Eating disorders can be very competitive. It is all about who can be the skinniest by not eating the daily calories that make them healthy. Hearing that another person has lost weight can fuel your desire to lose more than them. You may figure that as long as you are the weight you want, you are winning the game.
However, the truth is that we all need to eat. Even if starving yourself causes you not to put on any weight, it can lead to major health consequences in the future. Without treatment, those consequences could be fatal.
Here are reasons why eating disorders are a deadly competition.
The Competition to Be the Most Sick
An eating disorder can feel like a competition when you want to see just how skinny you can possibly be. You want to test the limits of your body as far as you can go. If you are going through anorexia, you want to be the best at it.
It is possible you may have the personality of an overachiever or a perfectionist. If so, you never want to put in little effort. You may look at yourself in the mirror and feel fine with your new appearance until you walk around with friends and see someone who looks much skinnier than you. This will motivate you to really push for more weight loss by doubling your efforts.
Being Surrounded by Competitors
There can be nothing more triggering for an eating disorder than being around your “competitors.” These competitors are people who also have an eating disorder. While you like that you are in the company of someone going through the same thing, this can provoke a fierce competition of who can be the skinniest.
The battle for being skinny can turn into survival of the thinnest. The winner will have dominance, knowing they are the skinniest they can be and have accomplished their goal the same way you make it to the finish line after a marathon. However, the real winner of the eating disorder games is the one least likely to survive. After all, you are preventing your body from being nourished.
The Most Superior Method
Not only can an eating disorder be a battle against people on the same mission, but whether bulimia will make you the winner or anorexia. Anorexia is eating as little as possible. Bulimia is forcing yourself to purge out all the food you just ate.
Some may think being anorexic makes them stronger in using their self-control to not eat. People with bulimia still eat but just “refund” their meals after. Regardless of the disorder you suffer from; you are still weakening your body.
Treatment as the Most Worthy Battle
The competition needs to end regarding how you are losing weight, or you can die. An eating disorder has a voice telling you that you are not worthy enough, not sick enough, and do not deserve help. The truth is that everyone deserves help, especially when they are spiraling out of control.
To beat your eating disorder, you do not need to surround yourself with others who have the same struggle, as this may fuel your eating disorder. Because of how hard it is to battle your inner demons, a therapist can be there to identify and address the causes of your eating disorder. You can also seek help from a medical expert to get your body back in working condition.
We are always here to help you. Please contact us for support. Learn more about eating disorder treatment. Serving Boulder, Longmont, Denver.
For your other needs, you can count on April Lyons Psychotherapy Group, to help you heal and grow through EMDR therapy, somatic therapy, trauma therapy, and PTSD treatment – because we believe in your strength and potential for recovery.
