Competition of the Addicts.

I was talking to my mom last night about how I feel very alone in my journey to recovery, and how I feel very sad that I'm not supported by my family as much as I would like to be. I am far from perfect- I'm not in school, I currently have no job, and I have a lot of struggles that have set me back in my life. However, just because I have gone through hardships does NOT mean that I have no goals for my life, and that I'm not a driven person.

Many people do not think that eating disorders are serious. I have been told SO many times that eating disorders are not an addiction, or they're not as serious as other addictions such as alcoholism or drug addictions. Yes, you can die from alcohol poison, or shoot up a bad dose of heroin. However, someone with an eating disorder can stick their fingers down their throat to purge and have a heart attack right on the spot.

"Just eat."
"Just keep your food down."
"Just eat in moderation, and stop when you're full."
"It's just a phase you're going through."
"Just sit down and eat like a normal person."
"When was the last time you puked?"
"If you think you're fat, you must think I'm obese."
"You'll just go and throw it up anyways, so what does it matter?"
"What's your secret?"
"You just need to exercise."
"If you loved me, then you would eat this food."
"You're just doing it for attention."
"But you don't LOOK like you have an eating disorder."
"If you want to lose weight, why don't you just diet and exercise?"
"You should just eat already, it isn't that hard."
"You look healthy!"
"You're a beautiful girl, why can't you see it?"

It gets so frustrating that so many people are clueless to how severe eating disorders really are. So, in my desperation to educate society, I put the following as my facebook status: 
"Physical dangers & effects of an Eating Disorder- malnutrition, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, lanugo, muscle atrophy, paralysis, tearing of the esophagus, orthostatic hypotention, low/high blood pressure, anemia, kidney/liver/heart failure, osteoporosis/osteopenia, vitamin deficiences, dental problems, heart a...ttack, amenorrhea/infertility, digestive difficulties, hair loss, seizures, and DEATH. Eating Disorders also have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, and 20% of those who suffer will die from complications. So for those of you who consider Eating Disorders to be a joke, maybe support people should take eating disorders more seriously. Don't you think?"

I want to educate the way that society views eating disorders SO BADLY. Everyone has such a twisted view of what they really are, and so many people ignore all of the terrible side effects that they can cause. I don't think my family understands how eating disorders can come to a life or death situation. And I've been there. Instead I am looked down upon, as some freak who just "needs to get over it."

Somehow, the comments on my status ended up in a battle to say which was worse: an eating disorder, or a drug addiction. The answer is as simple as this- ALL addictions are deadly. Not one is worse than the other.

I hope that someday, people will be educated and understanding. It could save a lot of lives.