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My Story

By: Mike

I was never really popular, I just was there, and I used to get made fun of a lot. I was fat, or I was ugly, or I didn't do everything right. I had a lot of problems with my classmates, until finally summer came. That summer was the worst of my life, I got in to arguments with my parents, and got arrested... I just felt as if I had no control of my life.

I don't really know why I started not eating... I just did, and it felt great. I was losing weight; I was finally getting some social acceptance, and control in my life. I just kept going... after all, if losing a little bit of weight had brought all these good comments, what could more do? I lost more and more and more. The comments began to stop... I felt as though I must be getting gaining weight... letting everyone down... so I began to eat less, and after I ate, I would feel guilty, and make myself purge.

Eventually, my mom decided I needed treatment for this, I went through several months of treatment, both inpatient and outpatient. After a few months I stopped going to outpatient sessions, and shortly there after, I found my self relapsing, I didn't want to, but it just happened, I couldn't stop. This time however, I would eat normally, then feel guilty, and purge. I continued along this way for about two weeks.

Until one day in my PE class, we were swimming the 500, I had done this dozens of times before, but this time was different. This time, I couldn't finish. I went to my teacher, he let me get out early, and go shower. I took a shower, changed clothes, and walked in to the hallway and sit down. I guess I lost consciousness I'm not really sure how long I was there, but I woke up with my PE teacher, and about 4 or 5 students standing around me. I was escorted down to the nurse's office, still only half-there. I was taken immediately to my doctor, and then to the hospital, where I spent the next 7 hours with an IV in my arm, under observation. I started treatment again the next day after I was released from the hospital. I went through outpatient treatment for a few months, and still regularly attend support groups.

©2001 Mike. Reprinted with Permission.

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