Interviewing My Friends #4: Soph 💞
This interview is with my online friend Sophie and is about having anorexia and recovering from anorexia.
The interview, here in this post, was done a while ago but I have just not come round to typing out and posting until now.
I haven't done an interview post in a while, so I hope you like this and maybe I'll do some more in the future.
1) What does being anorexia mean?
Being anorexic, is a person who is suffering from anorexia. Anorexia Nervosa, a serious mental disorder, where people have a strong need to lose weight, a feeling that they're never good enough, often self-indicating starvation, excessive exercise and many times engaging in self destructive behaviours.
2) When and how did it start and when did you see it was a problem?
My anorexia was very gradually building from the age of 14, when I decided to go on a diet, and it was also contributed to by my emetophobia because I was scared I would be sick if I ate, so I lost weight when I was like 13, due to this, and I enjoyed how I looked skinnier so I lost more and more, until eventually every day I wouldn't eat to make sure I didn't gain any weight.
3) How does anorexia effect your life?
It affects everything, all you can think about is food, it makes going out to restaurants pretty impossible, but it also effects you going out with friends and family because of fear and so many people withdraw from their friendships and stuff like that. I found that I became very unsociable and just wanted to be alone, because I was exhausted.
4) What does having anorexia mean to you?
It means that I'm a different person. I'm not the same person when I'm controlled by thoughts and feelings of restricting and I definitely don't feel the anorexic bit of me is actually me.
5) How was it getting back into regular eating?
It was horrible, I cried every single meal time for about a week, but also is extremely painful and it hurts a lot, but you also get full so quickly because you aren't used to eating so much. I found that it's still extremely difficult but each week it gets slightly easier.
6) What is your present eating schedule like?
My meal plan is 3 main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with 3 double snacks. Which is about 2500-3000 calories each day.
7) How did you hide anorexia from your parents?
I didn't hide it! My parents definitely noticed but they didn't want to fight with me and they didn't realise how serious it was so they just let me do whatever I wanted. But also, I lied to them quite a lot.
8) How has all this changed your life?
It's changed my life a lot! I've missed 2 months of school, and been taken out of dance. I'm constantly getting blood tests and it's affected my family a lot, but I think it has made my family a lot closer so that's a good thing. But it's definitely changed me as a person.
9) How did and have your parents done to help you?
My parents have been to meetings, support groups and have read many books to try and understand and then help me. We also have all been going to family therapy. But now they understand they can support me at meal times with distractions!
10) Advice for people going through this now?
My one bit of advice is listen to the doctors. Please, please, please they know what they are doing I promise and they don't want to make you fat. They want to make you healthy! Healthy doesn't equal fat, healthy means you can live your life how you want to!
11) Anything else you'd like to add??
The one thing I would add is that, don't be afraid to seek help, because although it's scary I promise you it will help you in the long run.
The interview, here in this post, was done a while ago but I have just not come round to typing out and posting until now.
I haven't done an interview post in a while, so I hope you like this and maybe I'll do some more in the future.
1) What does being anorexia mean?
Being anorexic, is a person who is suffering from anorexia. Anorexia Nervosa, a serious mental disorder, where people have a strong need to lose weight, a feeling that they're never good enough, often self-indicating starvation, excessive exercise and many times engaging in self destructive behaviours.
2) When and how did it start and when did you see it was a problem?
My anorexia was very gradually building from the age of 14, when I decided to go on a diet, and it was also contributed to by my emetophobia because I was scared I would be sick if I ate, so I lost weight when I was like 13, due to this, and I enjoyed how I looked skinnier so I lost more and more, until eventually every day I wouldn't eat to make sure I didn't gain any weight.
3) How does anorexia effect your life?
It affects everything, all you can think about is food, it makes going out to restaurants pretty impossible, but it also effects you going out with friends and family because of fear and so many people withdraw from their friendships and stuff like that. I found that I became very unsociable and just wanted to be alone, because I was exhausted.
4) What does having anorexia mean to you?
It means that I'm a different person. I'm not the same person when I'm controlled by thoughts and feelings of restricting and I definitely don't feel the anorexic bit of me is actually me.
5) How was it getting back into regular eating?
It was horrible, I cried every single meal time for about a week, but also is extremely painful and it hurts a lot, but you also get full so quickly because you aren't used to eating so much. I found that it's still extremely difficult but each week it gets slightly easier.
6) What is your present eating schedule like?
My meal plan is 3 main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with 3 double snacks. Which is about 2500-3000 calories each day.
7) How did you hide anorexia from your parents?
I didn't hide it! My parents definitely noticed but they didn't want to fight with me and they didn't realise how serious it was so they just let me do whatever I wanted. But also, I lied to them quite a lot.
8) How has all this changed your life?
It's changed my life a lot! I've missed 2 months of school, and been taken out of dance. I'm constantly getting blood tests and it's affected my family a lot, but I think it has made my family a lot closer so that's a good thing. But it's definitely changed me as a person.
9) How did and have your parents done to help you?
My parents have been to meetings, support groups and have read many books to try and understand and then help me. We also have all been going to family therapy. But now they understand they can support me at meal times with distractions!
10) Advice for people going through this now?
My one bit of advice is listen to the doctors. Please, please, please they know what they are doing I promise and they don't want to make you fat. They want to make you healthy! Healthy doesn't equal fat, healthy means you can live your life how you want to!
11) Anything else you'd like to add??
The one thing I would add is that, don't be afraid to seek help, because although it's scary I promise you it will help you in the long run.
You can find Sophie on Instagram at:
@savingsoph
And on her YouTube channel at:
Comments
Post a Comment