Comments on: Another Response to “Thin”: From an Inside Perspective http://www.about-face.org/another-response-to-thin-from-an-inside-perspective/ Tue, 21 May 2013 13:40:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Alexis http://www.about-face.org/another-response-to-thin-from-an-inside-perspective/#comment-568 Alexis Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:59:55 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/?p=729#comment-568 "One of the reasons it is so hard for many women to give up their eating disorders and embrace the long and arduous process of recovery is that they have grown up or lived much of their lives getting attention, love, and nourishment (in every sense of the word) as a result of being sick." Marisa, you hit the nail on the head with this article. I remember watching "Thin" in the throws of my eating disorder and while it made me feel understood, it only spurred me on deeper into the pit. It's so true: eating disorders like to brag, despite the shame. It's important that you say that; I don't think enough girls realize that is what happens. Thank you for your honesty. Even though I am now free from ED, I remember those times clearly. I used to brag about my eating disorder, but now I rejoice in the fact that I am LIVING free from his controlling grip. If only women would listen more to the voice of recovery than the voice of ED. “One of the reasons it is so hard for many women to give up their eating disorders and embrace the long and arduous process of recovery is that they have grown up or lived much of their lives getting attention, love, and nourishment (in every sense of the word) as a result of being sick.”

Marisa, you hit the nail on the head with this article. I remember watching “Thin” in the throws of my eating disorder and while it made me feel understood, it only spurred me on deeper into the pit.

It’s so true: eating disorders like to brag, despite the shame. It’s important that you say that; I don’t think enough girls realize that is what happens. Thank you for your honesty.

Even though I am now free from ED, I remember those times clearly. I used to brag about my eating disorder, but now I rejoice in the fact that I am LIVING free from his controlling grip.

If only women would listen more to the voice of recovery than the voice of ED.

]]> By: Maria http://www.about-face.org/another-response-to-thin-from-an-inside-perspective/#comment-567 Maria Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:16:05 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/?p=729#comment-567 thank you for the article. here is a link for parents of patients suffering from an eating disorder. http://www.e-mental-health.eu/anorexia/website/eating.php thank you for the article. here is a link for parents of patients suffering from an eating disorder.
http://www.e-mental-health.eu/anorexia/website/eating.php

]]> By: Marisa http://www.about-face.org/another-response-to-thin-from-an-inside-perspective/#comment-566 Marisa Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:41:36 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/?p=729#comment-566 Sarah, I'm so sorry you had that experience with the self-harm website. I think self-harm is one of the hardest things to get support around because it is so incredibly misunderstood and talking about it is difficult to do without triggering other people with that history. But it sounds like they really weren't being sensitive to the effect they are having on viewers. I'm glad to hear that you are doing better now. I hope you have the support and help that you need and please keep taking care of yourself. I think one of the best things we can do to combat the sensationalized image of self-harm, eating disorders and other addictions is to speak our stories of recovery and health; to be examples of the strength and hope that it does take to get better; to show people that it is possible. Take care, Marisa Sarah,

I’m so sorry you had that experience with the self-harm website. I think self-harm is one of the hardest things to get support around because it is so incredibly misunderstood and talking about it is difficult to do without triggering other people with that history. But it sounds like they really weren’t being sensitive to the effect they are having on viewers.

I’m glad to hear that you are doing better now. I hope you have the support and help that you need and please keep taking care of yourself. I think one of the best things we can do to combat the sensationalized image of self-harm, eating disorders and other addictions is to speak our stories of recovery and health; to be examples of the strength and hope that it does take to get better; to show people that it is possible.

Take care,

Marisa

]]> By: sarah http://www.about-face.org/another-response-to-thin-from-an-inside-perspective/#comment-565 sarah Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:10:55 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/?p=729#comment-565 ...erm, I just reread my comment and I think it's not really clear, so: This story about the girl was on the first page of this site and she was kind of shown as the prototypical self injurer. …erm, I just reread my comment and I think it’s not really clear, so:
This story about the girl was on the first page of this site and she was kind of shown as the prototypical self injurer.

]]> By: sarah http://www.about-face.org/another-response-to-thin-from-an-inside-perspective/#comment-564 sarah Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:27:14 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/?p=729#comment-564 I love your text. I've no history with eating disorders (well, not more than what seems normal nowadays for a girl that tries to get through puberty -which is scary enough), but I've done self injury and I have quite similar feelings about this, the competition of who's capable of more self destruction, the feeling that if I give it up, there's nothing interesting about me any more and the little thrill of excitement in your stomach whenever someone talks about self destruction. (Luckily enough, these days are over -it really shocks and scares the hell out of me when I remember the state I was in these days and I don't want to go there EVER again.) But (although I haven't seen this particular movie you're talking about) I very much agree with you about those kinds of documentaries that are just too.. understanding? Letting the self destructive part of the personality talk uncommented and thinking "you know, it's so empowering to these girls that they are being listened to without judgement" is just one big misunderstanding. I'm not proposing that there'd be someone commenting after them and saying how wrong and stupid they are, but there'd be enough girls/women who've gotten over it or are seriously fighting to do so, but I suspect what they have to say isn't nearly as exciting to the audience? The most appaling thing I found on the internet was a "support forum" for SI (run by a person who hadn't even gone through this hirself, it seemed) with a disgustingly triggering story of a girl who burnt herself and sold herself to strangers since the age of thirteen. At that time, I was already trying to get better, but I had a really hard fight with my jealous self destructive side which wanted to do at least a little harm 'cause obviously, "she" could never ever compete with this girl. I wrote a complaint on the guestbook about that when I felt a bit more stable later , but it got deleted. So much for empowerment. I love your text. I’ve no history with eating disorders (well, not more than what seems normal nowadays for a girl that tries to get through puberty -which is scary enough), but I’ve done self injury and I have quite similar feelings about this, the competition of who’s capable of more self destruction, the feeling that if I give it up, there’s nothing interesting about me any more and the little thrill of excitement in your stomach whenever someone talks about self destruction. (Luckily enough, these days are over -it really shocks and scares the hell out of me when I remember the state I was in these days and I don’t want to go there EVER again.)
But (although I haven’t seen this particular movie you’re talking about) I very much agree with you about those kinds of documentaries that are just too.. understanding? Letting the self destructive part of the personality talk uncommented and thinking “you know, it’s so empowering to these girls that they are being listened to without judgement” is just one big misunderstanding. I’m not proposing that there’d be someone commenting after them and saying how wrong and stupid they are, but there’d be enough girls/women who’ve gotten over it or are seriously fighting to do so, but I suspect what they have to say isn’t nearly as exciting to the audience?
The most appaling thing I found on the internet was a “support forum” for SI (run by a person who hadn’t even gone through this hirself, it seemed) with a disgustingly triggering story of a girl who burnt herself and sold herself to strangers since the age of thirteen. At that time, I was already trying to get better, but I had a really hard fight with my jealous self destructive side which wanted to do at least a little harm ’cause obviously, “she” could never ever compete with this girl.
I wrote a complaint on the guestbook about that when I felt a bit more stable later , but it got deleted. So much for empowerment.

]]> By: Sabrina http://www.about-face.org/another-response-to-thin-from-an-inside-perspective/#comment-563 Sabrina Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:46:20 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/?p=729#comment-563 I've never had a serious eating disorder before, but I have had serious depression and I think that depression takes over your mind in a very similar way. So much of my struggle through depression has been trying to understand the relationship between my actual self and my depressed self, and, even harder, trying to explain that difference to people who haven't experienced anything similar. I'd never heard either eating disorders or depression characterized as parasitic beings before reading this, but I think that that's an excellent way to describe them. I’ve never had a serious eating disorder before, but I have had serious depression and I think that depression takes over your mind in a very similar way. So much of my struggle through depression has been trying to understand the relationship between my actual self and my depressed self, and, even harder, trying to explain that difference to people who haven’t experienced anything similar.

I’d never heard either eating disorders or depression characterized as parasitic beings before reading this, but I think that that’s an excellent way to describe them.

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