Apparently 50% of anorexics go on to become bulimics. That's only counting those who admit to bulimia. And it doesn't include all the other eating disorders "not otherwise specified" (which are the majority of eating disorders). My guess is that disordered eating remains a problem for the recovered 'anorexic' in the great majority of cases.
Emma discusses why this might be so in "Starving and Stuffing: The Same Thing?" It's not that the disordered eater wants to be "bad" with food or weight. They want to be "good". So telling them they're being bad with food and now need to be good with food will certainly change their eating patterns. The starver might well start stuffing. But you've only changed the behaviour.
It turns out I can't really address my issues with food and weight by focusing on food and weight. Something (or rather someOne) else needs to capture my heart.
This links in with stuff I've been talking to Matt about. When rules are the paradigm in which healthy / holy living is conducted then being surrounded by laws can go hand in hand with inner lawlessness. When the law is driving the behaviour rather than something (someOne) bigger then "being good" turns into its opposite very quickly.
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