Anyone out there think they "caught" an ED?

Hi all,
I'm going to blog about this soon but for right now, do any of you believe you, in the past, somehow "caught" an eating disorder from a friend? Not thinking about contagiousness in the literal sense but more metaphorical - all of your friends were dieting and that turned into bingeing and purging and you got sucked in? Maybe back in high school or college? On a sports team? Diet pills, laxatives, dieting, overexercising, etc. I'm looking for someone who'd be willing to talk about it on TV. Email me ASAP at leslie@lrdiaries.com and do feel free to pass this along to friends.

PS For some background on this topic, check out this article.

Thanks!
Leslie

Comments

I learned about bulimia when I was 19 in the dorms, as many of the girls were doing it to stay thin. Can't say if I "caught it" then, but that's when my ED started and looking back now that environment sure had a big influence on me. I remember the girls saying that they could stop at any time or that it was just something they did once in awhile not like "they had a problem or anything." Boy, how naive we were back then.

Yeah, I think they can totally be "contagious." I actually posted about it on Drstacey's blog so I won't repeat myself. I guess it doesn't matter though, because I don't want go on tv with Mike and Juliet, (Unless I can wear a disguise) even though they're only a few blocks away from me.

I think all eating disorders are contagious - seriously, how else does one learn about them except from other people?? Well, I suppose there is the Internet but those sites are still run by people.

And yeah, that's how I got "really good" at not eating - lots of help!

Palmtreechick - I don't watch TV so I've never even heard of Mike & Juliet - what's wrong with them? Also, I'd like to read your article - do you have the link to your post on Dr. Stacey's?

I was 14 when I developed an eating disorder, and I don't think it was "contagious" since none of my friends engaged in the behaviors I did. BUT I do think that the positive reinforcement I got from people about how thin I was looking defnitely perpetuated my eating disorder since I wanted to keep the thin comments coming.

Sorry, I can't personally relate, but I do know groups of girls in high school who had this issue. They would all go to the bathroom together to purge after lunch, and compliment each other on how they abstained from eating dinner by going to "study dates" with friends. I very much think you can "catch" and ED by the company you keep.

Interesting article. None of my friends have had eating disorders but there has definitely been bad relationships with body image, and even that can be contagious. I do have a friend who really views food as a competition and it makes for a very strained friendship; you can't help but start making associations yourself when other people around you do it.

If anything, it made me grow apart from my friends. It isolatad me. all my friends in high school drank up a storm on prom, and sipped seltzer because i thought those drinks had too many calories :( a stupid reason, i should have not drank because getting wasted it stupid! Anyhow, its only when i got more eased up about eating that i actually found people with similar struggles, and if anything it helped me cope.

I don't think I caught my eating disorder from anyone but I do know that going into treatment taught me alot on how to be better at my eating disorder. I also picked up a fear of fat, starving tricks, fear of pizza, etc. I felt like if these other anorexics who are on bad rest and I'm not then they must no something I don't. Being in treatment I think can make some people's eating disorders much worse. I now compare myself to the BMI required to get on bed rest.

In some ways, yes, in some ways, no. I think parts of it I must have "caught" subconsciously from my mom and the media, but even now I hear recovered anorexics' stories and I'm like, "Wow, we lived almost identical lives in that sense of it, but yet we didn't know each other." I think somehow the psychological disease aspect of it just takes over and progresses in a similar way in different people.

I definitely believe an ED is contagious. I think women are very aware of their fellow gender's eating habits. I can personally relate not by an ED, but I have female friends/peers who steal quick glances and/or comment about how much and what their girl friends are eating.

Hey Charlotte,

Nothing is wrong with the Miek and Juliet show, I just don't want to go on National tv and discuss my eating. I actually enjoy watching them while I'm working out.

Let me get you the link to drstacey's post...

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=27277534&postID=3067492392489793115

My blurb about isn't too long.