Need some help

[Cumein]

I have been struggling with an ED for a while now, and my friend wants to help me, but I really don't want professional help. Is there anything else that might help?

[YogaRunner]

I encourage you to see a therapist that specializes in eating disorders. They can help you uncover what is behind your eating disorder.

There is a series of books written by Geneen Roth that I have also found helpful in my journey of recovery:  http://www.geneenroth.com/books.php
I liked "When Food is Love" and "Breaking Free from Emotional Eating"

[Patricia Pitts, PhD]

Dear Cumein,

Statistics show that recovering from an eating disorder takes 1-3 years of professional help. Professional help can come in many different forms such as outpatient therapy, support groups, and nutritional counseling. The Bella Vita offers a free eating disorder support group Monday nights at 6pm at our Los Angeles and Woodland Hills locations. If neither of those are in your area ANAD also has a list of free support groups that you can find in your area.  You may want to go to The Bella Vita website to review what goes into having an eating disorder and treatment options. We also offer a free eating disorder survey.

Best, Dr Patricia Pitts, PhD  The Bella Vita  Los Angeles, CA

[DeeJaye45]

WARNING: Read the whole thing. It starts out rather harsh. Until you want help you won't get better. I know that sounds harsh but I speak from experience. I had ED for years before I was finally tired of letting it control my life,because that's what it did, control my life. I finally let others have control until I could retake control of my life. Professional help does not necessarily mean going into a treatment facility. There are docters, therapists, dieticians, ect who see people withn ED on an outpatient basis. If you want to try that I say go for it'

[Zoelula]

If your friend is recommending professional help, maybe it's because he or she knows you need it and cares about you! What is it that makes you not want professional help?

You said you've been struggling for awhile now, so it sounds like you have been trying on your own to get into recovery and haven't been able to do that. That isn't because you are weak or not trying hard enough. Eating Disorders are a disease that needs treatment. Imho what often works really well is to see someone for awhile who will give you some tools and new ways of doing and thinking about things. THEN you can take those tools and go on to manage your ED on your own. Give it some thought.

Meanwhile you might look for some self-help books that help you learn about Eating Disorders, though that is definitely second hand information as we are all different. If they have practical workbooks or exercises to do that is better than just information. Probably best of all short of actual treatment is attending meetings of OA. Look in the phonebook under Overeater's Anonymous; there are meetings in most good sized towns. Despite the name OA is attended by people with all sorts of eating disorders and is an excellent (and free!) source of support from others who understand because they've been there.