Am I sick enough to get treatment?

I received this question recently and have had it posed to me in the past.  It always saddens me to hear someone ask it.

I am have been told reasons why people do not feel deserving of treatment, or worse, horror stories when attempting to access treatment. 

But it boils down to one question...How bad do things have to get in order for YOU to be tired of this mean disease? 

For some, this point may not be apparent and they will require intervention from family and friends, but for others it may be about allowing themselves to make that first step into treatment.

There are varied reasons why people are uncertain if they should seek treatment.

People have stated that they feel that they cannot quit their disorder because they don't look "eating disordered" and no one will believe them, or they just want to lose more weight first.

People have also stated that because they are _____ (fill in the blank--African American, Male, Hispanic, overweight, obese, Native American, Asian American, not rich, etc) that professionals will not take them seriously.  Truth is, some professionals in the past have seen these illnesses in a stereotypical fashion as they were originally described in young Caucasian women.  Any competent professional today will be caring and compassionate.  Remember you do have a choice in who you choose to see.

People have also stated that they are not certain if they have a "true eating disorder," but describe engaging disordered eating practices in order to cope with stressful events.  I can't think of a problem that is solved by engaging in eating disordered behavior.

Lastly, I have heard that "My doctor didn't notice, or didn't ask me about eating disorder symptoms."   If this happens, bring it up, or find a professional with whom you can be honest.

There is more to life than feigning happiness while actually experiencing internal turmoil.  Life can be full of rich, happy memories.  The sooner the eating disorder is over, the sooner your life truly begin.

For referrals: http://nationaleatingdisorders.org ; http://something-fishy.org ; http://anad.org ;

Call NEDA Helpline: Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, pacific time: 1-800-931-2237