One dangerous aspect of the World Wide Web is that young people can go there to be coached on exactly how to slim down in hazardous ways, by experts, i.e. other kids — or worse yet, adults — who are only too happy to indoctrinate them. The uninhibited spread of dangerous knowledge has been an ongoing problem ever since online forums were invented.
The one consulted here is ED Support Forum, a useful font of information on these topics, for better or worse. It apparently intends to help people escape from problem conditions, but in the course of helping, of course, readers will unavoidably find out a lot about how to acquire and maintain dangerous conditions.
The site is a huge resource, sorted into categories, where even those with unusual and arcane issues can find kindred souls. For instance, they ask each other about refeeding syndrome — a frequent consequence of malnutrition, whatever the cause, and not a challenge for amateurs to be handling on their own. Refeeding is the process of reconditioning the patient’s body to accept food without going all haywire from electrolyte imbalance and other complications. Refeeding syndrome is when it goes all haywire anyway.
The looming hazard posed by refeeding syndrome is a major reason for wanting to make sure that misguided young people do not become involved with any of the pathological and often grotesque efforts to lose weight in unsafe ways. Asking advice from people in the same boat is not a great choice but it’s as far as many people will go. They’re giving each other advice about how to manage refeeding syndrome at home, on their own. One poster asks,
Has anyone ever been thru refeeding at home? Went 8 days fasting with very little liquid. Then tried consuming the last 3 days. Every time I try, I break out in sweats head to toe. Then nausea. My lower legs and feet and ankles are swollen and even after hours of elevation don’t go down much. I have passed out a few times. My blood pressure is low. Last check was 86/58.
This person goes on to say that they have social anxiety, and rarely leave home, so of course going to a hospital “isn’t an option.” So they request not to be offered any advice like calling 911 or visiting a doctor or the emergency room. But then their next post says they “did end up at ER sunday.” The poster wrote:
Because of malnutrition/starvation/dehydration my body is trying to hold on to fluid nutrients or whatever it can. Fluid in chest/abdominal wall is what is causing the pain… I’m weaker now than I was Sunday. Still swollen. Wt up 8 lbs from swelling. My stomach has been removed and I’ve had 3 bowel resections.
This really sounds like hell on earth, and another member of the forum confirms that “refeed edema is super painful… Stick to whole foods, avoid processed since processed has high levels of sodium,” and goes on to give other advice gleaned from research papers. Another amateur counselor notes that the mental health toll an eating disorder imposes can be devastating. Implementing “damage control” is exhaustingly time-consuming, and the whole process is something “you can really beat yourself up over.” They write,
You will have to challenge your perfectionism which the ED is tightly bound around, so that’ll freak it out. Unfortunately, challenging perfectionism a little might be what keeps you mentally and physically safer during your ED.
Another person, and just for ease of communication we’re going to assume this is a female, confides that her “ED brain” looks in the mirror and sees a big, fat blob that absolutely needs to continue losing weight. Even if her calorie count is tiny, the ED brain gets angry. When the number on the scale goes up by even one pound, the ED brain tells her she is a failure, and is only happy when the number decreases. The person writes:
Then my little bit of sanity I have left sees the real me in the mirror and thinks I look disgusting… That this is the one body I’ll ever get and I’m ruining it… Also stop losing before I get put in forced recovery.
“Dark Seas” contributes information about how prickly and defensive her ED brain is, because when someone advises her not to vomit, or offers some other helpful advice, the ED brain hisses, “Of course they’d say that, because they don’t want me to be skinny.” So even a helpfully-intended intervention is received as an insult and a challenge.
Your responses and feedback are welcome!
Source: “Refeeding at Home,” EdSupportForum.com, 05/22/24
Source: “How to avoid/lessen binging,” EdSupportForum.com, 01/25/24
Source: “ed brain vs rational mind,” EdSupportForum.com, 06/11/22
Source: “ED Brain,” EdSupportForum.com, 03/08/22
Image by Edvard Munch/CC BY 4.0 rawpixel.com
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