healthy meal.
Enjoy every bite of it and know that regardless of what the media, your peers, or even siblings say, you are great just as you are.
Now go and stand in front of a mirror and repeat these words: I am GREAT just as I am right this very moment. Do this as often as you can.