MY EATING DISORDER STORY (in pictures) | Saomai

Summary

This deeply personal story follows a young Vietnamese girl who, after a hurtful comment about her weight, falls into an unhealthy cycle of body image obsession, restrictive eating, binging, and purging. As she battles with self-hatred and guilt, she realizes that the voice controlling her, 'Eddie,' isn't a friend but a harmful force. Through the turmoil of fluctuating weight and mental anguish, she discovers the importance of recovery and self-compassion. The narrative highlights the invisibility of eating disorders, urging others to seek help and emphasizing that recovery is possible, even after setbacks.

Takeaways

• 😀 A young Vietnamese girl starts off carefree about body image until a hurtful comment triggers her insecurities.
• 😀 She becomes obsessed with weight loss, comparing herself to others and despising her own reflection.
• 😀 As she loses weight, she feels proud and confident, but her obsession grows, leading to dangerous restrictions and unhealthy behaviors.
• 😀 The girl begins to purge after meals, trying to outsmart the calories in, calories out equation, but the cycle of binging and purging continues.
• 😀 Despite her physical progress, her mental health deteriorates as she becomes more obsessed with control over food and body image.
• 😀 The girl experiences extreme weakness, depression, and guilt but finds temporary comfort in her eating disorder behaviors.
• 😀 Her eating disorder, represented by a voice named 'Eddie', manipulates her into believing that her behaviors are acceptable and will make her happy.
• 😀 She continues restricting her intake to an unhealthy extreme, even as her physical and emotional health worsens.
• 😀 A breakthrough occurs when she realizes that 'Eddie' is not a friend, but an enemy that has taken control of her life.
• 😀 After coming to terms with the harm of her eating disorder, she begins to understand the importance of recovery, offering hope to others struggling with similar issues.

Q & A

What was the turning point that triggered the girl's obsession with weight loss?

The turning point occurred when a family friend told her that she was 'too fat' and that nobody would marry her because of it. This comment deeply affected her and led her to compare herself to others, which ultimately fueled her desire to lose weight.

What role does the character 'Eddie' play in the girl's journey?

'Eddie' is personified as the eating disorder itself. Initially seen as a 'best friend,' Eddie encourages her to restrict food and control her body. However, as the story progresses, the girl realizes that Eddie is actually her enemy, manipulating her thoughts and behaviors in harmful ways.

How did the girl's eating habits change as she focused on weight loss?

She began eating less and less, restricting her diet further and further. She even started throwing away meals her parents prepared for her. As a result, she lost weight and felt proud at first, but this obsession with weight loss led to dangerous behaviors like starving herself and eventually bingeing and purging.

What happened when the girl fainted at school?

When she fainted at school, an ambulance was called, and she was taken to the hospital. There, doctors told her she needed to eat more, which she resisted with frustration. Despite their advice, she became increasingly fixated on losing more weight, leading to a cycle of self-destruction.

How did the girl try to 'outsmart' her eating disorder?

She attempted to eat whatever she wanted but would purge afterward, thinking this would allow her to enjoy food without the guilt. She believed she had figured out a way to 'outsmart' the calories-in-calories-out equation, but this only led to more unhealthy behaviors and weight fluctuations.

What role did the beauty contest play in the girl's further spiral into restrictive eating?

The beauty contest served as a catalyst for her to push her weight loss even further. She restricted her eating to an extreme degree, consuming no more than 800 calories a day, believing that achieving a certain body image would make her feel more confident and accepted.

How did the girl feel physically and mentally as she continued to restrict her food intake?

As she continued restricting her food, she became physically weak, shivering, and mentally foggy. She experienced increased depression, and her obsession with food and calories grew stronger. Her desire for control over food became an unhealthy fixation.

What did the girl realize about the nature of her relationship with 'Eddie'?

The girl eventually realized that 'Eddie' was not her friend, but rather the cause of her suffering. She understood that the voice in her head, which had once seemed supportive, was manipulating her into believing her disordered behaviors were normal or even beneficial.

What insight did the girl gain about her eating disorder towards the end of the story?

Towards the end, the girl recognized that she had been letting her eating disorder control her life. She understood that her obsession with food and weight had taken over, and she made the decision to fight back and recover, despite the ongoing struggles.

How does the girl aim to spread awareness about eating disorders?

The girl hopes to raise awareness by sharing her story and urging others to seek help. She acknowledges the difficulty of understanding eating disorders for those who haven't experienced them, and emphasizes the importance of recognizing the mental and physical toll these disorders take on people's lives.