check out this ANOREXIA forum.

[Virtualbody1234]

... I will never equate them to cancer or smallpox.

That's exactly the problem. "You will never" means that you are closed minded and will not let yourself learn. More proof is that you said you would read the links from JPaul but you still haven't.

Perhaps you could consider to stop posting in this thread until you have read it.

[JPaul]

Unless you get away from the notion that anorexia is simply a result of trying to lose weight, which then gets out of control, then there is no way to understand the people who have it.

You are looking at the apparent symptoms of the illness, rather than the cause. As made clear on the web-site I linked to, the cause can be a combination of things including trauma, genetics, image, conditioning etc.

The idea that anorexics are simply people who tried to get very thin, then lost control of it is simply wrong. However even if it were right, they still deserve your compassion. As does anyone else with an illness (even if they themselves were partially to blame for it). Like having bad knees thro' sports injuries.

A big problem here is that people try to debate using analogy and simile. I have almost got to the stage where I ignore anything which starts "It's just like ...." or similar.

(Awaits obvious Vaudevillesque reply)

I haven't gotten around to reading in depth about it yet (your link). I would wish anorexics to get better "as" I would wish anyone to be in good health that hasn't hurt others. However, that is where it ends. I cannot go further because they are doing it to themselves and there are real victims of real disease that are not even partially to blame that deserve compassion. I do not believe "anorexia" and "bulimia" are diseases. I will never equate them to cancer or smallpox.

It may have been partially their fault that they got there, maybe not their fault at all. However once they are there the illness is real, they need help and compassion just the same as anyone else.

If you must insist on analogy, I and you probably feel compassion for;

Alcoholics
Heroin Addicts
Quadraplegics who crashed their car
Cancer sufferers who used to smoke
Cancer sufferers who sunbathed too much
etc

all at least partially to blame, but also deserving of our help and support.

You see the anorexic as different, because you see them as just daft wee white lassies who tried to look like a too thin "supermodel" and just lost the plot about it. However it is more likely to have been a traumatised teenage girl, who could not cope with things in her life and this happened to them. Not about image, but as as sub-conscious reaction to not being able to cope. A sort of physical nervous breakdown if you will.

Think of a 14 year old victim of incestuous rape, sitting in a padded room rocking gently in the corner sobbing. Would you feel sorry for her, becuse she is more likely to be the anorexic than the daft wee lassie you see the anorexic as being.

[Busyman]

... I will never equate them to cancer or smallpox.

That's exactly the problem. "You will never" means that you are closed minded and will not let yourself learn. More proof is that you said you would read the links from JPaul but you still haven't.

Perhaps you could consider to stop posting in this thread until you have read it.

Perhaps not.

Perhaps you could go to to the TDR version of this thread. It needs warm bodies.

[peat moss]

I heard Kristy Alley of Chears fame lost 50 pounds and is dating again . Al Pachino if you can believe it . I aways thought she was beautiful even at her heaviest .

[muchspl3]

you haven't seen any of the weight watchers ad's

[SpatulaGeekGirl]

Busyman's not very nice sometimes.

[peat moss]

you haven't seen any of the weight watchers ad's

No but watched that failed actress show .

[GepperRankins]

I haven't gotten around to reading in depth about it yet (your link). I would wish anorexics to get better "as" I would wish anyone to be in good health that hasn't hurt others. However, that is where it ends. I cannot go further because they are doing it to themselves and there are real victims of real disease that are not even partially to blame that deserve compassion. I do not believe "anorexia" and "bulimia" are diseases. I will never equate them to cancer or smallpox.

just read it. it won't even take 10 minutes

[ahctlucabbuS]

Busyman, when you need 40+ pages worth of discussion to somewhat approximate a compassionate response....

It's safe to say that mental illness still have a long way to go to be accepted in the same way as bodily diseases.

The brain is,like the rest of the body, capable of becoming "ill". When you learn dysfunctional thought patterns and/or behaviour you should seek help to correct the problem...

You seem to believe that these women are somewhat faking their illness, or just taking dieting to the extreme for the sake of looking good.

Nevertheless it would be enough to look at the consequences of their actions to see that they have problems. And when you're incapable to feel compassion towards a group of people where 15% eventually die without treatment (if I remember correctly from the above posted link), then I'd go as far as to say that you yourself have a problem or in the best case are just ignorant.

I'm hoping the latter is the case, at least read the information provided before casting judgement.

[muchspl3]

I only see 10 pages....