Keep in Mind

EDs are not about the weight.

EDs are not about the food.

EDs are about control.

Weight and food are merely the vehicles that the sufferer believes or says it’s about.

Weight and food are the vehicles that are used to express the sufferer’s distress.

Weight and food are the vehicles that are used as the sufferer’s coping skills...until more effective skills are learned.

Diets don’t work.

What may start out as a simple vanity diet to lose a couple of pounds may spiral into a severe addiction to ED.

Diets may result in EDs or other disordered eating habits.

ED thinking begins long before the first binge, purge, or restrictive behaviors begin.

EDs do not end when the behavior ceases. The thoughts, feelings & preoccupations remain for some time and must be managed to prevent relapse.

ED behaviors are simply the manifestation of the underlying psychological problems.

Not all ED victims have been told they are fat or that they need to lose weight.

ED victims are more sensitive by nature than others and may internalize comments they hear about others.

There is no one variable that causes an ED. There is no one person to blame.

Weight gain is only the first line of defense for someone with anorexia nervosa. Weight gain alone will not cure the eating disorder!

Eating disorders are not a choice. They are serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses which require a multi-faceted approach to treatment.

If not identified or treated in their early stages, eating disorders can become chronic, debilitating, and even life-threatening conditions.

Early diagnosis and intervention significantly enhances the rates of recovery.

Reference: Mendelsohn, Susan, J. “It’s Not About the Weight: Attacking Eating Disorders From The Inside Out.”  iUniverse. 2007

If you have any questions or concerns about your loved one, feel free to contact Dr. Susan Mendelsohn at drsusie@me.com.