People suffering with Anorexia and or Bulimia often get a sense of power out of their Eating Disorder. It is not uncommon to find an Anorexic or Bulimic who feels "high" after periods of starvation or purging. Compulsive Overeaters often feel the exact opposite; lack of power and loss of control.
Low Self-Esteem. Feeling of inadequacy. Poor self image and perception. Guilt, feeling like "I never do anything right." Fears of being stared at, judged or being thought of as stupid. Feelings like "Nothing I ever do is enough." Sufferers often think things like "My life would be better if i lose weight," or that people will like them more if they do.
It is common fo Anorexics and Bulimics to be perfectionists. When they cannot achieve perfection in their endeavors they unrealistically blame and find the need to "punish" themselves by restriction or starvation, or binging and purging. Complusive Overeaters tend to be perceived as unmotivated and lazy when in essence they are often depressed and isolated. In their need for affection they often fill the void with food.
It is not uncommon for Eating Disorder sufferers to be viewed by others as compassionate, warm, giving, sensitive, and intelligent people. The problem is that each person suffering cannot see in themselves the beauty that others do. Their own hate from withing disorts their perception of how truly wonderful they really are.
Guilt. For not meeting the expectations of others. For falling short of our own expectations. For happiness when the "world" is so sad. For sadness when " there are people in the world with real problems" (though our problems are quite real). Guilt for feeling like a "burden" to people. Guilt for the Eating Disorder behavior itself.
**Making us, the ones already suffering, feel more guilty by imtimidating or forcing us to stop the behavior will only lead to more of the feelings that initially started the behavior.**
Power. A need to control physical and emotional surroundings. In this way Eating Disorders are a negative coping mechanism, used to control emotions or to keep them suppressed. It feels easier to think about food, food intake (or lack of), hunger and planning meals or avoiding them, instead of dealing with and feeling emotions. Eating Disorders can be used to punish ourselves for feeling at all, or for being "bad." Pouring can be used to get rid of built-up negative emotions, and overeating to fill a void. Overall, Eating Disorders can have a very "numbing" effect, and can give those who suffer a feeling of power over their own emotions. (Compulsive Overeaters often feel a great loss of power).
Deception. Lying about food intake or lack there-of. Lying to avoid eating or to sneak food. Hidden use of laxatives, diuretics and purging. The deception and lying help the sufferer to maintain a feeling of control, and more often then not they feel tremendous guilt and self-hate for it (feeding back into the Eating Disorder behavior).
Depression. Mood swings, lack of motivation, feelings of hopelessness, anxiety or panic attacks, claustrophobia in crowded places, isolation and loneliness. Can lead to suicide.
Distorted Perceptions. People suffering with an Eating Disorder often have a distorted perception of their body and personality. "What I think of me... I'm fat... I'm a horrible person... I must deserve this... It's my own fault... My problems don't matter... Others don't deserve an Eating Disorder, but I'm different..." It's all too common for people living with Anorexia and Bulimia to have a mild to severe distorted perception of themselves. What is seen in the mirror isn't reality, and when they compare their physical or personality attributes to others they are extremely judgemental of themselves. A person suffering with Anorexia or Bulimia may see another person and think "I wish I could be as skinny as them" and in reality, may actually be thinner.
They may wish to be as smart, as funny or as compassionate as another person that they are equally as good as -- the bottom line is that they cannot see their own good traits, especially in comparison to others, because of the low self-esteem they have of themselves.
A good example of a distorted perception is black and white thinking... Thinking that bad situations or feelings are the complete end of the world, and good situations or emotions are as bright as the sun. There is no stability or "normalized" thinking with a middle ground, but harsh swings from one extreme to another. Combined with this is irrational behavior that is not okay for others, but okay for the person suffering with the Eating Disorder. An example would be: "When I eat I am just a horrible awful person and deserve to die, but when I don't I am the best little girl in the world."