pounds that is. As some of you may already know I have been suffering with ED {eating disorder} for over three years now. My terrible illness started after being assaulted by a stranger {man} at a local grocery store parking lot while walking to my truck with my grocerys. I fought this man and got away from my attacker but I was left with permanent injurys. PTSD and depression led me up to starving myself. {Anorexia} The starvation got hold of me so bad I starved myself down to the low weight of 79lbs. That is 41lbs underweight for my height verses ideal weight. I have been fighting and been being treated for what seems like forever trying to beat this illness. My illness had gotton so bad that at the age of 47 {at the time} I had gotton my final affairs in order. I had given up. I didn't think anything would save me. It felt like I was just waiting around to starve myself to death. I felt like nothing was going to help me therefore I had given up hope. Shame, embarassement and humiliation is what I hid behind and what I dealt with everyday. Only my doctors and the people closest to me actually knew the truth about what was going on. I had kept ED a secret. AT that time I was being laughed at and stared at when I left the house. After suffering with the anorexia for quite awhile I decided to go public and talk about my illness. Once I decided to tell my story I felt like I had already endoured so much that it couldn't be much worse than I had already gone through. Plus maybe people would see me an treat me like I wasn't some drug addicted junkie that had acheived extremly low weight from drugs. I felt like if people were going to laugh and stare at me, well [email protected] they were already doing that. At the same time I felt like I was putting myself out there and if it didn't go well the negative affects might just push me off that cliff I had been balancing on for such a long time. The positive encourgament I received after telling my secret was amazing. I want to thank all my fellow BYC friends that have offered prayers, kind words and encourgament to me. It has meant the world to me. For this reason this is why I think BYC is the most awesome forum around. Its not just a place to discuss our chickens but a place to share and be treated by other members like true friends or like family. I've traveled a long hard road these last three plus years trying to get well and I'm not saying I'm totally cured from this terrible illness but it sure is a nice start to getting well. Thanks again to everyone that has offered your kind words and prayers. They have made me feel like I am not a total failure or outcast. YOU GUYS ROCK Heres to trying to make it to 102lbs!!!!!!!
Chilling- That is Awesome progress! Keep it up! I too suffered from PTSD, and it is difficult to overcome. What finally worked for me was EMDR . I'm glad you found something that helped you. Keep it up! This fourum is a great place for support. Take care! Nancy
Quote:Thanks for the kind words and encourgament. I swear this forum has done more good for me than my therapist. {but don't tell her that} O.K. maybe I'm exhausted from bottle feeding a baby pot bellied pig around the clock for the last 5 weeks and 2 days but what is EMDR?
Quote:Thanks for the kind words and encourgament. I swear this forum has done more good for me than my therapist. {but don't tell her that} O.K. maybe I'm exhausted from bottle feeding a baby pot bellied pig around the clock for the last 5 weeks and 2 days but what is EMDR? hehee no it's not something commonly known and is not something easily explained in a few words . It stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and is a type of therapy used sometimes for PTSD. You can read about it here. www.emdr.com For me it relieved my PTSD symptoms within a month of treatment., not everyone responds the same but it has been very successful for some. Let me know if you have more questions about it. I think that site has a listing of doctors/therapists certified in the treatment that you can search by state or zip code. Nancy
Knew you would get there in the end..... rest assured that we will always be here for you no matter what. Am so very very proud of you!!!!!! Be VERY VERY Proud of yourself........ Plus give a big hug to Snakeman................
Fantastic to hear you are doing well - keep strong and well. My daughter was given a little EMDR treatment but it was too strong for her - she responded to some more gentle hypnotherapy treatment to help with anxiety. Make sure you find a registered practitioner if you want to give it a try. It sounds as though you are gaining control of your life through another means than food so you may not need any other therapy. Keep going
Quote:I started hatching in the middle of last year for therapy and now its turned into a hatchery but when I got my girls there was no turning back. Snakeman says he thinks this is what pushed me back over that cliff I have been dangling myself on for so long. I'm not saying I am cured from the illness but I had to start somewhere. I guess I could call it baby steps. All I can do is try my best and if I relapse, pick myself up, dust myself off, put that baby bottle in Stormy mouth {lol} and try again. Thanks Wendy, your the best.