On the “cutting” edge of eating disorders
One of the “themes” running through most eating disorders is a general dislike of and disdain for one’s body. Certainly, this stems from psychological issues; eating disorders are not the fault of the body. However, the body ultimately pays the price.
Therefore, I suppose it shouldn’t be too surprising that plenty of women and men with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating turn to self-mutilation.
Don’t believe me? Just head to any pro-ana or pro-mia discussion board. (Or don’t - I wouldn’t want them to trigger any latent EDs.) The subject of “cutting” appears far more frequently than you might imagine.
I’ve tried to uncover figures to see how many anorexics, bulimics and binge eaters tend to “cut” or perform another self-injurious action. Here’s what I’ve found thus far:
- At CaringOnline the authors report that “…A study by Favazza and Conterio (1989) states that episodic and repetitive self-mutilation are frequently seen in conjunction with, or as a replacement for, eating disorders. In a study of 290 self-mutilating women, they found that 22% of the subjects suffered from only bulimia nervosa, 15% from anorexia nervosa and 13% from both disorders, for a total of 50%.”
- At MentalHelp.net, Allan Schwartz, Ph.D. states “…It is not unusual for some people suffering from eating disorders to engage in direct bodily self-harm in an attempt to reduce the emotional pain and suffering. The self-harm can occur in the form of cutting and self-mutilation with a razor, knife or any sharp instrument.”
- TroubledTeen101 claims “…because teens who self-injure or self-mutilate often do not know how to ask for help, it is important to watch for some of these signs that a teen may be harming him or herself, or is at risk for doing so:… Unexplained injuries, such as cuts, scratches, burns, bruises, etc.;… A history of eating disorders…”
When I was at my worst, I never cut, but I would sometimes hit my thighs as hard as I could just to FEEL something besides the agony of loneliness and depression.
Does this whole connection between eating disorders and self-harm resonate with you?
Tags: Anorexia, anorexia nervosa, anorexics, at risk, binge eaters, binge eating, bruises, Bulimia, bulimia nervosa, bulimics, burns, cutting, depression, eating-disorders, EDs, history of eating disorders, knife, mutilation, pro-Ana, pro-mia, psychological issues, razor, scratches, Self-Harm, self-mutilation, sharp instrument, triggers
4 opinions for On the “cutting” edge of eating disorders
Deneice
Nov 18, 2008 at 11:36 am
ABSOLUTELY! After treatment and I quit purging I used cutting as a substitute and then in tandem.
Kelly Turner
Nov 18, 2008 at 10:40 pm
i never cut, but i understood why people did. my eating disorder was my way of punishing myself- some cut- some do both.
I remember one time when i was about 12, after getting yelled at by my mom about something that didnt warrant it, i pretended a desk fell on my leg and actually pressed the edge of it into my ankle to make a mark. I was 12, so it wasnt the most thought out or believable plan, but i distinctly remember wanting some love and someone to take about how i was feeling.
Kelly Turner
http://www.groundedfitness.com
Kelly Turner
Nov 18, 2008 at 10:41 pm
**care about how I was feeling
Brittany
Nov 19, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I have been self-injuring for as long as I can remember. When I was little, it took the form of pulling my own hair out, or intentionally bruising myself. Later, I cut and developed disordered eating, which I believe is a form of self injury, at least for me.
My family was one that had to have everything perfect. You didn’t measure up, you got punished. I believe this taught me to punish myself with pain, and I believe this also contributed to my eating disorder, as it does for so many girls.
There were days where I consumed too much, in my opinion, and for some reason just could not purge. Those days, I cut to remind myself it was wrong to eat. I still have a scar on my leg spelling out the word “fat”, and one on my opposite thigh spelling “failure”.
For me, my eating disorder and my self harm are most certainly connected, on almost every level.
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