Tag: fear

advocacy Anorexia nervosa takes the fun out of exercise

Anorexia nervosa takes the fun out of exercise

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Exercise is good, but excessive or compulsive exercise can be dangerous. At age 13, Kristen embraced the outdoors and enjoyed cross-country running at school. She was not overweight, had never been a big eater, ate little junk food and was not concerned about her body image, but she did want...

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advocacy Don’t settle for a part-life with an eating disorder

Don’t settle for a part-life with an eating disorder

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Living a part-life with an eating disorder (ED) is like spending half your life in prison – without committing a crime. The picture that accompanies this story was taken the day my daughter celebrated her 21st birthday. I was 46 years old and an inpatient at a private mental health...

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advocacy Exploring the roots of fear that feed an eating disorder

Exploring the roots of fear that feed an eating disorder

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Tanya declares she and anorexia are irrevocably entwined. Fear is ever-present. Here, Tanya explores the roots of her fears.                                   Editor, June Alexander I have physical fears, emotional and psychological fears, and spiritual fears...

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advocacy Facing the fear of losing ‘control’

Facing the fear of losing ‘control’

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I hate admitting this, but I’m a fearful person. The list of what I’m afraid of is long and detailed. Some fears are fairly typical and global, like the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected many people. Before the pandemic, I was not much of a germaphobe, but that’s near the top...

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Eating Disorders Confronting fears on the path to freedom from an eating disorder

Confronting fears on the path to freedom from an eating disorder

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Sarah’s fears are so intense that she rarely leaves her bedroom. Can you relate to this? My experience is that suppressing fears never helps. We need to look them in the eye (in the mirror), deal with them, and keep going. This is how we empower ourselves and grow stronger....

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