I have had the opportunity to research eating disordered persons for the benefit of my upcoming novel. I researched online, hard cover, and blogs for information on disordered persons.
In June of 2006 i started my research. I have seen girls that look like they were skin and bones, literally. I also saw some girls who look like death itself. I wanted to understand why a person would choose such a horrible death as to starve, binge-and-purge. So to understand further, i blogged. I got online and read what others wrote about their own problems. That was probably the most successful way of understanding others.
Online i found that there was a support groups: girl on girl action. I found both positive and negative websites. the positive websites wanted girls to better themselves and to talk about their problems. the negative websites talked about death, cutting themselves, and pill popping. (this is only the begining) the negative websites also wanted to buddy up and starve together, talk about diet pills, and discuss laxatives and water pills. They had songs posted and book listings to give girls something to do so that they dont eat.
i also got the chance to read about some girls pasts. i found some shocking information when i read them. out of all of them that i read, girls with the worst problems had parental issues such as divorce, abuse, alcoholic issues, drug issues, and lack of parenting.
food for thought about issues and possible parenting issues.
i will update with the next part of my research
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Yes, but not everyone with an eating disorder has had a "bad" past. Eating disorders affect everyone, regardless of age, social status, or past experiences.
cheers
http://progressiveu.org/blog/leslieq
Check it out...it's a work in progress.
Also please keep in mind that not all people with eating disorders are thin.