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Anorexia now .. no longer 'valid' according to reddit .

5.7K views 26 replies 12 participants last post by  elegy for an appetite  
#1 ·
I am so frustrated.

I regularly read edanoynous - drunkorexia - edanonymousAdults - drunkorexia -- blah blah blah.

But, in the last 6 months to ? years, it seems you just CANNOT have Anorexia. You can't.

I've read posts (just in past week), that are ranting:
"Anorexics DO binge, they just don't admit it".
"Anorexics get WAY more attention then any other ED (yeah I that may be true, I'll give them that)
"Anorexics never will stay A/N, they go from A/N to ..'all eating-disorders can change, from a/n to orthorexia, .. etc" (I'll give them THAT, too!)

Yet, my main point in posting, is there seems to trend of not acknowledging anorexia on reddit's ED spaces.

it used to be that other eating-disorders weren't recognized.

But, now it seems anyone with A/N are only given :
"special treatment with deluxe medical accommodations for only anorexics " (this was today 2/22/22 post) and I was thinking "WHERE Was my deluxe accommodations ?" I'm sure that required good insurance or a substantial amount of dollars.

I'm only kind of venting bc I think I can't even post on Reddit ..

..and just read another post, how a person with an ED was restricting on 1x cals but that was just not 'relatable'. sorry if a person with an eating disorder is offending you.
 
#2 ·
idk. reddit is a weird site. i like some of the ED subreddits. but i think they're a bit too sensitive, like god forbid someone mention their bmi. and, about the binging, some anorexics do binge, but not all. i, for one, am anorexic and have never binged (let's hope it stays that way).
 
#7 ·
But so is AN-R.

Saying "anorexics binge but don't admit it" implies that binging is a prerequisite for anorexia, someone who doesn't is a liar by omission, and that you know their symptoms better than they do. I've seen this stuff too: "If you dont binge, are you even anorexic"? A better way to put it would be "SOME anorexics have bp subtype".

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I think you're reading an "all" into the statement that isn't written. I get the frustration, but I don't think there's a reason to read it like that.
 
#8 ·
But so is AN-R.
Saying "anorexics binge but don't admit it" implies that binging is a prerequisite for anorexia, someone who doesn't is a liar by omission, and that you know their symptoms better than they do. I've seen this stuff too: "If you dont binge, are you even anorexic"? A better way to put it would be "SOME anorexics have bp subtype".
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I just wanted to say, restrictive anorexics can binge as well. You don't have to have AN-BP to binge. I'm 12+ years into AN-R and binging every once in a while is probably the only reason I'm not dead yet.
 
#11 ·
I guess if depends on how you read it.

However, I understand what op is saying. I've literally seen people say all anorexics binge, as I've said, and I've seen people say stuff like "binge is the only realistic Ed movie", etc. So this is a real trend that you see in Ed Reddit and all, I'm familiar with all of these things op is referring to.

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Thank you!

And of course I realize ppl with AN do binge -- but some do not, it is a FACT.

Yet, ppl on Reddit (the threads I've read, and unfortunate I read too much lol, as I've too much time on my hands) have said / multiple times , that A/N do lie, can 'claim' they do not binge - ever'. I was aghast, because it's like saying, I am lying, and my

ED 'specialist' had asked me (before I fired her / or she let me go /uncetain lol) that :

"You can't possibly be this weight, [having shown me foods (I showed her photos of my foods as she asked for pics of daily/weekly food pics), and be your weight!). I just felt so lost.

Thank you to all you that wrote, as I was hesitant to write, ...yes Reddit seems to be a cesspool of horrible advice..idk why I read some of the post/comments and I imagine many people wonder what the F am I to do? I DO not binge // or do binge?
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
I've noticed this too.

1. I think some people are insecure about their binging and say that ALL anorexics binge. I high restrict, so i dont ever genuinely binge. I can't lie and say it didn't make me feel bad about myself or like I didn't match Anorexia enough because i didn't binge. But then I had to remind myself it was self-assurance for these people.

2. treatment ain't cheap. If someone's getting 5 star accommodations you can rest at the fact that it's probably 40k or something, aka way to expensive for 99% of anorexics to even afford. It's not something that's just granted by "virtue" of having anorexia.

3. Also, when I was in treatment, they had us in a group with others with Bulimia, ARFID, etc. It was all mixed, and I think most centers are. The main way a place could be "all anorexic" would be because of triage, and it's a bit shitty to act like people who got in because they were about to drop dead at any given moment have some sort of privilege.

My advice? Get off Reddit. My mental health has improved some since making that decision.
Thank you again ,
You are so kind -- I definitely need to stop reading Reddit.

I just think it's horrible to judge someone might be high-restrict OR low.. some just DO NOT BINGE.

And to your 3rd point ( abt 3rd triage) that sound so sad, I mean I didn't need or want any sort of privilege -- but my pt which I see you def saw, was Reddit poster being adamant 'anorexics do not binge' -- I mean even some of the best of the worst of Ana movies show A/N binging, but it doesn't mean ALL.

Thank you :)
 
#13 ·
I don't think the one about anorexics binging is necessarily bad. I mean, AN b/p is literally a thing.
yes.. but that wasn't my point, I don't judge I am just stating that some a/n DO NOT BINGE.

As JPI332 eloquently stated through their post....not JUDGMENT here.

I'm just posting a vent, to state it is OK to be AN and NOT binge, AND to be judged on Reddit saying ALL A/N

"lie", to me , was inappropriate and felt to me, judgmental.
 
#14 ·
haven't been in an ed ward but have been in a general psych ward while actively restricting and underweight and damn i wish i had the anorexic special treatment mentioned. those bitches didnt even care lmao. they knew i was anorexic and my stats but didn't check my meals or any of that shit. i lost weight in there. i refused every snack offer. no one cared!

as a dx'd an who does binge, i think people say that there are no anorexics who don't binge is a coping mechanism for their own insecurities around binging. anorexia is seen as the "it girl" of eds, fucked up as that is, and i believe it inspires some of the same ire that the "it girls" of a high school get for lack of better comparison. reddit's a weirdass place. i stopped checking those subs and i haven't missed them.
 
#22 ·
I think part of this is insurance doesn't like to cover unless the patients very underweight a lot at the time... They tend to kick the patient out as soon as their weight restored And do I give very little time and an impatient stay to a Bulemic or a person with ednos.

Is this always true hell no mind sure as hell won't cover residential and I sure as hell of not getting some fancy ass place

They probably spotting things like equine therapy at some of the residentials and think we're getting deluxe accommodations where in reality nobody's actually riding those animals ...I believe someone correct me if I'm wrong? There is some bitterness. I have been that way about insurance when I was EDNOS(for some reason I just feal awkward saying OSFED)
My weight always got me kicked out super early even after like 3 days of inpatient...
treatment and never residential
... And I was doing some of my stupidest fucking behaviors. I had a critical blood sugar drop the day they let me out of inpatient.

Do I suspect a fantasical ED heirarchy type bitterness...uhh yeah a bit But that may just be pathetic fallacy.

The problem is their stereotyping their words are definitely not the case for everybody... For quite frankly even the majority.
This is why I go with the policy if you're not walking in someone else's shoes don't speak on their behalf.

I don't want to start drama either but I suspect there might be some HAES going on too where Persons who believe they should have been diagnosed in anorexic could not get the diagnosis... I am so not starting on that one no commentfeom me just an idea

But like I said in the end I'm only speculating.
Each person, each comment all their own thoughts ideas and reasons for their choice of words.

Lastly I do want to point out that when true iAN stuff does show up...frequently someone will flag it proana whether it is or isn't and it is taken down... We may be only getting the flip side of the coin.

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#25 ·
Yes, some can from time to time (but I think prevalence is the difference).
That being said, my point was that restrictive anorexics exist who don't binge.
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Fair enough, I just wanted to clarify that restrictive anorexics can binge as well, glad we're in agreement :)
 
#27 ·
I wouldn't focus my mental happiness on what people say on here or what people say on Reddit.

Yup I am at an anorexic BMI and yup I binge. IDGF, I'm thin. I am happy with that. I have what I want. People can just say what they want. They can't take it away from me.
 
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