Lakeview ED Group on Hiatus

Due to staff transitions here at the Lakeview Center for Psychotherapy, our Eating Disorders Support Group is going to go on hiatus. Our last meeting will be held tonight, Friday April 30th, at 7pm. If you'd like to be told when we start the group back up again, please comment here and let us know. In the meantime, ANAD (The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Related Disorders) will be happy to help you find other support groups in the area. They can be reached at (630)577-1330, and also have information on their website at anad.org.

It has been an honor to lead the group during this time, and I thank everyone who has come for sharing their stories and their support.

Best,
Liz

Questions?

If you have questions about eating disorders or disordered eating post them here. A therapist will respond. (This forum is to provide information only and is not a substitute for psychotherapy.)

Mother's Weight Anxiety Strongly Affects Pre-School Girls' Self-Esteem

The journal Pediatrics, 2001, reported that preschool girls whose mother expressed "higher concern" over their daughters' weights not only reported more negative body images than their peers but also perceived themselves as less smart and less physically capable, regardless of the child's actual size.

"Supermodel Citizen" - The Echoing Green

Our discussion at the meeting last night about unrealistic body images in the media made me think of this song, by The Echoing Green, who are a band I like a lot:

"Supermodel Citizen"

Picture in the fashion magazine says I'm not complete
It's so discreet...I smell deceit
They need someone to make 'perfect' but I can see -
That somebody's not me

You buy into what they're selling and then
They kick you down until you start all over again
They don't care where you're coming from
Or where you've been
As long as you're a supermodel citizen

Empty faces on your screen
(Supermodel citizen)
Tearing down your self esteem
(Supermodel citizen)

Is there a difference between what is me
And what I see on the TV?
Someone showing me the 'me' I'm supposed to be...
It's not a physical reality
Well don't think, don't worry, don't talk just
Hurry grab the phone and get your order in by 10:00
They'll never let up 'til you're fed up
And you set up your lifetime account
With supermodel citizen

Empty faces on your screen
(Supermodel citizen)
Tearing down your self esteem
(Supermodel citizen)

If they used more than their eyes
They'd be able to see
There's a heavenly beauty
Inside of me

***

It is so important to look for that beauty inside ourselves, and sometimes so difficult to see it.

- Liz

What do you think needs to be done to bring more awareness about eating disorders?

I think the best way to intervene is to educate parents about how to promote positive attitudes in their children about their bodies and food.  The earlier eating disorders are detected, the easier it is to change these patterns.  Schools are now much more aware of the signs of eating disorders and intervene on students' behalf.  

Most people now have a fairly good awareness of eating disorders, what they may be unaware of is how prevalent disordered eating is.  A majority of women and more and more men are attempting to keep their bodies below their natural healthy set point.  Only a small number of bodies can be both healthy and thin.  Accepting our natural body shape is key to overcoming both disordered eating and eating disorders.

Another point that could be emphasized to the public is that eating disorders are not about vanity and appearance but are indicative of a person's low self-esteem, loneliness, anxiety and depression.  As it becomes less stigmatized and more acceptable to seek counseling and psychotherapy, more people may receive these services before their eating disorders become entrenched. 

What do you wish people would know about this issue?

One thing I think it is difficult for people who don't struggle with the disorder to grasp is that getting over an eating disorder is not just a matter of willpower, determination, or "just doing it." These behaviors are the expression of a person's inner conflicts and worries.  Until these underlying issues are address, it a very difficult to imagine giving up the disorder.

Another topic which people misunderstand is the connection between our society's dieting culture and the prevalence of eating disorders.  When people of normal healthy weight call themselves fat and constantly discuss the need to lose weight, it contributes to a perfectionism and an unrealistic standard that encourages eating disorders.  It is hard to for clients to understand why everyone around them is restricting and over-exercising when they are trying to stop.  I would like to see healthy people making positive comments about their bodies and enjoying food without guilt.  I would like to see people of all sizes represented positively in the media.

Finally, I would like to see more of an emphasis in our culture on strengthening supportive family and community connections, as isolation and a lack of loving, accepting relationships are also significant factors in the development of eating disorders.

What have you learned in working with eating disorders?

One thing I've learned in working with eating disorders is how to stay calm and allow clients to progress at their own pace.  When someone is doing something that is harmful, it is easy to become panicked and push them to give up the symptom before they are ready.  This tends to backfire.  What I have learned is to help the client find the part of her or himself that wants to find better ways of managing their feelings and difficulties, and to provide a sense of hope that change is possible for them.  There is always a fine tightrope to walk between acceptance and change. Another important idea I've learned in this work is that every symptom, no matter how seemingly self-destructive, serves an important function and is that person's best attempt to cope with their circumstances.  This understanding also allows me to respect my clients' attachment to their eating disorder while at the same time, gently encouraging them to experiment with new methods of self-care.

What Is it like to work with eating disorders?

I find it very rewarding to work with eating disorders.  They are complex problems that require creativity, flexibility and patience to address.  Eating disorders are the result of cultural and societal pressures as well as individual vulnerabilities.  When I work with people with eating disorders I like to think I am helping the individual and also helping to make small changes in societal values.  When a person is motivated to change his or her relationship with food, there is a high rate of recovery.  It is exciting to me to watch someone becoming more balanced, self-confident, and productive.  As people are able to let go of their eating disorder symptoms they have more energy available to focus on their goals and reach their potential.

Eating Disorders Questions

Alitze is a social work student working on a project about eating disorders.  I am posting the answers to her questions here because I think they are helpful to the general public.