So every now and then I like to may a post about how my eating disorder has negatively affected my life. I do this to show that eating disorders are not something to be desired. They are a serious illness.
Recently I was at the doctors for my recently diagnosed TMJ. I am in so much pain from this! It's horrible. I decided to look up to see if it was related to my ED, and guess what? It probably is. I found a list on
this website that shows the consequences related to having an eating disorder. I'm going to list which ones have affected me personally.
- Amenorrhea - loss of menstrual cycle.
- Cramps, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, incontinence
- Dehydration - caused by lack of intake of fluids in the body. (Hospitalized for this numerous times)
- Depression - mood swings and depression caused by physiological factors such as electrolyte imbalances, hormone and vitamin deficiencies, malnutrition and dehydration.
- Dry Skin and Hair, Brittle Hair and Nails, Hair Loss - caused by Vitamin and Mineral deficiencies, malnutrition and dehydration
- Iron Deficiency, Anemia - this makes the oxygen transporting units within the blood useless and can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath, increased infections, and heart palpitations
- Kidney Infection - Vitamin Deficiencies, dehydration, infection and low blood pressure increase the risks of and associated with kidney infection. (Hospitalized for Kidney infection in January)
- Muscle Atrophy - wasting away of muscle and decrease in muscle mass due to the body feeding off of itself.
- Orthostatic Hypotension - sudden drop in blood pressure upon sitting up or standing. Symptoms include dizziness, blurred vision, passing out, heart pounding and headaches. (Hospitalized for a few times)
- TMJ "Syndrome" - degenerative arthritis within the tempero-mandibular joint in the jaw. Vitamin deficiencies and teeth grinding (often related to stress) can both be causes.
- Weakness and Fatigue - caused generalized poor eating habits, electrolyte imbalances, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, depression, malnutrition, heart problems.
I'm almost crying right now after reading this list. I can't lead a normal life because of my ED. Along will all of these physical illnesses, I also suffer from many mental issues related to my ED. These include low self-esteem, anxiety, self-hate. It's something I struggle with every day.
I make posts like these because this is the reality of eating disorders. I see too many blogs on here telling girls how to starve themselves, and saying that "ana" will make them beautiful. No. It won't. It makes you sick. It puts you in hospitals. Constant doctors visits. Missing out on things because you're too weak. Doing poorly in school because you're always in the hospital instead of class. It is not beautiful.
