[IluvLucy]

Originally Posted by Smarty Bones

is there anyway you can talk to a third party? a therapist? if you look in the phone book and call around or look on the web, you will find therapists that charge on a sliding scale, based on what you can afford. Even just one session can be helpful.

I say this as someone who has personally benefited from talking to a 3rd party (a counselor during college at first). I used to be a dancer and everyone around me (family, teachers, etc) would tell me I was fat when I was mathematically underweight. NO matter what size anyone is, positive or negative reinforcement from family is very strong. I'm so sorry that I can't talk right now about my own experience (too painful, unhealthy for me to revisit that time right now, i'm so sorry).

Please talk to someone who you can trust AND who isn't necessarily in your family. Family and friend just see the before and after snapshot and not the obsessional thoughts behind it. The reason I suggested a counselor is b/c they have had experience with others in our situation. People who haven't gone thru it can sympathize but it's very hard to understand that it's not just about weight if you or someone close to you has gone through it.

Please consider this. The literature show that early invention is the key to getting and staying in a healthy frame of mind for individuals with eating disorders. As someone who got help late, I really implore you to consider speaking with a doctor or 3rd party of any kind. It's SUCH an isolating condition.

Another thing I learned is to try to avoid is eating disorder forums, which can be counterproductive. Often, postings there can be a trigger for more obsessional thinking and a lot of people posting almost read as tips for maintaining an eating disorder (unintentionally).

I wish you the very best and will be thinking of you.

This is GREAT advice!