Overcoming An Eating Disorder: A Glimpse Into
One Woman's Journey
February 19, 2008
Worrying about weight might seem like a common occurrence in our image-obsessed
society. For some people, the worry takes over in the form of an eating
disorder, ruling almost every waking moment. Persons with eating disorders spend
up to 90 percent of their day obsessing about their appearance, say treatment
professionals with the Eating Disorders Program at The Menninger Clinic in
Houston.
Cynthia Nelson, a 31-year-old Houstonian, understands the impact of eating
disorders. She struggled with anorexia nervosa for 11 years and says she still
battles negative thoughts about her size almost daily.
Nationally recognized experts will discuss eating disorders treatment at the
2008 Eating Disorders Conference of Houston: Perspectives on Treatment and
Prevention, on Friday, February 22, at the Power Center, 12401 S. Post Oak Road,
Houston, Texas. The conference, from 8 am to 3:30 pm, is open to health
professionals for continuing education credit, as well as families and the
public. It kicks off National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, February 24 to
March 1. Conference presentations and discussions will focus on the link between
self-image and eating disorders.
"Negative self-image is one of the most difficult things to change when
treating an eating disorder and is the last symptom to resolve from
treatment," says Theresa Fassihi, PhD, a psychologist with the Eating
Disorders Program at The Menninger Clinic, who will be presenting at the
conference on self-image and risk for relapse. "If a patient does not make
some improvement on body image issues early in treatment, it is a significant
risk factor for relapse into the eating disorder."
Cynthia attests to the difficulty of reaching the decision to "give up your
eating disorder" in order to get on the road to a healthy weight and
eventually, recovery. Cynthia explains that her eating disorder became such a
part of her identity that the thought of giving it up seemed impossible.
At age 17, when Cynthia was first diagnosed with anorexia, her eating disorder
began to rule her life. As a perfectionist, being skinny became her way of
trying to feel good enough at something, please everyone and eventually became
her primary focus.
"Being from an affluent area where everything is important, from your
grades to how you look, I remember being self-conscious about my body beginning
in junior high school," said Cynthia. "My junior year is when I
remember noticing models on TV and in magazines and thinking how great it would
be if I looked like them. I started losing weight to look better and to be
accepted by everyone. Eventually it was the only thing I could think
about."
During her senior year in high school, Cynthia's eating disorder escalated to
the point her parents decided to find an outpatient treatment program. Because
the eating disorder had consumed her entire identity, she didn't care to engage
in treatment. She was eventually hospitalized and fed through a feeding tube.
She was close to dying, although she said at that point she didn't care if she
died. All she cared about was losing weight. She was stabilized enough to enter
a treatment center specifically for people struggling with eating disorders.
That is where she learned about anorexia and the underlying reasons for why she
was starving herself.
Treatment professionals helped Cynthia learn how to make use of therapy and gain
weight. It would take 10 more years of therapy followed by relapses and several
more hospitalizations for Cynthia to struggle through giving up, one piece at a
time, the eating disorder that defined her.
According to Dr. Fassihi, "on average, it takes three to seven years for
people with eating disorders to fully recover and lapses or relapses are a
common part of the process. With treatment and hard work, up to 90 percent of
people with eating disorders can fully recover."
"I experienced a lot of self-hatred, mostly because I never thought I lost
enough weight, Cynthia explains. "My sister and friends didn't like to go
to the mall with me because the entire time I would compare myself to others,
constantly afraid there was someone skinnier than me."
Cynthia counts her blessings that her family did not give up on her. She said it
wasn't easy for them. "It was difficult for my younger sister, who was
afraid I was going to die, plus, there was some denial at first but they got
through that and learned how to offer support for someone with an eating
disorder, which was critical during the long recovery process."
During her last hospitalization, Cynthia achieved a normal weight and has been
able to maintain her weight for the past five years.
Cynthia continues to see a therapist and dietitian to help her stay on track.
She said her obsession with body image remains a challenging part of her life
but she is determined not to miss out on anything else in life like she did when
her life was consumed by anorexia.
Although Cynthia had to wait a year after high school to go to college, because
of her struggles with anorexia, she was able to complete an undergraduate degree
in philosophy and biology and obtain a master's degree in public health. She is
currently enrolled in a master of science physician assistant program. Upon
graduating, she plans to work in pediatrics and clinical research.
She believes the most important message she can convey to parents and the
families of people with eating disorders is to catch the signs of the disease
early. Eating disorders experts agree, people with eating disorders have a
better chance of recovering if they enter treatment within the first six months
of any signs of an eating disorder.
"Early intervention offers the best prognosis for recovery, and recovery
tends to happen more quickly because the behaviors are not as entrenched,"
said Dr. Fassihi.
Additional topics covered at the Eating Disorders Conference of Houston will
include the prevention of eating disorders and obesity in children. In the
United States, as many as 10 million females and 1 million males suffer from an
eating disorder, according to the National Eating Disorders Association.
The conference is underwritten by the Stanford and Joan Alexander
Foundation of Houston and presented jointly by The Menninger Clinic, Mental
Health America of Greater Houston (formerly Mental Health Association of Greater
Houston), Houston Psychological Association, Houston Association of Marriage and
Family Therapy and The Healthy Weigh. Continuing education credit is available
for psychologists, counselors, therapists, social workers, registered dietitians
and dietetic technicians.
The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing
treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger
relocated to Houston in 2003 and is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine
and The Methodist Hospital. For 17 consecutive years, Menninger has been named
among the leading psychiatric hospitals in U.S.News & World Report's annual
ranking of America's Best Hospitals.
Menninger Clinic
2801 Gessner Dr., PO Box 809045
Houston, TX 77280
United States
http://www.menningerclinic.com
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