How to Tell Your Parents About Your Eating Disorder
I'm often asked about how to come out to parents and family members about our eating disorder. If you haven't told your parents about having anorexia or bulimia, this week's video may prove to be helpful.
Telling Your Parents About Your Eating Disorder Is Scary
It goes without saying that it's a huge decision to tell another person for the first time about your illness, regardless of who it is; but it can be especially tough when it’s your parents. First thing, when telling your parents about your eating disorder remember you are not alone in feeling like this. Everyone who has gone public has gone through something similar and it’s not a picnic. However, you can help yourself by preparing yourself not just about what you will actually say, but also by remembering that it’s crucial to prepare for the emotional toll it might take on you to be open for the first time.
Preparing Emotionally for Coming Out With Anorexia or Bulimia
Telling your parents about having anorexia or bulimia is an important step in your eating disorder recovery. On the other hand, keeping secrets in eating disorder recovery can be very damaging.
"Sharing the News of Your Eating Disorder" is another article you may want to read before telling your parents about your eating disorder.
You can also connect with Patricia Lemoine on Google +, Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin
APA Reference
Lemoine, P.
(2013, May 27). How to Tell Your Parents About Your Eating Disorder, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 23 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/survivinged/2013/05/how-to-tell-your-parents-about-your-eating-disorder-tips
Author: Patricia Lemoine
how do i even bring up that I'm bulimic. my boyfriend knows and it upsets him dearly so I wanna get better. my biggest fear is going to an inpatient clinic. I've been inpatient twice, how ever I'm open minded to oUT patient. but she freaks and will go to the max and accuse me of using drugs and on and on and I don't wanna here that and I flat out have no idea how to tell her
I have relapsed back to anorexia. I am not backing off this time. I really want to lose weight, but I feel like everything is spiraling out of control. I have completely lost myself to my disorder. No one knows ad no one will know. I want to hide it from everyone because no one will understand. My parents will lose it. They will react very badly if they knew. I had a lot of fights in recovery and I didn't approve of my weight gain. I left recovery with intentions to lose more weight. Here I am! 9 months after outpatient and won't back down on my goals.
Lia,
I'm sad to read that you are so set in your decision to stay in your ED. You note that things feel like they are "spiraling out of control," but I can tell you from experience that feeling will only continue to get worse as you stay entrenched in your anorexia. If you are worried about your parents' reaction, have someone you trust with you to help talk to them.
I hope you can recognize that you are worth recovery. Please ask for help - from me or from people in your life!
Take care,
Jess
Hi Danielle!
Thank you for your comment. As you say, the universe has a way of conversing with us and showing us signs and pointing things out when we need them. I'm glad this might be helpful. Crying is good. It releases what holds us back. Take Care Danielle.
P.
It's hard not to feel like this isn't one of the moments the universe wanted to happen. Thank you for this, I look forward to reading it and beginning to figure out telling my mom. Just thinking of this blog and all you and Jess have provided makes me want to cry.