Take a Right or Left: Recovery or Death
Introduction: Have you ever heard the story of the two mice by Frank Abagnale? Basically, two little mice fell into a bucket full of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. The second mouse struggled so hard, he turned that cream into butter and crawled out. For people struggling with the eating disorder anorexia, there are only two options; to get better, or death. Anorexia is a very serious eating disorder that, according to the National Eating Disorders Association, affects 1 in 2000 people, and 1 in 200 college students. Scarily, while 60% can make a full recovery with treatment, 20% of anorexics die. This makes anorexia the most deadly mental disorder. It might surprise you to know that anorexia really isn’t about food or weight. Anorexia is about a need for perfection; and this desire can carry severe consequences.
I. Growing up in Competitive Cheerleading
a. Pressure for certain physique: public nature, television, company impression, flyers thin, strong, toned, look good in uniforms
b. Junior Intermediate Level: Middle School; coaches pressure to diet, about half of the team developed an eating disorder, including myself & best friend Leah, age 11.
II. Leah’s Struggle
a. Her Story: Flyer that grew quickly, over next few years hit 5’7 and became base; hard for her to handle. Other stressors such as her parents divorce caught up with her, perfectionist personality
b. Anorectic Symptoms: DSM-IV defines anorexia 15% underweight, fear of getting fat and continues to diet while underweight. Also, developed dull hair, skin, loss of period, low blood pressure, fainting spells, heart palpitations, lost nearly 40 pounds, died at 5’7 and 81 pounds after 6 year battle two weeks before 17th .
III. My Struggle
a. Recover or Die: Saw Leah and began to change. Tired of living my life scared of numbers, counting calories, starving myself, passing out all the time, determining self worth by scale, measuring tape
b. Steps to Recovery: January 1, 2012, hit rock bottom and gave life over to Christ. Become weight restored, gained 20 lbs. Only after gaining the weight back was I able