A friend of mine is anorexic. She weights just under 6 stone and freaks out when she eats anything. So she doesnt eat much at all, she weighs herself about twenty times a day and if her weight fluctuates by as little as half a pound she gets in a right state.
As a result of her eating disorder her skin and hair are a terrible state. She is going bald and has all sorts of skin complaints. She doesn't leave the house as a result of looking twice her age!
Does anyone have any experiance with this and can recommend what she can do? She can't even get to the doctors as its a way from her house and she's housebound. It's made her agoraphobic in a way.  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Anxiety is horrific I know I suffer from it,, just be a friend and be there for her,, nhs depression and anxiety service will be able to help,, and can council her over the phone,, you need to be there for her to talk to as having someone there really helps the sufferer,, convince her she will get better and remember every little step I'd a huge mile stone,,, I was stuck in the house for a while due to my anxiety but I forced myself outside slowly, it was terrifying! Singing a little song or anything to take your mind of it helps enomously,,
hope this helps slightly,, and hope your friend gets better soon, from one sufferer to another |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I have watched my niece go through this as well as self harming its is horrid to watch all you can do is be there for them maybe go to your own doctors and maybe ask for their advice as to what to do ie go in google and see if there is ant advice out there x hope thus helps a.little xx |
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"Anxiety is horrific I know I suffer from it,, just be a friend and be there for her,, nhs depression and anxiety service will be able to help,, and can council her over the phone,, you need to be there for her to talk to as having someone there really helps the sufferer,, convince her she will get better and remember every little step I'd a huge mile stone,,, I was stuck in the house for a while due to my anxiety but I forced myself outside slowly, it was terrifying! Singing a little song or anything to take your mind of it helps enomously,,
hope this helps slightly,, and hope your friend gets better soon, from one sufferer to another"
Not anxiety hun, anorexia. Although I think she is getting depressed over it but that's not going to improve until her eating disorder improves I don't think x |
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I suffered from Buliema for many years... Its difficult diease for anyone to understand... My parents did not understand why I was doing it.. I think when you are one way and go the complete oppisite it takes over you.. I would suggest phoning up many of the different eating disorders charities that are about they will be able to give you detailed advice. They may also be able to send a medical professional person to her house.. Its not an easy diease to fight. I have a really bad relationship with food and often still have purges where I am making myself sick... I really hope that your friend can break the cycle... I suffered from alot of aniexty and what not through my struggle.. |
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"And constantly checking weight is ocd! Your local DAS team will be able to help
depression and anxiety service
they see these things all the time"
Her constant weight checking is due to the anorexia and the fact that if she gains a few ounces she goes nuts! If her eating disorder was under control then the rest should fall into place, it's all a knock on effect from that. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Wish it was that simple but unfortunately its not,, you will find its all connected,, I'm no expert but something mentally has triggered the eating disorder |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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you wont be able to help her in this. Trust me on that. She needs professional help before she does too much internal damage that her body cant recover from.
Contact her doctors or NHS 24 on her behalf. They will come to the house to assess her for hospitalisation.
It sounds cruel, but she has to do this to face her problems and over come them |
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"And constantly checking weight is ocd! Your local DAS team will be able to help
depression and anxiety service
they see these things all the time"
Totally different type of services she needs... With specialist support workers etc.. |
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"I suffered from Buliema for many years... Its difficult diease for anyone to understand... My parents did not understand why I was doing it.. I think when you are one way and go the complete oppisite it takes over you.. I would suggest phoning up many of the different eating disorders charities that are about they will be able to give you detailed advice. They may also be able to send a medical professional person to her house.. Its not an easy diease to fight. I have a really bad relationship with food and often still have purges where I am making myself sick... I really hope that your friend can break the cycle... I suffered from alot of aniexty and what not through my struggle.. "
Thanks for the advice! Someone is going to have to visit her at home I think. She is in no position to go out x |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I agree about contacting the eating disorder charities for advice.
I also wonder if you could contact her gp, if she will let you?
If her life is at risk perhaps they would intervene?
Its good she has you as a friend.
Good luck
X |
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"you wont be able to help her in this. Trust me on that. She needs professional help before she does too much internal damage that her body cant recover from.
Contact her doctors or NHS 24 on her behalf. They will come to the house to assess her for hospitalisation.
It sounds cruel, but she has to do this to face her problems and over come them"
No I know I can't help her myself, we don't live close anyway so I can only speak to get on the phone, via text etc. I wasn't sure if someone would visit her at home but it appears from comments that they will so I've told her this, she sounds keen to do it now she thinks she can be assessed at home I think she was just terrified at having to go to the docs on her own!
Thanks for the advice x |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"you wont be able to help her in this. Trust me on that. She needs professional help before she does too much internal damage that her body cant recover from.
Contact her doctors or NHS 24 on her behalf. They will come to the house to assess her for hospitalisation.
It sounds cruel, but she has to do this to face her problems and over come them
No I know I can't help her myself, we don't live close anyway so I can only speak to get on the phone, via text etc. I wasn't sure if someone would visit her at home but it appears from comments that they will so I've told her this, she sounds keen to do it now she thinks she can be assessed at home I think she was just terrified at having to go to the docs on her own!
Thanks for the advice x"
Has she got another friend who could be there with her when they visit? Might help her to have a friendly face there. You're a good mate. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"you wont be able to help her in this. Trust me on that. She needs professional help before she does too much internal damage that her body cant recover from.
Contact her doctors or NHS 24 on her behalf. They will come to the house to assess her for hospitalisation.
It sounds cruel, but she has to do this to face her problems and over come them
No I know I can't help her myself, we don't live close anyway so I can only speak to get on the phone, via text etc. I wasn't sure if someone would visit her at home but it appears from comments that they will so I've told her this, she sounds keen to do it now she thinks she can be assessed at home I think she was just terrified at having to go to the docs on her own!
Thanks for the advice x"
The fact that she is willing to let someone come to the house and assess her is a good sign as it means she has recognised she has a problem. My cousin suffered from Bulimia and it took my auntie and some of her friends a long time to get her to accept there was a problem...but once she had accepted it getting her help was much easier x |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Your friend needs to contact her gp and explain her situation. I doubt very much whether her gp will discuss her medical problems with you OP due to confidentiality. Otherwise she could call the community mental health team or specialist eating disorder teams.
Usually people suffering from this will not admit or accept they have a problem. My friends sister died from anorexia some years ago. Even when she was wheelchair bound, was covered in body hair to keep her warm as she had no fat, was just over 3 stone in weight and looked horrific, she still wouldn't accept she was as bad as she was. She was terrified of food and my friends mum really went through such trauma in getting her sectioned and hospitalised.
It's a specialist condition and requires psychiatric assessment and treatment and so keep enclosing her to speak to a professional. Had she not got any family as they are in a better position to get her help. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"you wont be able to help her in this. Trust me on that. She needs professional help before she does too much internal damage that her body cant recover from.
Contact her doctors or NHS 24 on her behalf. They will come to the house to assess her for hospitalisation.
It sounds cruel, but she has to do this to face her problems and over come them"
This. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Just before Christmas of last year I had first hand experience of the mental health team here in Weston for me.
They were excellent. They cared. They couldn't have done any more than they did. But it took for me to also respond and be a part of the process/journey or whatever label you want to stick on it.
You can support, but it has to come from them. Contact the pros! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I knew a teen that had this issue. The thing that kickstarted the possibility of recovery was when everyone (unbeknown to her) agreed to start talking about what was going to happen after she died. Who would get her clothes, her room, what flowers at the funeral, how much they'd miss her. It shocked her so much that she finally admitted she was on course for that (she was in denial up and til then). Won't work for everyone though |
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