Control

When I read Amy’s story about her battle with anorexia, I was almost angry with her. She had the same day-to-day problems as most teenagers. Self-confidence issues, feeling as though you’re not good enough for your parents. I’ve heard it all before. I’ve felt it all before. The thought has obviously crossed my mind to simply skip a few meals to shed a few pounds. I’ve done it once or twice. But never have ever considered stopping eating completely. I was angry with her. She was blessed with so much. But it wasn’t good enough. There are so many children around the world starving who have no choice. Yet she simply stopped eating.

Then I realized. Anorexia isn’t a choice. It’s a horrible mental disease. It may start out as a choice but it spirals out of control. The counting of calories, avoiding certain foods, and eating tiny portions all leads up to an irrational fear of food. The victims of the disease want to feel in control. Dieting gives them that feeling but soon it actually gets out of their control. By the time they realize it, it could be too late.

But how do they get help if no one understands? Maybe part of the problem is everyone surrounding him or her thinks the disease is entirely his or her own fault. It was a choice. Instead of sympathy, they only feel lack of compassion and anger. Maybe, if we viewed it as it really is, a terrifying disorder, we’d all be more able to help.