3) Finally, during recovery there are three critical things to remember: a) All her family has to let her know that they love her as often as they can, but you should also hint that you liked her the way she was before. Chances are, she is more morose now and attends fewer family functions. Help her remember what life can be like. Put up pictures of old times in "I Love You" frames. Put notes about old memories of things that might not happen now in her backpack, on her bed, by her toothbrush, in her purse, on her closet, etc. She'll see these things and wish for those times back. She'll probably cry, too, but that's a good thing; a person with an ED needs to break down the protective shell of their new persona before s/he can truly recover.
b) Realize that she will be deceptive. In her eyes, she's worked hard to get what she has, and now you, the enemy are trying to ruin it. Some common "tricks" are puking, hiding food in napkins, feeding a pet under the table, replacing foods w sugar free or lower calorie foods, drinking lots of water before weigh-ins, wearing weights under clothing, and putting rocks in pockets.
c) Understand that she has complex feelings of guilt and confusion, and that even she at this point probably has no idea what fueled her disorder. Listen and remain level-headed, logical, supportive, and loving.
On a final note, try not to treat her like some sick freak. She's just a person who is going through a rough time and needs help. All this might seem ridiculously extensive, but keep in mind that mortality rates for anorexia range from 10 to 30 percent and in others, including myself, it can cause brain damage, infertility, hair loss, emotional illness, food allergies, and much more. I wish all the best to your niece and your whole family! Feel free to keep in touch.
How much do you weigh?
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3) Finally, during recovery there are three critical things to remember: a) All her family has to let her know that they love her as often as they can, but you should also hint that you liked her the way she was before. Chances are, she is more morose now and attends fewer family functions. Help her remember what life can be like. Put up pictures of old times in "I Love You" frames. Put notes about old memories of things that might not happen now in her backpack, on her bed, by her toothbrush, in her purse, on her closet, etc. She'll see these things and wish for those times back. She'll probably cry, too, but that's a good thing; a person with an ED needs to break down the protective shell of their new persona before s/he can truly recover.
b) Realize that she will be deceptive. In her eyes, she's worked hard to get what she has, and now you, the enemy are trying to ruin it. Some common "tricks" are puking, hiding food in napkins, feeding a pet under the table, replacing foods w sugar free or lower calorie foods, drinking lots of water before weigh-ins, wearing weights under clothing, and putting rocks in pockets.
c) Understand that she has complex feelings of guilt and confusion, and that even she at this point probably has no idea what fueled her disorder. Listen and remain level-headed, logical, supportive, and loving.
On a final note, try not to treat her like some sick freak. She's just a person who is going through a rough time and needs help. All this might seem ridiculously extensive, but keep in mind that mortality rates for anorexia range from 10 to 30 percent and in others, including myself, it can cause brain damage, infertility, hair loss, emotional illness, food allergies, and much more. I wish all the best to your niece and your whole family! Feel free to keep in touch.