Eating Disorders / Question
Published: November 25, 2002
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I'm 15 I used to be anorexic- 5ft 7in, 38kg (84lbs) and then something happened which stopped me in my tracks and now i can't stop eating- I went from way too thin to fat- am now 5, 8 and wel.. this is ddisgusting, but 61 kgs. I eat like a pig. But worse than that, i'm never happy. I cut my wrists every night as relief, i smoke and drink and really wish i could die. I hate myself so much and i don't even know why. I have a family and lots of friends who all care about me. A couple of my friends know how i feel but they can't help me, because i dont even know how they can. I don't know why im so depressed, i just am. Now what?
Signed: Smile Just Before You Cry
Dear Smile Just Before You Cry,
TeenHealthFX is concerned about you. Feeling out of control, cutting yourself, smoking, drinking and feeling like you hate yourself is a lot to bear. TeenHealthFX wants you to know that you can feel better, but it will take time and some work.
You do not say if you have talked to your parents about what you have been experiencing. Try letting them know how difficult life has been for you and that you need help to feel better. If you cannot talk to them, try confiding in another trusted adult like an aunt, your doctor or your school counselor. Asking for help is the first step to feeling better.
Your parents or a trusted adult can help you find professional help. You can talk about your issues with a skilled therapist who can help guide you along the path to feeling better, eating healthy and building your self-esteem. If you need help finding a therapist and live in northern
As you probably are already discovering, drinking and smoking may dull the pain temporarily, but the pain is still there when their effects wear off and you run the risk of new troubles brought on using alcohol and tobacco or pot.
For information about anorexia, read our answer to Getting Over An Eating Disorder. Search our Cutting category for our answers to other teen's concerns about cutting, especially, Cutting And Alone. You can also check out the S.A.F.E. website for more information about cutting.
If you feel you are in danger of harming yourself, please, get help immediately! In northern
Signed: TeenHealthFX
A national study of women ages 15-44 found that women were almost twice as likely to receive contraceptive services rather than STD services.
