This week I came across a blog with this header: “How to stop bulimia nervosa for good.” The author said the answer was: “Hypnosis is an effective treatment that can help guide you to quit this eating disorder for good.” I’m not putting down hypnosis, and even if this method works for some people, the underlying symptom(s) has not been addressed. Chances are great there will be a relapse.
Without addressing a person’s distorted perceptions, her understanding of her own identity, the work of Jesus Christ, and how she can truly resolve anger and forgive others, there is no real freedom. God has specific processes for setting people free. Disordered eating is very serious, and God is the only One who can truly set a person free for good.
Anybody suffering from unhealthy eating patterns and low self-esteem needs unconditional love, acceptance, and forgiveness. She needs to acknowledge:
1. What her actual view of God is (the Great Physician)and how to correct a distorted view of God and herself
2. Who she is--seeing herself the way that God sees her, in Christ
3. How to confront the heart of anger and then truly forgive others
4. Why suffering isn’t pleasant, but is part of the growth & redemption process
5. Nutritional keys to healing and creating a binge-free life
6. How God will free her from this and other behaviors that have power over her life
Every person’s road to recovery is different. I was set free permanently after walking through these steps (written in the book: I’m Beautiful? Why Can’t I See It? by Kimberly Davidson) and changing my lifestyle. If you struggle with an ED, you, too, have the same hope.
Showing posts with label Bulimia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bulimia. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Recovered from Bulimia: this blogger’s story
I was seventeen years old and obsessed with the thin-is-beautiful syndrome. Isn't that what TV, Hollywood and all the magazine adds tell us? If I'm thin I’ll be beautiful, glamorous and happy. But the image of perfection created by our culture soon became a monster that controlled my life.
A friend told me how I could eat anything I wanted, lose however much weight as I wanted to and then not gain an ounce. It was so simple, just by self-induced vomiting. Within months bulimia became my choice of weight control, an effective eight management tool. As the pressures of college increased and I ate to relieve the pressure, my bulimia got worse. I added other popular tools to stay slim, alcohol, cigarettes, diet pills, laxatives and diuretics all came to my aid.
After years of effort to create a perfect body instead I created a monster that controlled my life. I saw myself as I was, by day Ms. Jekyll, a college graduate and a smart business woman on the move. By night the Monster Hyde, consumed pounds and pounds of food only to be followed by the high drama of a bathroom purge--head in toilet and other forms of elimination. For seventeen years this monster called bulimia tortured me. With a many-stranded whip made of guilt, shame, fear, worthlessness, weakness and self-hatred I scourged myself.
One day I met a godly man who invited me to church. There I faced the truth of who I was and how I dishonored the God-given-gift of a healthy body. This marvelous creation was designed to be a temple of the Living God. I made a cesspool of it.
In bitter confession, humble repentance and faith-filled acceptance I gave my life to Jesus Christ, claimed him as my Lord and Savior. I asked forgiveness for self-centered pride and desire for popularity. I begged God for strength to win the battle over this self-created monster.
Soon a strange thing came into view--I began to have a never-before desire to do crafts. My mind shifted from being thin and beautiful to being creative and productive. Without realizing it, food took a lesser place and the need to purge let up. A desire grew in me to honor God with all I had and was. I hungered to grow spiritually, which I did with the help of my friend and my church family. Something else grew--a desire within me to help others who were being held captive by this gluttonous and tingeing monster. I became an inspirational speaker and founder of an eating disorder ministry called “Olive
Branch Outreach.”
Now I'm advertised as “A Bulimia Survivor.” It’s said of me, “Today Kim reaches out to hundreds of women to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and to make Him known by presenting Biblical solutions and teachings as part of her food-disorder healing ministry.” In 2007 “I’m Beautiful? Why Can’t I See It?” was published, a healing bible study for women with eating disorders.
God turned my life-threatening food disorder into a pathway to service. I pray others escape this life-threatening monster. I praise God for his miracle in my life and that I can pass it on to others. God is good an has a plan and purpose for everyone (Jeremiah 29:11).
A friend told me how I could eat anything I wanted, lose however much weight as I wanted to and then not gain an ounce. It was so simple, just by self-induced vomiting. Within months bulimia became my choice of weight control, an effective eight management tool. As the pressures of college increased and I ate to relieve the pressure, my bulimia got worse. I added other popular tools to stay slim, alcohol, cigarettes, diet pills, laxatives and diuretics all came to my aid.
After years of effort to create a perfect body instead I created a monster that controlled my life. I saw myself as I was, by day Ms. Jekyll, a college graduate and a smart business woman on the move. By night the Monster Hyde, consumed pounds and pounds of food only to be followed by the high drama of a bathroom purge--head in toilet and other forms of elimination. For seventeen years this monster called bulimia tortured me. With a many-stranded whip made of guilt, shame, fear, worthlessness, weakness and self-hatred I scourged myself.
One day I met a godly man who invited me to church. There I faced the truth of who I was and how I dishonored the God-given-gift of a healthy body. This marvelous creation was designed to be a temple of the Living God. I made a cesspool of it.
In bitter confession, humble repentance and faith-filled acceptance I gave my life to Jesus Christ, claimed him as my Lord and Savior. I asked forgiveness for self-centered pride and desire for popularity. I begged God for strength to win the battle over this self-created monster.
Soon a strange thing came into view--I began to have a never-before desire to do crafts. My mind shifted from being thin and beautiful to being creative and productive. Without realizing it, food took a lesser place and the need to purge let up. A desire grew in me to honor God with all I had and was. I hungered to grow spiritually, which I did with the help of my friend and my church family. Something else grew--a desire within me to help others who were being held captive by this gluttonous and tingeing monster. I became an inspirational speaker and founder of an eating disorder ministry called “Olive
Branch Outreach.”
Now I'm advertised as “A Bulimia Survivor.” It’s said of me, “Today Kim reaches out to hundreds of women to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and to make Him known by presenting Biblical solutions and teachings as part of her food-disorder healing ministry.” In 2007 “I’m Beautiful? Why Can’t I See It?” was published, a healing bible study for women with eating disorders.
God turned my life-threatening food disorder into a pathway to service. I pray others escape this life-threatening monster. I praise God for his miracle in my life and that I can pass it on to others. God is good an has a plan and purpose for everyone (Jeremiah 29:11).
Friday, March 19, 2010
Why are we so unhappy with our bodies?
Body Image and Self-Esteem
I don’t think any of us would disagree that we are under pressure to measure up to a certain social and cultural ideal of beauty, which can lead to poor body image. Images we see daily can reinforce an already negative opinion we have of our body, leading us to believe we are overweight and not able to meet the “perfect” American standard.
Family and friends can influence our body image with positive and/or negative comments. Doctors and other professionals also have a powerful impact on our body image. Their comments may be delivered as health advice, but if misinterpreted, affects how we perceive our body.
We all have days when we feel awkward or uncomfortable in our bodies. The key to developing positive body image is to recognize and respect our natural shape and learn to overpower those negative thoughts and feelings with positive, affirming, and accepting thoughts. Accept yourself. Accept your body. Celebrate yourself. Celebrate your body.
What is body image?
Slowly over time, you developed your body image based on what your family, boyfriend(s), and/or husband(s), coaches, and teachers told you. Add to that thousands of daily media messages from magazines, novels, television, music, and you start to believe that you’re fat or ugly. All these negative thoughts and beliefs can lead down a self-destructive path unless you know how to recognize and cope with them. A woman with a healthy body image respects her body, takes care of her body, and keeps her body in perspective.
What is self-esteem? Self-esteem is defined as “a confidence and satisfaction in oneself.” It is your overall evaluation of your self-worth and how you value your own attributes. How high or low your self-esteem is depends on how you compare what you’d like to be with how you actually see yourself.
Research shows that girls lose twenty-three percent of their self-esteem between elementary and middle school. A study by the American Association of University Women found only twenty-nine percent of high school girls were happy with themselves.
Psychologists describe key components of self-esteem as how you evaluate yourself in terms of important characteristics like what you are good at, what you are not so good at, and the kinds of situations you prefer or avoid.
Most of our feelings about ourselves are built into us in childhood. If we were fortunate to have loving parents who conveyed our worth in their relationship to us, and if we grew up in a safe environment with positive relationships with peers, teachers, and role models, then it is likely we will feel reasonably good about ourselves. However, if faced with negative influences in childhood, it may not take much to tip the balance the other way.
“The body is a sacred garment. It’s your first and last garment; it is what you enter life in and what you depart life with, and it should be treated with honor.” –Martha Graham
Read this excerpt from “I’m Beautiful? Why Can’t I See It?” by Kimberly Davidson.
I don’t think any of us would disagree that we are under pressure to measure up to a certain social and cultural ideal of beauty, which can lead to poor body image. Images we see daily can reinforce an already negative opinion we have of our body, leading us to believe we are overweight and not able to meet the “perfect” American standard.
Family and friends can influence our body image with positive and/or negative comments. Doctors and other professionals also have a powerful impact on our body image. Their comments may be delivered as health advice, but if misinterpreted, affects how we perceive our body.
We all have days when we feel awkward or uncomfortable in our bodies. The key to developing positive body image is to recognize and respect our natural shape and learn to overpower those negative thoughts and feelings with positive, affirming, and accepting thoughts. Accept yourself. Accept your body. Celebrate yourself. Celebrate your body.
What is body image?
Slowly over time, you developed your body image based on what your family, boyfriend(s), and/or husband(s), coaches, and teachers told you. Add to that thousands of daily media messages from magazines, novels, television, music, and you start to believe that you’re fat or ugly. All these negative thoughts and beliefs can lead down a self-destructive path unless you know how to recognize and cope with them. A woman with a healthy body image respects her body, takes care of her body, and keeps her body in perspective.
What is self-esteem? Self-esteem is defined as “a confidence and satisfaction in oneself.” It is your overall evaluation of your self-worth and how you value your own attributes. How high or low your self-esteem is depends on how you compare what you’d like to be with how you actually see yourself.
Research shows that girls lose twenty-three percent of their self-esteem between elementary and middle school. A study by the American Association of University Women found only twenty-nine percent of high school girls were happy with themselves.
Psychologists describe key components of self-esteem as how you evaluate yourself in terms of important characteristics like what you are good at, what you are not so good at, and the kinds of situations you prefer or avoid.
Most of our feelings about ourselves are built into us in childhood. If we were fortunate to have loving parents who conveyed our worth in their relationship to us, and if we grew up in a safe environment with positive relationships with peers, teachers, and role models, then it is likely we will feel reasonably good about ourselves. However, if faced with negative influences in childhood, it may not take much to tip the balance the other way.
“The body is a sacred garment. It’s your first and last garment; it is what you enter life in and what you depart life with, and it should be treated with honor.” –Martha Graham
Read this excerpt from “I’m Beautiful? Why Can’t I See It?” by Kimberly Davidson.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Holiday Help for Anorexia, Bulimia and Binge Eating Sufferers
I suffered from bulima for 17 years and I know how hard the holidays are--physically, mentally, and realtionally. These are some things that have worked for me and others:
1. Spend the holidays with the people who love you—people who build you up and not tear you down. Share your observations. Help and encourage one another. [And if you love someone with an eating disorder, get in touch. Don’t let them spend this time alone.]
2. If you have to spend time with family members who trigger the worst in you, journal your thoughts and insights. One way to begin breaking down a wall is through journaling. Many have found writing helpful in coming to terms with the past, or processing fresh pain. Suggested entries: Thoughts and Emotions; Physical Sensations; What you did; What you could do next time.
3. Keep track of your goals before you head out to grandma's house—journal them. Write out and track your overall plans, nutrition plan and your thoughts about it.
4. Memorize Scripture. Write it on a card & carry it with you [or use a scripture memorization program like Memlok.]
5. Tis’ the season to be grateful: to gain perspective. Carla told me she’d write down 5 things each night that Ishe was thankful for... "helped me see that my focus on food/eating/starving/weight was really pointless, and to look at what I have that so many people don't have in this world. It helped get the focus off of ME (the eating disorder's focus on ME has really messed up my perspective)."
6. Check out my website: www.olivebranchoutreach.com/edindex.htlm for lots of inspiration, Scripture and help.
7. For Christ-based help consider working through one of the books I’ve written: http://www.olivebranchoutreach.com/shopping.htm
· I’m Beautiful? Why Can’t I See It? Daily Encouragement to Promote Healthy Eating and Positive Self-Esteem
· I’m God’s Girl? Why Can’t I Feel It? Daily Biblical Encouragmeent to Defeat Depression & the Blues
· Breaking the Cover Girl Mask: Toss Out Toxic Thoughts
Merry Christmas!
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." — Luke 2:13-14
1. Spend the holidays with the people who love you—people who build you up and not tear you down. Share your observations. Help and encourage one another. [And if you love someone with an eating disorder, get in touch. Don’t let them spend this time alone.]
2. If you have to spend time with family members who trigger the worst in you, journal your thoughts and insights. One way to begin breaking down a wall is through journaling. Many have found writing helpful in coming to terms with the past, or processing fresh pain. Suggested entries: Thoughts and Emotions; Physical Sensations; What you did; What you could do next time.
3. Keep track of your goals before you head out to grandma's house—journal them. Write out and track your overall plans, nutrition plan and your thoughts about it.
4. Memorize Scripture. Write it on a card & carry it with you [or use a scripture memorization program like Memlok.]
5. Tis’ the season to be grateful: to gain perspective. Carla told me she’d write down 5 things each night that Ishe was thankful for... "helped me see that my focus on food/eating/starving/weight was really pointless, and to look at what I have that so many people don't have in this world. It helped get the focus off of ME (the eating disorder's focus on ME has really messed up my perspective)."
6. Check out my website: www.olivebranchoutreach.com/edindex.htlm for lots of inspiration, Scripture and help.
7. For Christ-based help consider working through one of the books I’ve written: http://www.olivebranchoutreach.com/shopping.htm
· I’m Beautiful? Why Can’t I See It? Daily Encouragement to Promote Healthy Eating and Positive Self-Esteem
· I’m God’s Girl? Why Can’t I Feel It? Daily Biblical Encouragmeent to Defeat Depression & the Blues
· Breaking the Cover Girl Mask: Toss Out Toxic Thoughts
Merry Christmas!
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." — Luke 2:13-14
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