Do I have an eating disorder and just do not realize it?

[SarahLizzie 2]

I know my question sounds crazy, but it is a legitimate question. The last couple years I have been in such an awful financial situation, to where I have had to skip eating completely for 5 -12 days sometimes just to be sure I had enough food in the house to feed my children. Due to this, over a very short period of time I lost about 70 pounds.

My boyfriend loved me when i was 70 pounds heavier, and loves me just as much now. However, now when I look in the mirror I debate if I feel like eating that day or not. And I feel like I look huge, even though I have gone from a size 20 down to a 7/9.

I still end up going days at a time without eating. Sometimes it is still to be sure i have plenty of food for my children, and part of it is because I am afraid if I continue to eat normally, all the weight I lost will come back. I do not get hungry anymore, it is more like I remember to eat when I start to feel sick. Then it is more like oh yeah! I forgot to eat the last three days. It's not always intentional though. I do forget, I stay extremely busy with my children and work and the freelance writing I have been doing on the side. So I easily get side tracked away from eating.

Is this normal or is this a sign of something more serious? I did not start to question it until people have made comments about my continued weight loss, and my mother has been telling me I look like I am anorexic now.

[Gilly 1086]

To be honest sarah, I would see someone about that because even though that doesn't sound like your typical eating disorder it's not normal. It may be that anxiety has manifested itself in that way or it could even be OCD

[shaun 6]

It is not healthy, you have developed a concerning attitude to food and your weight because of your commendable desire to feed your children. You are not to blame, society is to blame, no one should have to starve in order to feed their children. You need to break out of the habit of not eating, set a plan and stick to it. Start by remembering to eat one meal a day, then two means a day, and then 3 meals a day. You will not gain fat if you eat healthy foods, I know it's difficult on a tight budget but it is possible. Buy meat in bulk, buy frozen vegetables, buy lentils and soak overnight etc. Coconut is another good option, rich in good fat, one coconut will supply you with quality fat and they cost about 30p each. You need fat to maintain a healthy weight.

[Dawn 1]

I feel that you need to do something about this. What an awful situation you have found yourself in and I agree that society is to blame. However you do need to eat healthy food or you will be storing up problems for the future.

You have put your children's health ahead of your own and now you need to consider their needs again. You will not be much help to them in the future if you become ill. What you have is a form of Anorexia, which is basically the inability to eat. You need to get help, for your children's sake if not for your own.

[racechick79 2]

Years ago I went through something similar. Definitely not the same situation, but was similar in that I never intended to have an eating disorder. I ended up, after a few years, going to a doctor and therapy for it. They told me that I didn't have an eating disorder, I had what was called Disordered Eating. I was given many things to do and work through in my case. I would definitely recommend talking with your primary care doctor and explaining this and see what he/she can help you with or where they can direct you. Let me know if you would like to talk more!

[char2011 1]

This sounds really serious and I think you should see someone about it. It's definetly not healthy to be skipping meals especially not for days.

[magickitty 0]

I completely understand the financial issues - I lost my job several months ago through no fault of my own (my place of employment went out of business) and so far, I've been unable to find a new job (I've been trying, trust me).

Still, I have to agree with the others here that it's time to see a doctor or therapist. It sounds like the reasons for your lack of eating have gone beyond the financial ones. It's one thing to skip a meal here and there, but skipping for several days in a row is not good at all. Your body breaks down muscle tissue for energy, you start to have vitamin and mineral deficiencies, your electrolytes can go out of whack (which can cause problems with your heart), your immune system is reduced, and so on. As Dawn said, you need to take care of yourself so you can take care of your kids.

[deecee 2]

I agree with the other posters that it may be time to speak to your doctor.

One practical suggestion that might help with your budget is to research if there are any food banks in your area. Depending on your situation, you may also qualify for food assistance from the state. It is hard to ask for help, but if you were able to access these resources, it might help you to deal with food in a healthier way.

[Esperahol 0]

You do have a problem, and you have met the first step in the solution by admitting that. You seem to have an eating disorder although I won't speculate on the specifics of it or the underlying roots for it. I will say that there are resources available that you seem to be qualified for. Some of those resources are government-funded, while others are more local but it either way you should reach out to them rather than go without. The next thing to do after that is to see a doctor and tell him about your situation. Another thing you can do is look up local resources for mental health since they may well be able to provide assistance that the doctor can't or won't. One last thing would be to look at how you use what funds you have in producing your family's meals. I would suggest checking out recipes from the show Semi-homemade on Food Channel because the host has personal experience with making food stretch.

[SarahLizzie 2]

First I want to thank everyone who has commented and will comment in the future for you understanding. Generally when I try to get some one's opinion on the matter, I get judged right away. Thank you everyone for allowing me to open up to you. And thank you all for being so understanding.

Based on everyone's recommendation, I am going to schedule an appoint with my doctor. Just as soon as I get my health insurance straightened out with my new employer. (I don't know what is going on HR is looking into it. I have been paying for it since January 1, 2012, and I have not received any information. HR shows now record of it, but it shows n my pay stubs, blah blah blah) .

In an attempt to be able to afford enough for too feed everyone in the family every meal, I have begun doing some online work to make extra money. If I put forth enough effort, I think I will be able to earn an extra $200-250/month which will be a huge help with purchasing food. Once I am able to get in to see a doctor I will update you all with he says. I have to admit, I am scared now.

I will admit, for quite some time now I have been suspecting that my financial situation aided in the development of anorexia, or something along those lines. Having others confirm my fear, is absolutely terrifying. I appreciate everyone's honesty. This has been a huge reality check. And again I will update you all once I am able to see a doctor.

[racechick79 2]

We are all here for you if you need. Eating disorders can be very scary things; but you are taking the right steps, and even though it is hard to think about now, you will be happy you made this decision and took these steps down the road! Good luck and definitely keep us posted!

[shaun 6]

They might not be judging you, it might be your own biased thinking. Do you think everyone is judging you harshly? It is a common belief among people with social anxiety. They assume everyone is judging them.

Well done for deciding to seek help for your problem, it takes courage to accept you have a problem and seek help. Good luck.