Author: frivvy89
Do you have a grandma who talks about weight and diet a lot? If you do, then I’m going to walk you through how you can protect your child from the dangers of weight and diet talk. This is especially important if your child has an eating disorder. But even if they don’t, intervening in Grandma’s weight and diet talk may help you start conversations about body acceptance and possibly even prevent future eating issues. The letterDear Ginny, My daughter went into treatment for bulimia a few months ago, and things seem to be going pretty well. She’s following her treatment…
P!nk’s “I am HERE” has always been one of my go to anthems, but today more than ever the line struck me: “I am here, I am here. I’ve already seen the bottom, so there’s nothing to fear.” I’ve seen the bottom. I’ve seen lots of bottoms in my lifetime – and with each bottom comes a rising. The challenges of this prophylactic double mastectomy and infection has left me gutted and awakened. I’ve felt physical and emotional pain I hope to never experience again. And I’ve been lifted up with love and prayers. I’ve dug deep in my emotional…
Binge eating is a behavior that is becoming increasingly common among many individuals, including children and adolescence, boys and men, ethnic minorities, and older adults. In fact, by 2030, it is estimated that around 1.5 million U.S. men and women will have a binge-eating disorder. It is also one of the few symptoms that occur in almost all of the eating disorder subtypes. More importantly, the presence of recurrent binge eating is associated with numerous deleterious medical, psychological, and social complications But are all binges the same? One common misconception is that all binges are the same. Binge eating can…
A blonde-haired young woman eating burger and French fries in the bed.getty Craving food doesn’t always mean that you’re physically hungry. Sometimes, people turn to food for other reasons such as for seeking comfort or stress relief. Think chowing down on a bar of chocolate after a stressful day at work. Eating a pint of your favorite ice cream when you’re feeling sad. Or, ordering a pizza just because you’re feeling bored or lonely. All of these are examples of emotional eating aka stress eating. Emotional eating basically means eating for reasons other than physical hunger—typically in response to either…
Binge eating is a behavior that is becoming increasingly common among many individuals, including children and adolescence, boys and men, ethnic minorities, and older adults. In fact, by 2030, it is estimated that around 1.5 million U.S. men and women will have a binge-eating disorder. It is also one of the few symptoms that occur in almost all of the eating disorder subtypes. More importantly, the presence of recurrent binge eating is associated with numerous deleterious medical, psychological, and social complications But are all binges the same? One common misconception is that all binges are the same. Binge eating can…
To perform means to entertain an audience. Actors perform when they dress in costume and play the role of a character. Singers perform when they stand on stage and belt the lines to a song. Athletes perform when they practice their sport. A performer is anyone who performs for others to see. Unfortunately, many people approach recovery like it’s a performance. They put on a show to entertain their audience (friends and family members). They want to be applauded and patted on the back for eating. There’s nothing wrong with wanting or needing encouragement. It feels good when your hard…
When a child is in an eating disorder residential treatment center, calls home can be devastating. A mom reached out to me to ask how to handle them. She’s at the end of her rope, and is ready to jump on a plane and pull her daughter out.The letterDear Ginny,My daughter just entered a residential treatment center in a different state from us. We were so lucky to get her into this program, and jumped at the opportunity when a bed opened up. But her calls from the residential treatment center are breaking me. She calls me sobbing and screaming about how…
I had no idea what I might be walking into. To prep, I watched YouTube videos, read blog posts, and searched every corner of the internet to get eating disorder rehab intel. We strive to share insights based on diverse experiences without stigma or shame. This is a powerful voice.Sophomore year of college was supposed to be my year. I had my first summer internship under my belt, decent grades, and a solid group of friends.But, I was also starting the year with something else: a debilitating eating disorder.Instead of sitting in my intro level accounting class, I was sitting…
It is not uncommon to struggle with appearance. Many stand in front of the mirror or look at a picture of themselves only to point out all the minor flaws they’d like to change. It may cause some discomfort or unease, but it doesn’t affect their ability to live a normal life. Most brush it off as simply another minor frustration. This scenario is far from being the case for individuals struggling with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). The dysmorphia experienced exceeds general body dissatisfaction. Those with BDD can feel so overwhelmed and consumed by their perceived flaws that it impacts…
As a pediatrician, I’ve seen how the pandemic has deeply affected our youth; they are suffering from depression and anxiety as they were pulled from routines, school and peers for a year. But one effect I’ve seen that has been surprising: the number of tweens and teens who are suffering from eating disorders, probably brought on by this isolating time.With the increase in coronavirus vaccinations, the relaxation of strict guidelines and the return to school in some communities, it’s easy to think that the worst of this pandemic is behind us. But the pandemic has given rise to a mental…