Approximately 8 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder. For many years,Jenni Schaefer could have considered herself part of this statistic. In her book Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from Her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too, Jenni articulates how a vicious cycle of bingeing, purging and starving can feel like an abusive relationship to the sufferer, where self-criticism overthrows their innate beliefs and controls every aspect of their life. For this reason, Jenni assigned her dangerous preoccupation with food and weight with the identity, "Ed" (i.e., Eating Disorder). Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychological disorder. Fortunately, Jenni was able to kick Ed to the curb before having her life stolen with the support of her friends and family and by seeking treatment. She is now fully recovered, and spoke with me about how she was able to overcome her struggles.
One Size Does Not Fit All
For someone who has never experienced an eating disorder, the terms "bulimia" and "anorexia" may conjure images of an individual who is emaciated and abstains from eating completely. Although this can be the case, eating disorders are often able to elude friends and family of the sufferer. Individuals with Bulimia Nervosa are often of average weight and an individual does not need to be underweight in order to demonstrate symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa. Many individuals alternate between symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa and Anorexia Nervosa, placing them in a category known asEating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (ED-NOS). Jenni encourages people to stay away from labels. "[Before seeking treatment], I picked up a brochure on Bulimia and read the [Diagnostic Criteria] and I didn't know where I fit in," she recalls. "I thought, 'I guess I don't fit in. Maybe I don't have an eating disorder." Jenni now maintains that regardless of which category an individual falls into or what combination of symptoms are demonstrated, an eating disorder always poses serious risks and requires treatment.
Getting Help and Facing Relapse
It was after graduating college that Jenni sought treatment for her eating disorder. "My life was really unmanageable," she says. "I had just graduated...I was planning to go to medical school, but I couldn't even function in society." At that time, every aspect of Jenni's life had been consumed by a preoccupation with food and weight. After seeking treatment, Jenni began her fight against Ed and eventually won. However, she reveals that recovery was not without its obstacles. She faced several relapses. When I asked what she recommended in preventing relapse, she was adamant about not suffering through difficulties alone. "I would reach out to someone, whether it was my friend, my family, my dietitian...Call a friend up and say, 'hey I'm about to binge. I need you to come over.'"
In Life Without Ed, Jenni spends one of the chapters focusing on symptom substitution, where instead of bingeing, purging and starving she finds herself gravitating toward compulsive exercise. She eliminated this behavior by practicing complete honesty with the professionals helping her in treatment. "Tell your therapist the one thing you don't want to talk about that day...Life's not a smooth path. There will always be bumps in the road, but you do not have to turn to an eating disorder when those bumps occur."
From Recovery to Fully Recovered
Today, Jenni is fully recovered from her eating disorder. I asked her to distinguish for me what it meant to be 'in recovery' and 'recovered'. "For me, being in recovery [meant that] I was focusing on getting better...but I still had those 'Ed' thoughts...eventually I propelled out of that to the point where 'Ed' wasn't talking to me at all." Reaching the point of a full recovery may seem like an insurmountable task. Although the process is often a long and arduous one, Jenni assures me that anyone can achieve triumph. She has witnessed individuals with not one but several addictions who were resolute in their commitment to recovery. "No matter what you struggle with...you can still recover no matter what," she says. "You need to get treatment and surround yourself with people who support you...[You need] time and patience and hope and believing you can do it." She references a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt which states, "You must do the thing you think you cannot do." Jenni is living proof that individuals suffering from an eating disorder have the power to overcome their struggles and find happiness.
You Are Not Alone
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, there are several resources available. The National Eating Disorders Assocation (NEDA) offers a toll-free helpline and tools to find services in your area to meet your needs. There is always a first step to initiate a process. When the step of asking for help is taken, healing can begin.
Sources:
- Anorexia Nervosa. n.d. (accessed May 19, 2011)
- Bulimia Nervosa. n.d. (accessed May 19, 2011)
- Compulsive Exercise. n.d. (accessed May 19, 2011)
- Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (ED-NOS). n.d. (accessed May 19, 2011)
- Eating Disorder Statistics. DMH South Carolina Department of Mental Health. 2006. (accessed February 12, 2011)
- Get Help Today. n.d. (accessed May 19, 2011)
- Rutledge, Thom and Jenni Schaefer. Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from Her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003
Tracy Dye - Tracy Dye is pursuing a degree in Health Science with dual concentrations in School and Community Health from Towson University.
