Thin

[DeterminedOne]

Anyone else watch the HBO documentary "Thin" about women living in a treatment center for eating disorders? Oh my gosh, it's so compelling! I'm watching it for the second time. I used to think that an eating disorder was not a real disease. Shows like this prove my ignorance! One of the most compelling scenes was when one of the woman was being kicked out for breaking the rules. Her mother plead with the staff to not kick her out, saying there was nothing the family could do to help her. It was so sad!

 

[mommy*RN]

I didn't see it, but it sounds interesting. A friend of mine recently sent me an email entitled "You think Fat is Ugly?". Inside the email were a ton of pics of models all obviously suffering from eating disorders. It was pretty disturbing. Here are some of the pics from the email...I don't want to post them all because some of them are very disgusting. How is it possible that these women, who so desperately need help, are still getting modeling jobs???

 

[disneymama73]

My sister went to that treatment center. Eating disorders are serious illnesses.

 

[DeterminedOne]

Thanks for sharing the pics. It's the documentaries, pictures, etc. that create an awareness that this is a real disease! TV Guide keeps kicking me out, but I saw that it will be on again tomorrow at 12:00AM on HBOe.

 

[DeterminedOne]

My sister went to that treatment center. Eating disorders are serious illnesses.

Hopefully your DS is better. Something else that struck me about these women is that of the four they followed through treatment, all reverted back to the disorder once they were released.

 

[themarquis]

wow, those photos are heartbreaking. I've seen other photos like those, but every time I am shocked anew.

I just read a very very interesting article in the NYT about a family struggling with their daughter's eating disorder. It is difficult to read ... but in it there are some new ideas of why eating disorders develop, why they are so difficult to cure, and some info on potential treatments for them that I have not seen anywhere else. Really worth a read:

one spoonful at a time

 

[poohandwendy]

Thank you for starting this thread. I watched this documentary and was just blown away. It really was compelling. And incredibly sad. Amazing the obsession they have with being thin and the lengths they would go to. I think the resounding message I got was that it isn't just about wanting to lose weight...it's desperate self-mutilation. I think people tend to think it is like extreme dieting, it is much, much, much more. It is a psychological state that most people simply could not possibly comprehend.

I also was really saddened that all four ended up in the same self-destructive patterns after they left the center.

I highly recommend this program, especially teen girls.

 

[denisem]

I didn't see it, but it sounds interesting. A friend of mine recently sent me an email entitled "You think Fat is Ugly?". Inside the email were a ton of pics of models all obviously suffering from eating disorders. It was pretty disturbing. Here are some of the pics from the email...I don't want to post them all because some of them are very disgusting. How is it possible that these women, who so desperately need help, are still getting modeling jobs???

Fortunately, according to snopes.com, those particular photos have been proven to be photoshopped: Scare Models.

I do agree that eating disorders are a genuine psychological problem stemming from this obsession that "thinner is better". Even the "real" photos of these models illustrate a body structure more slender than the average female over age 11 can hope to attain. Very sad...

 

[lewdyan1]

I too saw this. I actually taped it for my daughters teacher who had an eating disorder. She has since started a non-profit organization called HOPE (helping other people eat) and she helps provide funding for those who need therapy. Knowing her, it is nice to see that you can turn things around and live a healthy life. She spends a great deal of time reaching out to young girls and talking to them about healthy body images. She did a great program for my DD's girl scout!

 

[lewdyan1]

Fortunately, according to snopes.com, those particular photos have been proven to be photoshopped: Scare Models.

I do agree that eating disorders are a genuine psychological problem stemming from this obsession that "thinner is better". Even the "real" photos of these models illustrate a body structure more slender than the average female over age 11 can hope to attain. Very sad...

Thanks for posting this, it was interesting to see what they really looked like!

 

[Disney Doll]

I remember years ago seeing an documentary about eating disorders and a treatment facility...I want to say it was in Canada, but my memory may be wrong.

The director of the facility was taking the then-unusual approach of saying that anorexia was not a disease of control, which was the belief at that time, but a disease of self-esteem and self-image. I'll never forget her saying "These girls stop eating because they want to become so small that they disappear, because they don't think they are worthy to be here". By "here" she meant alive, not at her facility.

It was very compelling.

 

[cyndibelle]

Yes eating disorders are definitely a real thing...when i was a young girl i developed one...My daily food intake consisted of half a bagel..that was it...needless to say it is something that will stay with you forever..you might not always be in the food is the devil mode but it can effect you at any time...I have a beautiful daughter who is 9 and i am doing everything i can to instill in her that people are beautiful of every shape...size..color...religion..etc...

 

[Disney-Kim]

Fortunately, according to snopes.com, those particular photos have been proven to be photoshopped: Scare Models.

I do agree that eating disorders are a genuine psychological problem stemming from this obsession that "thinner is better". Even the "real" photos of these models illustrate a body structure more slender than the average female over age 11 can hope to attain. Very sad...

I was going to say they looked photoshopped. The 2nd pic is Gisele Bundchen, a famous model, and she does NOT look like that.

but some of the "real" shots the models arms are scary thin. still gross.
very sad. I just can't imagine.

 

[tink1978]

I love this documentary!! I have considered taping it and using it in my therapeutic sessions with my female clients. It is very accurate and very sad!! It really makes one think.

 

[disneymama73]

Hopefully your DS is better. Something else that struck me about these women is that of the four they followed through treatment, all reverted back to the disorder once they were released.

She is doing much better. She now has a 6 mos old baby girl. But I think it's a bit like alcoholism where she will always live with it and struggle with it.

 

[drgnfly30]

Sorry this is long...

I started to post about this documentary the other day but stopped... when I saw the girls that were featured, I thought to myself, they don't look as thin as my sister did the last time I saw her in August. I started adding stuff up & began wondering if she has an eating disorder.

She's been thin since college when she became a vegetarian. Her diet became so extreme that her period stopped. She learned how to eat better & gained some weight. But ever since she's had kids (late in life) she's lost alot of weight again.... She over excercises, power walking for 1-2 hours every morning. She's extremely careful about what she consumes - very very healthy foods. She's never allowed my nieces to go to McD's or anything of the kind. My Mom asked how much she weighed & she said 116lb (she's about 5'2") but I'm telling you I'd be very surprised if she was any where near that, after seeing those girls weigh in at the 80lb range...

She lives across the country so we don't see her often, last time before August was in 2001. It could be very easy for her to conceal any telltale signs. Her husband is very controlling, dictated how long she was to breast feed (Nieces were around 3 which IMO is too long), made her sell her 1/2 of her business to be a stay at home Mom just to mention a few things. People with eating disorders do so in part so they can have control over something in their lives, right?