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Do you think I have an eating disorder?
(Please don't tell me to go to a doctor.. I realize most people here are not doctors, but I want personal opinions..)
Hi. I'm 14 years old, and my BMI is considered "Normal weight". Anyway, I've been counting calories since late 2011. I was quite young when I started. I was bullied for my weight when I was younger, so I didn't want to get any bigger. Anyway, I keep close watch on my sugar intake, sodium intake, etc. I eat less than 1000 calories a day.. Probably 500 a day or around there. I'm not limiting myself, I just don't really have a good past with food, causing me to not eat. I starve pretty frequently since I have trouble with figuring out what to eat (Like making sure it's not too "fatty"). I CONSTANTLY have my mind focused on food and my weight; Having negative thoughts like telling myself I'm so fat and gross. I can't stop them either. I always try to distract myself from these thoughts, but.. Do you think I have an eating disorder? I don't want to go to the doctor because I'm afraid they'll force-feed me, causing me to gain a bunch of weight. I'm pretty much afraid of gaining weight, and I want to be 100 pounds. It's so aggravating... What do you think? It's not like I'm trying to seek attention or even wanting to do this, I just can't help it. I don't want to be bigger than I already am.
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It sounds like it. When you're obsessed with your weight, it either is an eating disorder or will lead to one.
And you said you starve yourself and that definitely is an eating disorder.
Either way, you do need help with this.
I'm going to tell you to go to a doctor. Doctors don't force feed you and try to cause you to gain a bunch of weight. Doctors help you become healthy.
With the way you're eating, you're not taking care of yourself and it can lead to sickness and many other problems with your bones and other body parts.
I'm guessing this started because you were bullied. But you're handling it wrong. You shouldn't be eating 500 calories a day or starving yourself. You already know it's a problem or you wouldn't be asking.
You need to eat a good amount of food, eat it moderately, don't eat junk food, and exercise. You won't gain weight that way. Maybe muscle but not fat.
Go to a doctor and seek help for your problem. You can't fix it on your own and at this rate, you're going to get sick.
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It doesn't sound like you have an eating disorder to me. It just sounds like you knowingly make unhealthy choices concerning your diet due to issues with poor body image. Of course, don't take that as evidence that you don't have an eating disorder. If you truly can't stop an unhealthy habit and your obsessed with it, perhaps you do. That doesn't sound like the case to me though. I could be wrong.
I would recommend concentrating on health and exercise over calories. Calories are actually just a small part of what goes into how you look. Your body won't fully develop until you're in your early twenties. You're probably sacrificing your future, fully developed body for your current body image. Not getting the right amount of healthy food can seriously stunt certain physical developments, leaving you with health issues spanning your entire life, not to mention body image issues as an older person that you won't be able to fix with a change in diet.
You mentioned Sodium. It can be dangerous in large amounts, but it is important. Your body doesn't really produce sodium, but it needs it. So if you're watching your sodium intake, be sure to still at least get some regularly.
I don't think you need to see a doctor, but for the record, a doctor wouldn't force you to gain an obscene amount of weight. They would force you to eat enough so that your life wouldn't be in danger, but only if your life was in danger. Likely, they'd just leave you and your guardian(s) with strong recommendations for improving your overall health.
In short, I don't think you need to go to a doctor, but I advise you to consider the future more while making current choices involving your health.
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