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Autism and Eating Disorders
By Vicky
Anorexia nervosa is...
Deliberate self-starvation resulting in drastic weight
loss. Sufferers have a Body Mass Index of 17.5 or
lower. (A BMI of 19 – 24 is considered healthy.)
An obsessive fear of becoming fat, even when very
underweight.
An illness that kills one in five of its sufferers.
Anorexia nervosa is not...
Selfish vanity
A modern fad caused by size 0 models
Always the result of preoccupation with body image
A female illness
Bulimia nervosa is...
A compulsion to eat unusually large quantities of food
in one sitting, which are then purged.
A feeling of uncontrollable guilt and disgust.
A potentially fatal illness that can cause cardiac arrest
or rupture of the oesophagus even in the early stages.
Bulimia nervosa is not...
Greed
Always about being sick
Immediately obvious to onlookers
An eating disorder: a way of using
food to deal with your emotions and
cope with your life.
Eating Disorders in Autistic People –
Why?
Stressful life events (especially bullying).
Strong preference for routine and order.
Perfectionism.
A desire to escape.
Choices and changes.
Getting better?
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
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Make use of your
special interests and
fascinations.
Take the logical
approach.
Find an emotional
'language' that
makes sense to you.
"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing
its best day and night to make you like everybody else
means to fight the hardest battle which any human
being can fight and never stop fighting."
e.e. cummings
“The finest thing in the world is knowing how to
belong to oneself.”
Michel de Montaigne
B-eat
www.b-eat.co.uk
Britain's largest eating disorder charity. Has a wealth of information and advice on
EDs.
Men Get Eating Disorders Too
www.mengetedstoo.com
Information on EDs in male sufferers.
Maytree Respite Centre
www.maytree.org.uk
Support and sanctuary for people who are feeling suicidal. Very autistic-friendly.
British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
www.counselling.co.uk
Allows you to find an accredited counsellor in your area based on their expertise.
Going Against the Flow
www.swimformencap.wordpress.com
My training and recovery blog.