Tuesday, June 27, 2006

summertime

Eating Disorder Hope
How does summer affect your eating disorders? I know for me in the summertime I am less hungry, because it is so hot in Texas it takes your appetite away. The thought of wearing a bathing suit can also be scary to many people.I really love summertime, but my favorite season is fall. In fall the temperature is perfect, the scenery is beautiful, and I am back on my regular schedule.What is your favorite season, and why? Does there seem to be a better season when dealing with your eating disorder?
-Ashley

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Ashley.
Summer can be difficult because it is swimsuit season and it seems like people with ed's are more closely scrutinized while eating since they are around home more....
j.

Anonymous said...

I used to feel very uncomfortable during the summertime because of swimsuit season. I knew that I didn't want to have to feel frightened my entire life worrying about the way my body looked in a bathing suit. I knew that I wanted to overcome this battle and wanted the "self-hate" towards my body to stop.
I bought a bathing suit and started wearing it around my house with nobody home or anyone else to see. I would put the bathing suit on and walk by full-length mirrors and say positive things about my body in the bathingsuit. I started to wear the bathing suit for just 5 minutues the first time. I then gradually increased the time I was in the bathing suit walking around the house. I wanted to be able to have fun in life and not let this put anymore of a detriment on my life than it already had been. I would then (after glancing at myself in the mirror and saying positive things about myself), I wrote them all down on a sheet of paper and taped it to the mirrors in my house. I know it sounds crazy but it really worked!
This took a lot of time and patience but it did get easier and easier for me to wear the bathing suit each time. I then went to a private pool and practiced wearing it there. (Even if it was for just 10 minutes or so.) I gradually increased the time there. I then invited my best friend to go with me for support. I needed the experience to be around people actually in my bathingsuit. It did get easier and easier each time. I feel the more you do something the easier it gets. I just had to be patient, loving, courageous, and forgiving.

Eating Disorder Hope said...

anonymous,
That is not crazy, that is a great idea! Way to go for coming up with that, and for overcoming your fear!!
-Ashley

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much Ashley!!!

Anonymous said...

summer time is hard for me too!! and it is not that i am not hungry it is that i dont want to eat cause summer is usually my time to stop eating and over excercise!! for the past three summers i have had a hard time with my eating disorder gettin the best of me!! and it is hard because it is bathing suite season!! that is probably the worst part!! but i dont think that one season is necessarily as bad as another they all make me feel the same( a little to big) but this summer i am doin better than i ever have these last couple of years!! i am not in a good spot right now weight wise. But i am tryin to work on it for me and my family, i am tryin to avoid another hospitalization if possible!! I do feel like I am more in control right now, which is odd for this time of year!!

Eating Disorder Hope said...

Maddison,
That is great that you are doing good this summer. You are overcoming the hardest time of the year for you. That is a reflection on your strength and your ability to overcome this battle even through the hardest times.You will get to the weight you need to be in time. Good job!
-ashley