* All people with eating disorders are extremely underweight.
-Not true! Many people with eating disorders aren't underweight at all- some may even be overweight. An eating disorder is a way of dealing with emotions through food: by eating too much, eating too little, "purging" the body of the food, or eating nothing at all. Some of these things may cause drastic weight loss, some may cause the exact oposite. This is a very harmful prejudice: people with eating disorders that aren't underweight may think they do not have a problem because of their weight ("I don't have an eating disorder- I don't look anorectic!"). And many times, even if they DO know they have a problem, they may be too afraid to ask for help ("No one will believe me- they will think I'm only after attention").
* Only girls have eating disorders.
-Many men have eating disorders, and the number of reported eating-disordered men is increacing. Again, a very harmful prejudice, that may keep men from acknowledging their problem, or from telling others they have an eating disorder.
* My anorectic friend ate today. She's not anorectic anymore.
-First of all- anorectics eat. Many of them, anyway. The fact an anorectic ate something big or fattening today, doesn't mean that tomorrow she will do the same. This is a very hard disease to fight, and it takes a long time and a lot of hard work to fight it- One big sandwich isn't enough!
* If an anorectic, a compulsive overeater or a bulimic will eat right, all their problems will be salved.
-The eating habits of people with eating disorders are the symptoms, not the illness. It's a coping mechanism, and it needs to be replaced. Treating the symptoms will not cure the illness.
* "You are doing this to hurt me!"
-No. In a way, he/she is doing this to hurt him/her-self. This is a way of directing all the anger at ones self: "I did something wrong- I'll starve myself. Someone hurt me- I'll throw up." -this is not a deliberate act against anyone.
* "You are only doing this for attention!"
-Do you know anyone that would stick their heads in the toilet simply because they want some attention? -and then do the best they can to hide the fact they did it? This is an addiction- like alcoholism or drug abuse. You don't think an alcoholic drinks to get your attention, do you? And do you think a drug addict sticks the needle in his arm for you to feel sorry for him? I don't think so. And eating disordered people are the same way. It may be a cry for help, but not a conscious one.
* "Compulsive overeaters are all lazy"
-Not true!!! This eating disorder is a coping mechanism. Compulsive overeaters use food to handle their emotions. This is not about sitting all day pigging out- it's about feelings, such as guilt, loneliness, fear etc.
