Carers’ Burdens

Posted on by ncfed

This post has been reproduced on our other blog at http://deannetalks.blogspot.com

During the summer I have been in Cornwall with family and we had a great time, trying new restaurants, eating a couple of ice creams (Cornish of course) and rejoicing in having the best fish and chips in the world arguably at Rick Stein’s takeaway at Padstow.

And how nice that we were all able to sit down as a family and enjoy or grumble about the food.
It is awful to be with someone who won’t share in the meal because they are on some kind of strange diet or they are allergic to fish or because they are terrified of eating. I’ve done a family check and everyone finds it traumatic and distressing when there is someone who won’t or can’t eat with everyone else.
Why? We’re all individuals. Perhaps we have a caveman gene which puts us on alert when someone in the tribe is not thriving or participating. I have no idea why sharing a meal with loved ones is so important. Last night, youngest daughter cooked for us and eating together was central to the fun.
People with eating disorders really don’t know how much of a burden they put on other people. Much more than other mental health problems. Maybe because sharing food seems important to emotional well being as well as physical health.
People with eating disorders  under-estimate the impact on carers, siblings and friends of strained atmospheres, the overall burdens of being with them and  the worries carers have about the future. Loved ones worry about the effects of bizarre eating  on the sufferer and the effects of parent’s behaviour on their children.
People with eating issues under-estimate the effort it takes to pretend not to notice bizarre eating habits or to try not to make comments. They under-estimate the stress of trying to encourage someone who is struggling.
When we offer unwanted care or attention,  the person with the eating issue is likely to get aggressive or convince themselves that WE are the problem not them.  Then we have to cope with their anger  AS WELL AS the stress and worry of their disorder. The carer struggles to figure out how to communicate their worry without unleashing a tsunami.
It’s not your business says the sufferer. It’s my choice to eat what I please. And so it is. Its normal to reject things we don’t want or like. Yet there is a fine dividing line where we can see that eating has become a form of self harm, and we react to it.
Poor carers.  How can we bridge the gap to make sure that people with eating issues are sympathetic to the trauma of living with someone who cannot eat around the campfire with us.

Exercise: Does It Make You Thin

Posted on by ncfed

We are fascinated by Jacques Peretti’s series on BBC Channel 4- The Men Who Made Us Fat and “Thin” i.e. made us try to lose weight.

So from the horse’s mouth, exercise does lots of good things for you but it may not make you lose weight.  People who exercise and lose weight are usually controlling their eating very carefully. I was amazed to discover that an elite male tennis player was not allowed chocolate for a year, then he indulged after his Wimbledon final by having a couple of chocolate squares.

Wow!

I’m also delighted to have it confirmed that fat people and fat children aren’t lazy at all, that they probably move around less because they are overweight not the other way round.   I’m delighted to learn despite all the government hype that children are moving around as much as they ever did, and that everyone who exercises a lot compensates by resting a great deal too.  Exercise makes you eat more too, there is no backing away from the evidence on that.

And I am horrified that the Food Industry has convinced everyone including people in Government that our problem is being sedentary and it is not their horrible food that is to blame for people being fat. They are so, so wrong.

I’m in favour of exercise, for lots of health reasons but I’m against the message that you are a slob if you don’t go to the gym and work out. I also want to help people who become addicted to exercise as part of their eating disorder.

The real causes of weight gain, apart from food it seems, is not exercise as such – which burns very few calories if you go to the gym a couple of times a week. It is long periods of time sitting down, which lowers the fat burning enzymes which turn energy into fuel which can be burned. For that reason, people who fidget a lot burn much more energy than people who sit down all day and then go out for a run at night.

So people – move around just to have fun and rest when you feel like it. Moving around for fun and being happy is one of the best weight control strategies I know.

 

 

Eating In The Nineteen Fifties

Posted on by ncfed

Pasta had not been invented.

Curry was a surname.

A takeaway was a mathematical problem.

A pizza was something to do with a leaning tower.

Bananas and oranges only appeared at Christmas time.

All crisps were plain; the only choice we had was whether to put the salt on or not.

A Chinese chippy was a foreign carpenter.

Rice was a milk pudding, and never, ever part of our dinner.

A Big Mac was what we wore when it was raining.

Brown bread was something only poor people ate.

Oil was for lubricating, fat was for cooking

Tea was made in a teapot using tea leaves and never green.

Coffee was Camp, and came in a bottle.

Cubed sugar was regarded as posh.

Only Heinz made beans.

Fish didn’t have fingers in those days.

Eating raw fish was called poverty, not sushi.

None of us had ever heard of yoghurt.

Healthy food consisted of anything edible.

People who didn’t peel potatoes were regarded as lazy.

Indian restaurants were only found in  India .

Cooking outside was called camping.

Seaweed was not a recognised food.

“Kebab” was not even a word never mind a food.

Sugar enjoyed a good press in those days, and was regarded as being white gold.

Prunes were medicinal.

Surprisingly, muesli was readily available, it was called cattle feed.

Pineapples came in chunks in a tin; we had only ever seen a picture of a real one.

Water came out of the tap, if someone had suggested bottling it and charging more than petrol for it they would have become a laughing stock.

The one thing that we never ever had on our table in the fifties .. was elbows!

And people never ate in public – HOW RUDE!

 

Do you have any other memories to contribute, if so let us know!

Body Image: The Most Sexy Thing In The World

Posted on by ncfed

The most sexy thing in the world is being alive, confident, active and interesting.

So says Melanie Reid, who has been paralysed from the head down in a riding accident. She goes on to say “after my accident, reduced to a bag of bones for the first time in my life…great bony shoulders and visible ribs and fleshless hollow armpits…. this was the look I once craved but never like this, slumped helpless in a chair.”

Be alive, confident and interesting. Next time you berate yourself for being too fat, just repeat it as a mantra. That’s all that matters, being alive and being able to move around without a pulley. That’s really all that matters.

“Thinspo” Anxiety: Veiled Anorexia in Social Media Form

Posted on by ncfed

Here is a guest blog. Do you want to write one?

There’s a growing movement online that is unfortunately causing fairly drastic consequences. It’s called the “”Thinspo”” movement, short for “Thinspiration,” (a portmanteau of “thin” and “inspiration”) and it’s taking over social media websites.

“Thinspo” is the act of viewing photos of women that are incredibly skinny – often with bones protruding out of their skin – and claiming that the photos are inspiration to get thin and exercise. The problem is that “”Thinspo”” isn’t health related at all. Rather, it’s veiled anorexia that is unfortunately gaining popularity due to a lack of understanding of the social implications.

“Thinspo” and Pro-Ana

In many ways, “Thinspo” is simply the next evolution of the pro-anorexia groups that caused significant problems the last few decades. “Thinspo” photos are women in the lowest 5% of body weight, often in the lowest 1%, and are spread through Pinterest, Twitter, and other social media sites.

What is making “Thinspo” such a problem is that not everyone that uses the term or spreads the photos is sharing women that are “unhealthy” thin. Many are simply fit, or in general good shape. There is another online sensation, known as “fitspo” that – while still promoting the idea that all women need to be young and fit – shows photos of much healthier women that happen to be at the height of fitness.

Some of the “Thinspo” tags are also photos of “fitspo,” and that means that not everyone using the phrase or promoting the idea even knows that they are spreading pro-ana. Many simply think they’re promoting fitness, and so they share these photos and use the phrase openly, without regard to the consequences.

Unfortunately, “true Thinspo” is much worse, and unfortunately many of those posting healthy “Thinspo” are at risk for developing further body dysmorphic disorder and potentially posting photos of thinner and thinner women. The true promoters of “Thinspo” often post photos of women with severe anorexia or weight problems, highlighting features that are nearly impossible for a healthy woman, including:

  • Thighs that are several inches from touching.
  • Bone ribs with no muscle mass.
  • Pronounced neck bones.

Many of the photos are photoshopped to appear even thinner. “Thinspo” supporters also post several “inspirational” quotes along with photos of the bones of deceased women. One only needs to look at the photos connected to the hash-tag to see the problem: https://twitter.com/search?q=%23″Thinspo”

What “Thinspo” Does

Without awareness about what “”Thinspo”” truly is and how it is promoting severe eating disorders among young women, there is going to be a serious problem. This is already a community that’s growing rapidly, partly because of a lack of knowledge about what the “Thinspo” movement is really designed to do, and unfortunately many women are finding that they are being roped into the “Thinspo” movement accidentally, believing that they’re taking part in a campaign to simply lose weight. The photos may start out with women that are simply thin but otherwise fit and healthy, but over time they risk growing thinner, as well as promoting an idea with other women that may be more prone to eating disorders.

Overall, “Thinspo” is a serious problem that is quickly getting out of hand, and something that parents and educators need to address before the issue becomes out of control.

About the Author: Ryan Rivera has seen the effects of anxiety on eating disorders and vice versa. He runs a website about reducing anxiety at www.calmclinic.com.

 

Dying From Laxative Abuse

Posted on by ncfed

Georgia Willson Pemberton aged 26 dies as a result of taking Dulcolax laxatives
to help achieve her anorexic longings to be thin and empty.

So many people think that laxatives make them thin. They dont.  Laxatives are dangerous substances which change metabolism and make people gain weight easily, adding to their problems.  It’s only the starving which goes alongside laxative abuse which keeps weight down.

Here is a girl whose parents can afford the best treatment from treatment services with all kinds of new theories and lots of on the spot therapists and private rooms with TVs and private bathrooms. But you cant buy off the the demon anorexia

The sad thing is that we could pour millions of pounds and dollars down into the black hole that is anorexia.  Even the best is not good enough to dent this serious mental illness.

But sometimes people do get well with the right help. You can’t always find that help with money. You need someone who really understands what this laxative abuse mental illness is about. We think we do.

Men, Sex & Muscles

Posted on by ncfed

Hilary Glover (see footnote) has kindly offered to guest this new post.

Feeling like a “real man” is higher in men with muscle dysmorphia, popularly called ‘bigorexia’, than other gym users. On the other hand, male patients with anorexia nervosa had elevated association with feminine stereotypes, according to research in Biomed Central’s open access journal Journal of Eating Disorders.

Research over the last several decades shows that more and more men admit to being unhappy with their body image. This may show itself in either a desire to lose weight and become thinner, or to gain weight and become more muscular. This can become harmful when the person eats unhealthily or abuses steroids, or when the compulsion for exercise can override normal life resulting in loss of sleep, quality of life, and even in an inability to hold a normal job.

Previously it has been thought that sexual confusion was one of the main driving forces behind body dysmorphia in men. But this study suggests that how men view themselves is more important.

Researchers from the Australian National University and University of Sydney used a questionnaire designed to identify how participants viewed themselves in comparison to culturally accepted stereotypes of masculine thoughts and behaviors. The results showed that men with a high drive for muscularity (as in muscle dysmorphia) had a greater preference for traditional masculine roles, whereas men with a high desire for thinness (as in anorexia nervosa) displayed greater adherence to traditional feminine roles.

Dr Stuart Murray from the Redleaf Practice, who led this study, explained,“This does not mean that that the men with anorexia were any less masculine, nor that the men with muscle dysmorphia were less feminine than the control subjects we recruited. It is however an indication of the increasing pressures men are under to define their masculinity in the modern world.”

NewsRelease_Eating disorders muscle dysmorphia and self perceived
masculinity.doc

Thanks to Dr Hilary Glover,Scientific Press Officer, BioMed Central
Email: hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com

Her references
1. Masculinity and femininity in the divergence of male body image concerns
Stuart B Murray, Elizabeth Rieger, Lisa Karlov and Stephen W Touyz
Journal of Eating Disorders (in press)

2. Journal of Eating Disorders is the first open access, peer-reviewed journal publishing leading research in the science and clinical practice of eating disorders. @JEatDisord

Implants For Anorexia: Tweaking The Brain

Posted on by ncfed

Some interesting research on brain implants for the treatment  of long standing anorexia has been done at the Krembil Neuroscience Centre and University Health Network
in Canada, who  conducted the study primarily to find out whether this procedure is
safe in people with severe cases of the eating disorder anorexia nervosa.

About 2 in 3 of the people in this small trial had no good outcomes, and one or two people had serious side effects like seizures. However one or two people in this small group did quite well. It would have been really useful to have a comparison group of people who believed that they had the procedure; after all even the mental gastric band gets results.

So we know that this has effects but we dont know for who, and for how long the effects are going to last.

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)is being used for depresssion, alzheimers and obsessive compulsive disorder and has its place alongside pills, talking therapies, acupuncture and doing exercise plus everything else sane and crazy.

So, why is this arousing so much angst among clinicians?  On Linked-In, where clinicians air their opinions, there is some emotional rather than research-based dissent about putting things in anorexics’ brains. Where does this emotion come from when the latest research points to SOME people with anorexia having primary problems with brain organisation and function.

Someone even suggested that seriously ill anorexics are so impaired that they couldnt possibly give informed constent for this procedure anyway. Perhaps they wont understand the possible side effects that might occur. Does this mean that putting microchips in brains must always be unethical for anorexics?

It seems to me that the treatment for anorexia is not just about giving people the desire to eat. It is equally important that they should have the ability to cope with life and with their feelings. Some of this coping lies in the architecure of the brain.

Last week I “assessed” a young mother with long term anorexia, who creeps away for an hour or two each day to binge and purge leaving her young children on their own. She has been hospitalised at the Maudsley several times during her life so far and recovered only as far as she was able to get married and have her kids. She was very gaunt and very ill.  It seemed to me that she was completely spaced out and hardly able to hear a thing I said. Obviously she needed to back in hospital immediately but when I tried to take some action on her behalf I discovered that she had given me a false address.

Since years of therapy at the Maudsley has made no impact on her awful condition, would we not want to try DBS as a last resort?  Is it ethical for us to have emotional conversations about implanting things in brains while a family disintegrates?

Eating Disorders in Boarding Schools

Posted on by ncfed

I’ve given a talk last week at the Boarding Schools of Great Britain conference in London. The subject was eating disorders and this was the best attended event they have had for ages. The morning was me and the afternoon was case studies.

At any one time there are children in schools with dangerous eating practices and self hatred. But schools are just there to teach, how can they possibly deal with all the mental health issues they have to face?

There are stories of children who are starving and purging and boys taking supplements and exercising so much they can hardly stand up. These kids are not just ill, they are also affecting everyone around them. What is a school to do?

Ive written more about this on my blog. If you are a teacher or you have a school mate in trouble, check out my blog on http://deannetalks.blogspot.com and you can get in touch with us if you need to.

Two Die From Dieting

Posted on by ncfed

Laura Willmot dies from anorexic collapse one week after being sent home by her doctors.

In another world, a millionaire’s ex wife freezes to death in her car after her wine binge. In a barely noticed throwaway remark, her husband noted that “we ate separately, she was always on one sort of diet or another”. Living these separate lives, the couple drift apart. Had they remained together, she would not have met her lonely end in the cold.

Most people are going to be drawn toward the sad demise of Laura. Her untimely end simply brings about more questions;

Why, – when family treatment is known to be so helpful in anorexia, does her right to confidentiality trump the continued involvement of her parents? Anorexia is KNOWN to be a particular kind of madness, obliging sufferers to avoid treatment or accepting only that kind of treatment that is never going to work. Even if someone is biologically 18 years of age, we KNOW that anorexia freezes emotional time, and they are probably just as old as they ever were when they first became ill.

Why would a psychiatrist Dr Herzig trust a patient to make her own decision, knowing that her brain is dulled by lack of nutrition and a shrieking anorexic voice.

Why doesn’t the NHS insist on enteral feeding  over and over again until the patient has the strength and the will to fight their illness or get sick of repeated hospital admissions. If we can just keep someone alive for long enough, they do fight their illness and they do struggle toward a life of better health and more connection. It takes a long time, but it does happen.

Where anorexia is concerned, Laura’s case highlights the fact that intractable anorexia is a devil to treat despite all the lovely new theories we have. However I have seen some desperate cases recover. One lady I know  spent almost 18 years in and out of hospital,  but started to get better shorly after I spoke to her. I’m still not sure what I did. She is now on my training, learning how to help others in a proper way.

Where dieting wives are concerned, please stop it. Eat with your partner and with your children. Celebrate your lives with food, talking, sharing, whatever. Don’t let diets rule your life.

Two lives wasted. It doesn’t have to be like this.