I am 17 years old and in my last year of high school. I have been suffering from what I think may be an eating disorder for about 4 months. I weigh 58kg and am about 5'8", which makes my BMI about 18.5. I eat about 300-500 calories a day, but if I try and eat more, I end up throwing up. I am nearing my finals and need to stop this behavior. I don't feel like I can tell my parents, as they would freak out and cause additional stress before my finals. I have thought of talking to a school counselor, but am not sure how they could help me. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do? Thanks.
It must be hard for you to be going through the stress of finals and have this going on at the same time. You need to talk to someone as soon as possible. Your counselor could point you in the right direction. I would first suggest seeing a medical doctor to see if there is a medical reason for the vomiting. Stress can sometimes cause physiological symptoms too. Eating 300-500 calories a day is not sufficient for your body to sustain itself. It can lead to all kinds of serious problems in addition to eating disorders. With continued restriction of calories, your body will begin to use energy from your vital organs. This can lead to heart, reproductive, emotional, mental, and many other problems that you can prevent, if you get help early. If you do have an eating disorder, the sooner you get help, the better chance for full recovery. Don’t wait with this. If you need support to talk to your counselor or parents, call me at 800-711-2062 or email me at rebecca@rebeccashouse.org.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Cooper, MFT
Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS)
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