Responsibility

Yesterday, my parents and sister went to see my grandparents. I didnt go because i had too much revision to do for my A level exams next week. They let me stay home my myself and ii had complete responsibility over what i ate.

I did quite well i think. I ate way more than i would have let myself eat when home alone in the past.  

It feels good that i can be trusted with this. And it feels good to have some independence and responsibility over eating again.

However, i do wonder what motivated my family to allow this. I think they wanted a break from the responsibility. They thought 'we can have a break and let go just for one day' and they persuaded themselves that they could trust me because they wanted to. It does make me sad they im sure they enjoy family trips without me. They are so much less stressful for them. They went out to lunch and made and ate a cake, these would both be awkward and tense activities if i was there. While i am happy to give them some pleasure with my absence, i am upset that me not being there is better for them. Once i was told this.

Swings and roundabouts i suppose.

Sophie x

Alice In The Looking Glass Review

This book is in 2 parts. The first is written by Jo Kingsley and the second by her daughter Alice Kingsley.

I very much enjoyed (not quite sure if that is the most correct word) reading this book. I found it a compelling strory which felt very true and honest. It was interesting to read two accounts of the same story, one from the mother and one from the daughter who had anorexia.

Her story is a sad one at first, and seems fairly extreme with Alice suffering from OCD aswell as anorexia. The book is about their struggle through clinics, school, relationships, events and just lfe in general while the eating disorder had control and also while they gained more control over it. There are sad points in the book but also some encouraging aand happy moments. I fell that the book can help those with anorexia to gain a view on what recovery could mean to them.

The book details the journey of recovery and as the blurb says 'their experiences, anxieties and eventually some success" It aslo says on the back "will offer enlightenment to those who know someone suffering from anorexia". Even though i did enjoy reading the book, i would sooner recommend it to someone who knew someone with an eating disorder rather than someone with one. Due to having 2 accounts and points of view in the book, i feel it could give someone a fairly good understanding of some aspects of the illness. For those with an eating disorder, it is encouraging and shows that it is possible to find happiness.

Sophie x

Dr Phil Deadly Thin

I watched this video yesterday. There are more parts but i found it so hard to watch that i havnt seen the others.

Its just terrible, i cant believe the poor girl got that bad. To be honest i am stunned. And i cant really think of what to say about it. I suppose it speaks for itself.

The video also talks about obesity for the first part.

***WARNING THIS VIDEO IS VERY HARD AND UNCOMFORTABLE TO WATCH***

Sophie x

Parents

Hmm... I think my parents are starting to give up on me again. This past week a few nasty things were said that were totally unprovoked. 


On Wednesday, my dad, my sister and me were talking about pocket money. My dad was saying that we should have to work for money rather than just be given it. I jokily say that the joy of us for children is enough. My dad says something like "you give us no joy, just suffering with your anorexia". I was completely startled by this. I couldnt quite believe it was said seemingly out of no where.


Yesterday, my mum, my sister and me were talking about having sleepovers, i had already arranged one but my sister wanted one on the same night. My mum said it would be unfair because she would be kicked out from both TV rooms on her Saturday night off.  My sleepover was going to be after a night out so i said something about i wouldnt be an issue because we wouldnt be here until late. My mum said "Your always an issue with your anorexia".


These comments always stun me. I am never prepared for them. I dont think its said to aid my recovery, i think its for them. It helps them to tell me how miserable im making them. They still dont understand that im trying so hard and i did not chose to be this way.


Sophie x

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Fear Foods

For my nutritionist next week, i need to make a list of fear foods.

Im bit reluctant to do this because its probably so she can put them into my meal plan to challenge me. I suppose she will know whats best for my recovery but i really would rather not eat these foods. I would be happy to never eat them again, its not hindering my life in anyway really, everyone has foods they like and dont like. But i know they want to get me back to a healthy way of thinking about food. And i suppose they are the experts and they knowo how to do it. I dont like challenging myself with food but i guess i just have to grip it and rip it.

The foods i have so far are:
1. Non-ready meal pasta
2. Cheese from a block
3. Butter

I think there is more but i just cant think of them on the spot!

Pasta is a big thing for me. I hate it when it is not carefully portioned. I remember watching 'My Big Fat Diet Show' and they said on it that pasta was very high in calories and i immediately cut it out completely. When i was little, i used to have giant plates of it, which is probably why i just wont have it now.

What i mean by cheese from a block is the cheese which you have to cut bits off. I can handle ready sliced if i am required to, and a babybell or cheese string is part of my meal plan so i have to eat them everyday. I dont know why its just a no when its from a block.

Butter. Its just because of the stigma it has i guess.

I have gotten quite alot better with these foods. There was a time where under no circumstances would i eat a baby bell or any cheese, but now i can. I have also been forced to have pasta sometimes which was very uncomfortable, but i managed it. But as i said before, i would be happy never eating these foods again, i dont mind having to avoid them.

Sophie x

General Update 3

In a previous post, i wrote about how the cashier at M&S talked to me and questionned me about my weight - in a nice, caring way though. I saw her again today. I gave her a more substantial thing to put though the till. She seemed very happy about this and told me that i looked very well. I did not take offence, there was a time when hearing this would have really upset me. I actually was happy to hear it. I think i really do want to get better now :) yay!

There are still some crazy things i do. I wish i could write about them, but im terrified someone i know might see this blog and be able to connect it to me. But i know now im getting so much better. Im really happy at the moment, i really hope this feeling lasts!

The main reason im happy is probably because i have a boyfriend now, ive never really had one before. I think being happy is making me eat more, but im happy anyway so i dont mind as much.. if that makes sense. I asked him if i would be better bigger (a bit of a cruel question to ask!) and reluctantly he admitted i would be, so yet more motivation.

Im doing exams now, i cant wait for them to be over and i hope they go ok! I may not be able to update as often, but i like writting to this blog so much that i probably will find time some how!

Sophie x

Vitamins

I'm advised to take vitamin supplements. heres what i take:

1. Kelp. Good for weight management  (although not exactly sure what this means!). My dad actually made me take these after japan's earthquake to deter the radiation, and i just kept taking them.

2. Zinc. Good for immune system and hair. My hair does seem to be getting thinker, i have some weird clumps of hair growin, it looks a bit wierd but to be honest im just pleased to see growth! This may just be from eating more though.

3. Multi-vitamin and Iron. General well being and i think as iron is good for the blood, it might help my periods come back.

This is in addition to the nourishment i drink everyday which i described the benefits of in the last post.

My mum wants me to take these omega 3 tablets too. She keeps putting them out for me, but i put them back in the pot. The reason i do this is because they are oil based. And oil = fat. I really shouldnt care about that kind of thing anymore. I think thats the only reason she wants me to take them, but i should be fine with it... why arnt i?! its normal to take these tablets, loads of people do it! It might be because i once took 2 evening primrose oil tablets and my dad said 'wouldnt it be funny if you got fat'. So i suppose i associate oil tablets with fat now... i dont know! Its so irritating not being able to understand yourself!

Sophie x

Nourishment

I just want to take a moment to advertise these drinks.
At the beginning of my disoder, my dad repeatedly tried to get me to drink them, but i found them the most repulsive things, not because of their taste (although that does get a bit of getting used to) but because they are high in calories and they are liquid calories.

I am still a bit funny about liquid calories. I would NEVER drink non-diet soft drinks for example and i dont really like drinking juice either. But these are a bit different. They arent a waste of calories because they give you so much! As a vegeterian who doesnt like eating cheese or nuts, i find it a little diffiicult to get protein, these drinks contain loads of it. They also contain loads of vitamins and minerals, and 100% of the RDA of most of them.

1 can is a bit much. I suggest drinking half a can a day. They are quite sickly and filling so drinking a whole can in one go might be difficult both physically and mentally.

The reason why i suggest drinking it, is that a big fear of mine is not being able to stop once i am an acceptable weight and getting fat. I know this is a fear for many people with eating disorders, yet they know they do need to get better. I dont hate drinking these, but i dont particuarly like it and i wouldnt ever miss it. Therefore, i can be sure that i can cut this out of my diet as soon as i need to and be able to maintain a suitable weight.

I know quite a few people who use 'build up' and my nutritionist mentioned this to be. But i like how the nourishment is already all weighed up and i can just measure out half the can and know exactly whats in it. Not to mention the fact that its more conventient and less hastle!

They come in 6 flavours. I personally recommend vanilla and chocolate, but there is also strawberry, banana, raspberry and cherry. I havnt tried the last three because i hate bananas and they dont sell the other 2 in any shops near me :(

Here is the website for them which has all the nutritional info, ordering facility and more stuff like peoples stories. http://www.nurishment.co.uk/

Sophie x

 

Something Embarrassing

Today, i thought i would share something i just remembered had happened to me. Its really quite embarrassing but i think the best way to deal with it is to share it and laugh at it!

I remember getting home from college, having eaten very little if not nothing and trying to convince myself i wasnt hungry. I needed to feed my cat, so i opened a sache of that disgusting, wet, smelly, meaty cat food. And i realised that it was actually extremely appealing and i wanted to eat it! (despite being vegetarian also) I was so hungry that even the most disgusting thing my body wanted to eat. Haha at me. How embarrassing!

Sophie x

P.S. dont worry, i didnt eat it.

P.P.S. I noticed the other day that my cat's treat pouch said '3 calories per treat' on it, so even cats are counting calories now? society is messed up!

Songs 3

An encouraging recovery song. Its not my kind of music, but the lyrics are motivational and lots of people have found this song helpful :)

Sophie x

Cognitive Explainations

The cognitive approach looks at thought processes to explain behaviour. The key point in the Cognitive Approach to this issue, is that it is caused by a persons irrational beliefs that they cannot be valued unless they have an ideal body and physical appearance. And as people with eating disorders often have a distorted body image (usually that they are fat), they continue to loose weight in order to get to that perfect body image.


Thoughts which have been noted by psychologists Bemis-Vitousek and Orimoto (1993) were consistent with with the model of Abnormality, for example "I am not yet thin so i must lose more weight". Irrational thoughts were also noted "I must continue to lose weight so i can continue to be in control of my body" this is an irrational attitude about control, as except there is no control as they are losing a dangerous amount of weight.


Fairburn et al. in 1999 conducted an interview study which compared 169 eating disorder sufferers, 102 people with other psychiatric disorders and 204 healthy controls. The results showed that many eating disorder sufferers were perfectionist and had a negative self evaluation. 


The cognitive approach suggests that irrational thoughts is what causes these disorders, but it doesnt tell us where these irrational thoughts come from.


I certainly think this is a plausible explanation. I know for sure that these irrational thoughts have been on my mind. It is a shame that it cannot tell us where these thoughts originate and why we have them.


Sophie x

Quick Thought

Is it more correct to say i have an eating disorder, or an eating disorder has me?

Ana, Ed and Mia

Ana, Ed, Mia and names are what some sufferers like to call their disorder. If you are a sufferer and havnt already, you may want to try this technique. Its like when you have the disordered thoughts, they are not your own; they are your disorders. This works for some people.

However, this never worked for me. Im not sure i understand the real reasoning behind giving it another identity. I knew that the only way i was ever going to get better was to accept the responsibility for these thoughts, and confront them head on.

The anorexic woman in supersize vs. superskinny (T.V show)  the other day, gave up calling her disorder Ed. I think this is a positive step to recovery. This is just my opinion though, i know alot of people find it alot easier and more conforting to name their disorder, and maybe it is like a different person to them more than it is to me.

Sophie x

Nutritionist

Today was my first appointment with the nutritionist. I have been in treatment for over 7 months now i only just had my first appointment... Not good :S I found it quite nice, the lady was very kind and understanding, she came out with some really good analogies too to support her claims, like petrol in a car and things like that.

I think it was helpful, but it would have been a MILLION times more helpful if i had had it in the first week of treatment. I now have to have regular appointments with her, so now i have key worker, head worker and nutritionist appointments and im supposed to be doing my A levels...

I feel like i have been a bit too harsh on the treatment system i have been on. I just think it is poorly organised. The services they offer are excellent, this nutritionist really knew what she was talking about and they have parents groups and all kinds of therapy including art therapy. I just wish i could have had these services at the beginning when they would have been more useful and effective. 

Sophie x

Good Girls Do Swallow Review

Good Girls Do Swallow by Rachael Oaks-Ash

This book was very funny and i did enjoy it. When it says darkly comic on the front, its the truth. Most of the jokes are about how rediculous and shocking the things she has done or what others have done with exaggeration. Although it wasnt a diary, it reminded me of the Georgia Nickleson books (Angus, Thongs and full frontal snogging etc.). Its that kind of humour.

Obviously, there is a serious message behind the humour. It is the story of someone who had struggled with eating disorders all their life until now. The book includes her recovery and details the thought processes behid her recovery. So it is quite inspiring to read.

However, the book is more about her adult life than teen years. I think only the very beginning is about her teen life which at the moment, being only a teen myself, is the only part i can properly relate to as i have not experienced adult life yet. This would not be an issue for adult readers oviously. Also, even though the author had suffered from anorexia, i felt more of the book was based around bulimia and even though i did have that, i could have identified more with anorexic writings. Again this wouldnt be an issue for alot of people who do suffer from bulimia.

Even not being able to relate on every level of the book, that is not nessassary to take an important message and enjoy reading the book. I do recomend it to anyone with an eating disorder but in particular those with bulimia or a binge subtype.

Sophie x

The Supermarket

I find it quite interesting how some people with eating disorders hate food shopping and others love it. On supersize vs. superskinny, the 3 people that the show feature each with a different eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia and anorexia with a binge purge sub type) all three of them hated going to the super market and got quite stressed and worked up about choosing the right things etc. and would rather not go.

I am one of the ones who love food shopping. We usually get the same things at every shop so i suppose there isnt much desision making, but when a new product comes out i get excited and want to look at it and sometimes try it. My mum suggested that i might not actually enjoy it and just feel like i have to be there so the right things get bought and not the fat versions of everything. This might be true, i dont know. But i like to look at all the food and see what is in everyone elses trollies. I suppose i am still obsessed by food!

Sophie x

Behavioural Explanations

The next psychological approach: The Behavioural Approach.


Media promotes the message that 'thin is beautiful'. From advertising in teenage magazines to TV. Therefore, people frequently turn to diets. Many, as i did, originally decide on just going on a diet, but it went too far.


Classical And Operant Conditioning
Classical conditioning suggests that slimming becomes a habit, through stimulus response mechanisms. So a person goes on a diet, and when they get slimmer, receives complements and admiration from others and creates an association between getting slimmer and feeling good about themselves. Operant conditioning comes when a person's dieting behaviour is further reinforced by these complements and the admiration. Refusing to eat may also be reinforced by attention received from parents and friends. Or starving can be an effective way to punish parents. [these last 2 ideas are not very nice, i dont like them and hope they arnt true]


Cross cultural studies seem to support the behavioural explanations. Eating disorders are more common in industrialised societies (Europe, USA, Canada etc.), in these places there is an abundance of food, yet being attractive is associated with being thin. A 1994 study showed that immigrants to these countries developed eating disorders more than those in their original country.


I think this is plausible, cross cultural studies do back the theory up. However, i didnt really receive any positive reinforcement (all my friends told me to stop because i was already slim apparently, this was probably true but i interpreted it ad them not wanting me to get skinny and attractive.. im such a douche!) and i wouldnt like to think it was for the attention or to punish.


Sophie x

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Some Good, Bad and Somewhere Inbetween News

Some good news and some bad news, and some which im not sure how to classify!

1. I have put on weight (good/bad, mostly good i think)

2. It has gone to my legs. My legs' circumference is 3mm larger now (bad) why cant it just go to my arms or tummy or bum? I used to have a good bum, now i dont really even have 1 at all. I know it sounds a bit silly, getting wound up about 3mm, but my i hate my legs so much, they still seem big to me so i definately dont want more weight on them. Everyone tells me theyre super skinny, but i can honestly say, i dont see them like that at all, they look giant to me.

3. My dad has gone a 4 day course which means 1 member of the food police is out of the house (good/bad) good because there is less pressure on me and i dont have to listen to his lectures about how im ugly and have ruined myself. Bad beacuse there is less pressure on me and i might not eat as much as i should. I suppose its up to me to not let that happen.

4. My hair has started to grow back. (good) There is new hair gtowth on the top of my head! It looks like i havefrizz but i dont really care, im just happy its growing back because i used to have really thick hair and right now its really thin.

I think ill end it on that good point. I like the inspirational quote i found today, its nice :)

Sophie x

Songs 2

This song - Waltz Moore by From First To Last, is another song relating to eating disorders. I have known about it for a long time and it was my favorite song a few years ago. I hesitated to put it up because im not sure if ifs very encouraging. It doesnt make eating disorders sound good, but it also doesnt really encourage recovery, it is more accepting.

It is a good song though in my opinion. Their then singer - Sonney Moore, had/has (not sure) Bulimia.

Enjoy.

Sophie x



Books

Yesterday, i recieved the 3 books i had ordered in the post. I got them all for under £10 - £8.something. They were from the Amazon Market Place where they were all just 1p with £2.something postage! such a good deal! Anyway, the books are:

Alice in the Looking Glass (Jo and Alice Kingsley)
Good Girls Do Swallow (Rachael Oakes-Ash)
A Shape of my Own (Grace Bowman)

They all got high reviews. I have already started Good Girls Do Swallow and am a fair way in. It is decribed as "very black, very funny story of her downfall and her recovery" so far, i agree wit this statement, it has alot of humour in it, but it is about a serious issue at the same time.

Alice in the Looking Glass I really am looking forward to reading, it is "A mother ad daughter's experience of anorexia". The first half is the monther's story and the second the daughter's. I hope it will help me understand my mum's feelings and how i affect her.

Lastly, A Shape of my Own. It is a memoir of anorexia and recovery; and thats all i know about it really! I shall have to read it and find out more!

I have only just got into reading again, I just finished Tiger Tiger, a book about a pedophile. The first book i have finished in a long time. I am probably only into reading again beacuse i should be revising for my exams!

All the books on eating disorders i will review once i have read them. Maybe one day i will write a book about my experiences!

Sophie x

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The Biochemical Theory

This theory is within the biological approach. It says that eating disorders could be caused by chemical imbalance. 


Research has been based on the hypothalamus which is part of the brain. When this part of the brain is damaged, animals has stopped eating and even starved themselves to death (i dont like the sound of this research, sound un ethical to me). According to a study in 1983, 2 parts of the hypothalamus work together as a kind of weight control. Depending on which one is activated, hunger or no hunger will be felt. Which one is activated depends on if weight falls or rises above a set point. If this malfunctioned, it may cause eating disorders, however there is no significant enough evidence to support this theory.


Other research has found that low levels of serotonin could be associated with binge eating.


Im not sure about these theories. They seem so scientific and reductionist. I really feel that eating disorders are more caused by behavioural or cognitive theories, not our genetic make up or hormones. I dont see it as a physical, inside issue, i feel it is more responding to stimuli outside our own bodies. But although no strong evidence ha been found, we cannot deny science which has been proved, maybe further research will prove or disprove these theories.


Sophie x

Songs

This song is by Silverchair. I instantly identified with and loved this song. It is about anorexia as one of the band members has suffered with the disorder. My favorite lyric from the song is:

"Please die Ana... For as long as your here we're not"

It rings so true. I cant wait for the full Sophie to return.

I definately recommend looking uo the other lyrics to this song. The baand other music is really good too and i got the album 'Neon Ballroom'. I love all the songs on it.

I am going to look out for other songs on the subject. Ill post them when i find them :)

Sophie x 

Hunger

Im kindof scared. For the last few days i have actually been feeling hungry. This is despite eating what is on my food plan. It would now be easier than ever to lose control, i havnt lost control in so long, i cant remember the last time i slipped up. There have been times where i have had to eat more because of the people im with forcing me in restaurants etc. But i have not lost control before, and im terrified it will happen soon and i will feel hungry and just eat and eat.

I have heard about people who have had anorexia and then developed the bulimia. I have already experience that disorder and i REALLY dont want to go back there. I dont want to be purge-non binge either, beacuse then i will probably get fat. ugh i hate this feeling of hunger which i once revelled in. It feels dangerous now, not safe like it used to.

I suppose i will just have to watch myself.

In other news, today was another birthday and another cake. Did i eat any? no. Did everyone else eat some? yes. :'(

Sophie x

The Assessment Process

This is back to that leaflet i talked about before. There are 5 stages of the assessment process which happens once you are refered to a clinic.

1. Pre-assessment Questionnaires
This is a questionnaire which i was sent in the post before the initial meeting. The questions on mine where mostly rating scales and they focused on mood, self-esteem and eating habbits.

2. Pre-assessment Baseline Physical Investigations,
Your GP is sent a letter requesting tests and these are carried out. The tests include blood tests and a ECG.

3. Assessment meeting
The whole family are invited to this. I remember me, my mum and my sister came. They were addressed quite alot and asked for input so i recommend that other family members do attend. A team is usually at the meeting, they often constist of a doctor/psychiatrist, nurse and a theropist. I had a psychiatrist, my key worker and a family worker. The meeting can take a whole morning, they say that a thoughrough understanding is very important. I was also weight and my hight and blood pressure taken at this meeting.

4. EDE
This is a semi structured interview. EDE stands for Eating Disorder Examination and it identifies which eating disorder the person has, it also provides more information about the nature of the disorder. The questions are mainly open questions allowing the person to explain themselves if they feel they need to. I know i felt the need to justify alot of the crazy seeming things i was saying! The interview was just me and a nurse alone, as far as i know family is never present.

5. Care Plan
This happens at the end of the initial meeting. The team and family put together a care plan to target the main and most urgent issues inparticular aswell as any other not so important ones.

I hope this helps some people prepare for this process. I would have like to have been able to prepare and know what i was going to be asked to do etc. before hand so there was no surprises. I hope i have been able to do this for someone!

Sophie x

General Update 2

Hrmm... Im really not feeling great today. Only they way to college today i didnt look for cars, and when i got to the otherside i realised i was diappointed because i had been hoping to get hit.

Here in England we had a 4 day weekend due to the royal wedding and i went to 2 parties. The pictures got uploaded to facebook yesterday and looking at them hurts so much. I dont want to look like this anymore, i hate it. I look disgusting and all my friends look amazing. Its embarrassing. It should be easy, my skinnyness is the main reason for me looking so hiddiousm so why dont i just eat loads? For some reason i just wont. Why dont i go downstaires and grab a chocolate dohnut or 2? Its so irritating not understanding myself, all i know is there is no way i would eat any of a chocolate dohnut right now.


One of the parties i went to was a friends birthday party. Everyone ate cake... except me. And yet they all looked great and i looked horrible. Why didnt i eat some? It was my friends birthday cake! Its not like ill get addicted to eating it and not be able to go a day without it, its not a friends birthday everyday. UGH im so annoying.

I cant wait to get normal. I hope i get there soon or it might be too late.


Sophie x

Statistics

I thought it would be interesting to look up the statistics on eating disorders. So, here are the most interesting that i found:


1.At least 1.1 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder, with young people in the age-group 14-25 being most at risk of developing this type of illness.

2.As many as one woman in 20 will have eating habits which give cause for concern; most will be aged 14 to 25 years old. (source: Mind)

3.More than 90 percent of those who have eating disorders are women between the ages of 12 and 25. (source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

4.An estimated 19 to 30 percent of college females are diagnosed with an eating disorder.

5.Between 1 and 5 percent of adolescent women meet the criteria for an eating disorder diagnosis.

6.Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) develop in 4 to 6 percent of the general population.

7.Fifty percent of individuals who present for treatment of an eating disorder receive the diagnosis of EDNOS. (source: Eating disorders, the journal of treatment and prevention)

8.Nearly half of people with eating disorders meet the criteria for depression.

9.Only 10 percent of men and women with eating disorders obtain treatment.

10.Just 35 percent of people with eating disorders that receive treatment do so from a specialist eating disorder treatment centre.

11.Roughly 80 percent of females who receive treatment for their eating disorder do not get the intensity of treatment needed in order to stay in recovery. (source: The Renfew centre foundation)



These are UK statistics, for US go to: http://www.disordered-eating.co.uk/eating-disorders-statistics/eating-disorders-statistics-us.html 


Sophie x

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Anorexia nervosa 'link to spring birth'

Ok, this is weird; some researchers are saying that being born in Spring increases chances of developing anorexia. And being born in Autumn lowers the risk. This was on the BBC website, full article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13208401 

The article said this:

"A report published in the British Journal of Psychiatry suggests temperature, sunlight, infection or the mother's diet could be responsible.

Other academics said the effect was small and the disorder had many causes.

The researchers analysed data from four previous studies including 1,293 people with anorexia.

The researchers found an "excess of anorexia nervosa births" between March and June - for every seven anorexia cases expected, there were in fact eight.

There were also fewer than expected cases in September and October.

Dr Lahiru Handunnetthi, one of the report's authors, at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, said: "A number of previous studies have found that mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression are more common among those born in the spring - so this finding in anorexia is perhaps not surprising."

I am actually a Spring baby. The research talks about temperature, sunlight, diet, vitamin D etc. as being the cause of this, but i think its more likely to be the type of parent. Parents who plan births often plan to give birth in the Spring, i know this is true of my mother. She wanted to be in control of the birth, and this controlling trait may have been passed down to me. Or another trait related to control. I suppose the researchers know best... but i think my theory works!


Sophie x 

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Genetic Explaination

I wanted to look more into the causes of anorexia in this post. There are so many psychological explanations that i am going to split them up between posts. I am a psychology student (A-level) and so i have access to alot of information on this subject. However, i am on the only course which doesnt cover eating disorders, which is annoying because i would probably ace that section! Ok so onto the genetic explanation!

Even though science has yet to be able to identify genes for specific behaviours, eating disorders can still be researched from this perspective by looking at families and whether a disorder runs in the family.

Reports in 1994 said that there was an increased risk of eating disorders if first degree biological relatives (parents, children, siblings) had been diagnosed with an eating disorder.  However, this may not be due to genetics as families often share the same environment and living conditions and experiences. Behaviour may also have been learned by other family members.

There have been studies on twins which provide much more reliable evidence. The research compares identical (where the twins are genetically the same) and non identical twins (where the twins are only as genetically similar as regular siblings). Environmental factors can therefore be largely ruled out if a significantly higher concordance (both twins having the same disorder) were to be found in identical twins than non identical. 2 psychologists; Holland et al. (1984) and Kendler et al. (1991) both claim to have found evidence of genetic bias in both anorexia and bulimia. 

I may go into these studies in detail in a later post, but right now im just going to write the conclusions and explanations. There was a higher concordance between identical twins than non identical in both the studies. In Holland's study about anorexia, there was a 55% concordance, however, this means that 45% were discordant (one had a disorder, the other didnt).


Some such as Hsu (1990) have suggested that the genetic element may not be to do with an eating disorder gene, but personality traits. Traits like perfectionism and emotional instability which make a person more susceptible to stress, which could then turn into an eating disorder (or another mental disorder). Apparently, in many cases of eating disorders, the family have a history of mood or personality disorders.


I think the idea of personality traits is true. I know that there are many of these which people with eating disorders share so this makes sense.  However, as far as i know there have been no eating disorders in my family and no depression or any mental illnesses (although it is quite possible there have and i just dont know, its not really one of those things you talk about i suppose). I think genetics definitely could be a factor.


In later posts i am going to go through the other theories by the different approaches and perspectives of psychology. Hopefully, by the time i have gone through them all, i (and you!) will have a better and broader understanding of these disorders.

Sophie x 

Inspirational Graphics

Reverse Thinspo

I find this so weird. And i only found out it existed about 2 months ago. The other pictures on the sites i found were too mean to put up. I think its so horrible showing fat people unhappy and teased in order to be encourage people to be anorexic. 

It just seems so cruel. The other pictures are of fat people unable to do up their trousers, wearing skimpy underwear, holding their bellies etc. Its completely exaggerated.

Its ridiculous actually! For example, the picture below, obviously none of those girls are anorexic, they are just normal. So if the'fat' girl looked like them, she wouldnt be super skinny. And anyone who is just a bit overweight or normal weight wont be as fat as some of the pictures. Basically, i think reverse thinspo might work on the people who look like the 'fat' people. But the alot of people start at normal or even slightly under wieght before they develop an eating disorder. Long story short, its just stupid and mean... And it makes me angry!

Sophie x