Self Image Issues

[pooperson]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=RoyalBlue]Let me start this thread out with a basic background of myself. I am a sixteen year-old female, 5'10"-11"ish, approximately 140 pounds.

The last couple of months have been pretty difficult for me because right before I turned 16, none of my old clothes fit anymore, and I gained a lot of weight. I have almost no fat, and my BMI is 20.2, but my self image/self esteem dropped to an extreme low. At that point I considered anorexia, which my friend had struggled with two years prior. However, I knew that it wasn't healthy, so instead, I would just eat and feel like crap. It was like I would eat and then just FEEL the fat, even though there was none. One of my friends defines it as having an "anorexic mindset", which is basically what it is.

This has been continuous, and the struggle with it has been awful. I tried telling my parents, but my dad didn't seem to hear me, I guess. My mom just told me, "You're not fat", and stopped it there. When I told my brother, he didn't know what to say but in later arguments used it against me.

The only people I can even feel to trust are my ex-boyfriend and ONE of my best friends because she struggled with anorexia, bulimia, and still struggles with a self image problem.

What I want to know from you guys is this:

First of all, have you yourself ever struggled with a self image/esteem problem? In other words, have you ever seen yourself as too fat/ugly/etc until it got to the point that you obsessed over it? Have you ever known someone go through this? Feel free to share stories.

Second of all, do you have any advice for overcoming it? Did you tell your parents [and if you did, HOW]? What steps did you take to overcome this?

Thanks, guys! =]
[/COLOR]
[COLOR=Black]Just a note, having a low self image is a SELF thing. It has nothing to do with how people see you but with how you see yourself.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Andrew]

[SIZE=1]If I were anybody else I'd probably start with he typical "You're not fat, there's nothing wrong with you, blah, blah, blah!" speech, but I hate lecturing people and I don't feel it's my place to do so.

However, I have that very feeling right now! I just finished one of my mother's famous cooked dinners right down to the last drop of gravy because I refuse to leave food that she busted her *** off to prepare for me all day. On to the subject at hand, my stomach right now is really full to the point it kinda hurts and I had to undo my dressing gown a little to compensate. ^-^

But in all seriousness, I do follow what you're going through. I've suffered in a similar way (although never to the point of anorexia etc) because I'm too health conscious and I am actually overweight. Not as much as you'd think when looking at me, but I see it all the time. I've just recently come to accept that I am really vain (despite my best efforts to deny it) and it has made me feel a lot better for whatever reason.

I'm actually an inch or 2 shorter than you and probably about 56 lbs or so heavier than you. Although I'm a guy and a lot of that is proportioned to the shoulder area, I do have some excess which I'd like to get rid of, but what it all boils down to is I'm happy with who I am and nobody can take that away from me, regardless what I called in work. ¬_¬

I was looking at some pictures of me from a few years ago when I was going through what you are now and it's unsettling how thin I was there and then looking at myself in the mirror now. I do kinda get angry at myself for letting go so easily, but it can't be helped I guess.

From what I understand though, this seems to stem from the fact that you're clothes stopped fitting before your birthday. Although I guess you already know it, clothes getting too small for you is just part of growing up (particularly for your age) and maybe you'll do good to remember that and hear other people re-enforce that point.

Perhaps you should try looking in the mirror closely at yourself and just learning to accept that you are growing up, things are going to change and that no-one else can accept you if you don't accept yourself. Not that you should be considering anyone else's opinion at this time but you get the idea.

This is why I don't normally reply to stuff like this because my thoughts tend to come out in an unordered mess. ¬_¬

But anyways, try to remember what I've said and just look at yourself and smile, it'll do you the world of good. Laughing helps a hll of a lot too, especially if its at yourself![/SIZE]

[Johnny Justjohnny]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Gray]Self-image problems? No way, not me. I is who I is, and I'm happy with that. Yea, I'm fat - quite obese, really. But, for whatever reason, this never really effected my self-esteem - if anything, it made me feel better about myself, strange as it may sound. Kind of unique, you know what I mean? Like I was different then them, and that was cool, you see what I'm saying?

Now, you're not fat. I know that - no matter how you slice it, 140 pounds is not fat. But you probably already know that, so I can't help you there. You have to ask yourself, though, [I]is that such a bad thing?[/I] Is it really the end of the world to be fat or ugly or different or anything of that nature? The answer is, of course, [I]no[/I]. Once you come to terms with that, you'll stop seeing yourself as being fat, because you'll stop comparing yourself to Twigy and going "Why can't [I]I[/I] be that skinny? Look, compared to her, I'm a whale!", you'll just think "Jeez, that lady needs some protein in her diet!" or something thereabouts.

But hey, what do I know - like I said, I never had these problems. I was, of course, rediculed at times - but they really never got to me. What's insulting about "fatass" when one's *** is, in fact, quite fat? I guess that's why I never really had self-esteem issues, because I always had a way of looking at myself and going "No, I'm not George Clooney, but I'd be really sexy in Africa I bet!", a way of kind of looking past what our society consider's faults and knowing that there really is nothing wrong with being different.

On that note, there's nothin' hot about Twigy... can't wait until this rib-cage-showing-through fad is over-and-done-with so we can get back to admiring real women for looking like real women, rather then stick-figures. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Andrew]

[SIZE=1]It's normally not my style to post at all, let alone twice in quick succession but I just had to say...[/SIZE]

[quote name='Big Sky][SIZE=1][COLOR=Gray]On that note, there's nothin' hot about Twigy... can't wait until this rib-cage-showing-through fad is over-and-done-with so we can get back to admiring real women for looking like real women, rather then stick-figures. [/COLOR'][/SIZE][/quote]

[SIZE=1]Amen to that![/SIZE]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]I've been through a million self-image issues, all of which I came out of not caring anymore. you are who you are, you do what you want. Is getting fat justification for eating less? It's up to you. I ever do anything if I don't want to, dso if I don't want to watch my calories, i ignore it. Nothing changes. Sometimes I do get on a health kick, but only if it's enjoyable and I'm making it fun.

Life is meaningless if you don't enjoy it. [/COLOR]

[MissWem]

[QUOTE=Andrew][SIZE=1]It's normally not my style to post at all, let alone twice in quick succession but I just had to say...[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Big Sky][SIZE=1][COLOR=Gray]
On that note, there's nothin' hot about Twigy... can't wait until this rib-cage-showing-through fad is over-and-done-with so we can get back to admiring real women for looking like real women, rather then stick-figures. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE]


[SIZE=1]Amen to that![/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkRed][FONT=Arial]*feels inadequate*[/FONT][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=taperson][SIZE=1][COLOR=RoyalBlue]
First of all, have you yourself ever struggled with a self image/esteem problem? In other words, have you ever seen yourself as too fat/ugly/etc until it got to the point that you obsessed over it? Have you ever known someone go through this? Feel free to share stories.

Second of all, do you have any advice for overcoming it? Did you tell your parents [and if you did, HOW]? What steps did you take to overcome this?

Thanks, guys! =][/SIZE]
[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkRed][FONT=Arial]Yes I've suffered from being vertically challenged. I'm 153cm tall which I think is around 5' 3" and so like a small dog I've developed a bit of a chip on my shoulder about how to gain attention. No seriously, I remember quite distinctly, when I was your age (not long ago as I'm only 19 now) that I had set standards for myself that weren't so much as too high, just perhaps too inflexible. I always had to be this good at something, if I wasn't I was pathetic. If I met my goal then it wasn't good enough because if I could meet it then I should've been able to do better. The irony in it was my overall main goal was to be a better student, a better friend and a better person ^^" I sorta burnt out a couple years later and found less "me" things to worry about. Like DigitalBoy, I just don't care anymore.

I had a friend who suffered from both bulemia and anorexia, it wasn't pretty. It started when she was 13 and her bf told her she was a little fat and could stand to lose some weight (yes she should've been smarter and told him to F off for that but when you're young, you're impressionable and she was "in love"). She struggled with it for about 4-5 years and even though now she doesn't starve or purge her system she still struggles with how self-conscious she is about her weight. Although now she just medicates it differently like wearing corsets and for awhile, sleeping around a bit just to validate her attractiveness. Unfortunately I can't really tell you what really changed with her since it's her story, but from where I stand she has learnt to accept her body, not that she can't change it but more-so the reasons she's going to change it. Not for some stupid guys that tell her she's a little "chunky".

Not to mention she's also very good at playing up her better physical qualities. So in a way, this may be a chance for you to get to know what's good about yourself and to make those aspects a highlight. What I believe my friend and I shared with our individual problems that it wasn't working for us, it didn't make us feel good and it wasn't helping us get to the things we wanted because we were always so strung out on emotions. I doubt anyone can actually say anything that you don't already know, but [I]what I do know is knowing you having a friend to talk to when it gets a little tough can make all the difference[/I]. Or getting out into the world for some new experiences, like volunteering for a good cause. People tend to have epiphanies during those, not sure why.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Anakoni Stark]

[SIZE=1] Me? I'm vertically comfortable at 5'10", I dont have a problem wth my weight, but everyone around me [espically the parents] freak out about being 114 pounds at the age of fifteen, they think it looks like I'm on drugs most of the time, cos of my inomnia and sleep disorder, but overall it comes down to what I think:

[I] I really dont give a crap about what they think.[/I]

But I do worry about Ash, my girlfriend. She thinks she ugly when, she is the hottest girl alive [in my opionion] , and it gets to her sometimes. I also worry slightly about her weight, I mean everytime I hug her it feels like she will snap, under the pressure.

- Felix[/SIZE]

[eleanor]

[color=dimgray] I did, and I still do. I'm about 5'8" and I used to be 180 lbs. Ever since I was a kid I was chubby, but I really got overweight when I was in middle school. My parents weren't any help, because my mom would always tell me I was hideously fat and use it as an insult against me when she got angry. My older sister, being the tiny person she was, wasn't openly against it, but I could tell that she was grossed out by fat people.

The only people who didn't care about it were my friends, and for a while I pretended that I didn't care. I'd wear big shirts to school and the same pair of jeans, and did the whole larger than life attitude.

I sort of just came to terms about it during the summer after freshmen year of high school and started to diet. I don't think it was worth it, though.

My diet was by no means healthy. At first it was harmless enough: I would cut out a lot of carbs and sugar, and started eating less and excercising. Then it got of hand and I started eating 500 calories a day and burned it off by playing DDR for three hours (which sounds lame, but it's legit excercise). I was losing 4-5 lbs. a week when you're supposed to be losing 1-2 lbs. And it wasn't a constant thing. I would do extreme dieting for two weeks and then eat normally for another two, and then plunge back in. Whenever I binged, I made myself throw up.

At one point I was 120 lbs. I thought fitting into a small at Abercrombie & Fitch was the greatest thing ever. Now that I look back, a girl with a frame like mine fitting into a A&F small is sort of ridiculous.

It's hard of explain, but over time I sort of just got over it. I had this fantasy that when I was skinny everyone would like me, but I got a reality check when I went to summer camp and was treated the same as when I went to the camp two years ago. I wasn't the most loved or had the most friends, I was surrounded by the people that always had liked me.

The "getting over" phase added ten lbs. to my frame, but I didn't care. And anyways, 5'8" and 130 lbs.? If anyone is going to tell me to lose weight, they need to reevaluate their ideals.

My self-esteem is high compared to what I used to feel about myself, but it's still not that confident. The process of losing weight made me hyper sensitive to the skinny models and sex appeal that appeared everywhere around me, and I started to care about what others thought of me. I hid the fact that I played video games and liked anime/manga, and acted like a girly girl to a bunch of people I hated. It's just sad, and sometimes I wish I could go back to middle school when I loved whatever I wanted to and didn't care.

My advice? If you want to lose weight, by all means, do it. The only important thing is to do it healthily, and if you do, your body won't become emaciated or underweight. There were no steps for me in realizing it didn't matter, it was something that happened because of my camp experience. The whole thing about "be yourself" is hard to just say, but there's no real advice I can give anyone. It's more of a personal battle.[/color]

[Delta]

[COLOR=#656446]^ Truer words have never been spoken in the Lounge.

[quote name='taperson][size=1']First of all, have you yourself ever struggled with a self image/esteem problem? In other words, have you ever seen yourself as too fat/ugly/etc until it got to the point that you obsessed over it? Have you ever known someone go through this? Feel free to share stories.[/size][/quote]Ah, from what I can remember, the only time I had a major image problem was when I saw how fat my thighs looked when I sat down. That lasted for like 10 minutes. [i]Just 10 minutes.[/i]

How was this image problem resolved so quickly? There was this freaky chemistry question my professor threw at me while I was bumming about my thighs (I was drawing these stick figures with huge ovals for thighs in my notebook). Her calling me meant that every student she calls couldn't give the correct answer. I, as the dutiful "last resort" student, gave her the correct answer. And I got an applause from my classmates. Nothing like a good round of cheers to keep one's self-esteem up.

[quote name='taperson][size=1]Second of all, do you have any advice for overcoming it? Did you tell your parents [and if you did, HOW']? What steps did you take to overcome this?[/size][/quote]I absolutely DID NOT tell my parents ANYTHING. *gah* Knowing them, they would have enrolled me in a spinning class the moment I tell them that I think I have weight issues.

Call me conceited but I can say a hundred things that's good about me. I've this list in my head where I take note of things I like about myself. Whenever those bouts of low morale set in, I remind myself why I have every right to say that I'm an exceptional being. Works everytime.

If you can't help but notice those flaws, the best advice I can give you is cheesy but is a real gem if you take it to heart: try to see it in a more positive light. You keep looking at them anyway so why don't you associate them with something good> For example: I now realize that having thighs as plump as mine actually makes one's *** look awwwright! :3[/COLOR]

[OMNOMNOMALY]

[COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Trebuchet MS]Have I personally suffered from low self esteem? You bet. For both my weight and in general, just thinking that I'm ugly. And I still do. It's a constant battle with myself. It is slowly getting better, but there are many days when I wish there were no mirrors in my house.

I'm also a 16 year old female, around 5'5 or 5'6, and around 135 lbs. I'm an athlete, so I know that alot of that is muscle - yet sometimes I'm still ashamed of my weight. It seems really heavy to me.

All this self esteem crap definitely stemmed from my childhood. I was never the fat one, but I definitely wasn't as skinny as alot of my friends in elementary. Then I did something stupid and cut off my nice long hair to a short boycut. I was mistaken for a boy alot. And I stupidly kept it at a short length until grade 7... why? I'll never know. Probably not my greatest plan. I finally started growing it out, as well as thinning out and getting taller. It still wasn't good enough though. I had really unrealistic expecations - the longer my hair is, the more boys will like me, etc. [I]Really[/I] dumb.

It wasn't really an immediate epiphany type thing, I just think that as I got more mature, I realized that many of the things I was striving for were just a little ridiculous - I'm not mean to be a 5'11 80 lb girl. My expectations are certainly easier to obtain these days, but can still get silly. I'd love to be ridiculously thin (though no anorexia look for me, thanks) and I still wish my hair would somehow magically become ridiculously long - but I am more comfortable with my body. I know what is realistic for me and what isn't, and when it comes to my weight issue always try to remember to take into account that my weight includes muscles.

I think one thing that really helped me is that over and over, I've heard people say "confidence is attractive." And it's true. On the days when I'm not scared of the mirror, it shows. I talked to my Mom about it as well. She more or less told me that I could diet if I wanted, but she'd be pissed if I ever did a crash diet. I never did end up dieting, I was just a little more picky about my food choices. When it comes to how I look, I'm stuck so I just have to make the best of it xD It's already been mentioned too - make a list of things you LIKE about yourself. It really puts things in perspective, I think.

It's true though - it all comes down to how you feel about yourself, and what will make you feel even better, whether or not that requires change. If you want to change though, do it safely =3[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Adahn]

[QUOTE=taperson]
First of all, have you yourself ever struggled with a self image/esteem problem? In other words, have you ever seen yourself as too fat/ugly/etc until it got to the point that you obsessed over it? Have you ever known someone go through this? Feel free to share stories.[/QUOTE]
I was horribly teased and ignored by just about everyone I went to school with at a very young age. As a result, I saw myself as someone who could never be attractive to anyone. It wasn't really an obsession, but it did affect me. When girls did show an interest in me, I ignored them completely. I never really understood that it was possible for someone to like me, even through the end of high school.

[QUOTE=taperson]
Second of all, do you have any advice for overcoming it? Did you tell your parents [and if you did, HOW]? What steps did you take to overcome this?[/QUOTE]
My advice to you is to find someone you trust and love to tell you that you're beautiful. There's someone out there who will be so blinded by your personality and appearance that all your 'flaws' will be invisible to them. I never talked to my parents about it. I didn't really take any conscious steps towards the solution, but I found it nonetheless. I met my fiancee on the internet, talked to her, exchanged pictures, fell in love, then met in person. She loves me for who I am, so I don't really care about my appearance anymore. Also, she's always beautiful to me, and I tell her so every day.

[QUOTE=taperson]

Just a note, having a low self image is a SELF thing. It has nothing to do with how people see you but with how you see yourself.[/QUOTE]
When you objectify and judge yourself, it's not very much a self thing anymore. You see yourself as an other, one who you can change, and you want to control this other person's appearance. If you recognize that the girl in the mirror isn't someone you should push around, you may learn to let yourself [i]be[/i] yourself, which could help with your problem. It will lead to a pretty laid back lifestyle, but that's not such a bad thing, is it?

[Gavin]

[SIZE=1]Interesting, most interesting.

I used to have very bad self-image issues when I was younger, spanning from the fact I was very over-weight up until a few years ago. I got the usual torture treatment, name-calling, exclusion and whatever other stupidity small children inflict on those that are different to them.

It went about half way through to high school and because I had such a low opinion of myself I, like Adahn, never really saw that some girls were interested in me for my mind rather than my appearance. I'd pretty much worked it into my head that I wasn't worth anything to anyone save my family who just had to put up with me. Eventually one girl reached out to me and made me realise I was worth a damn, and a lot more to her.

Did I tell my parents ? I didn't have to, I broke down so often from the stress of it that they knew I had problems with self-image and self-esteem, I don't care about admitting that, I was what I was then, a hurt little boy. Honestly for me having my parents tell me that I was this, that and the other didn't really make any difference, I had to work out in my own head that I was worth something, although as I said thanks to a certain girl I realised it a little bit more easily.

In the end after a lot of hard work I managed to trim down, but I learned that it's your own damn opinion and the opinion of those who care about you that are worth your time, the rest can go to hell as far as I'm concerned. [/SIZE]

[Allamorph]

[FONT=Arial]Actually, I've never had to cope with self-image problems. This is probably due to my propensity to spend great lengths of time in my own head (or in someone else's), but I never really wound up caring whether or not I was/am/will be socially acceptable.

And before anyone takes that the wrong way: yes, I shower regularly and often (meaning either at one or two day intervals) and I do my laundry once a week. So there.[/FONT] (^_^)

[FONT=Arial]Anyway, I do worry about my appearance, but not in the sense that I'm trying to look like anyone else. I choose what I look like and am, and I just so happened to choose respectable, clean, and interested, with a bit of oddball thrown in for good measure and good fun. :p

As far as advice for getting over said problems, I have only this: stop worrying about what you aren't. It's a waste of time. (It's also really depressing just to think about.) The more you focus on what you aren't, the more you forget about what and who you are. If you really must know how your appearance rates, ask your friends; and not your boy/girlfriend who wants you to be the spitting image of perfection (incidentally, does that strike anyone else as slightly vulgar-sounding?), but your [B][I]real[/I][/B] friends who have real thoughts and really care.

[strike]Arrgh! WHY can't this watch stay latched!!!? Infernal clasp.[/strike]

And for once I will agree with [COLOR=DarkRed]Adahn[/COLOR]. His last paragraph is very, very true. (Don't get used to it, bucko. :D )[/FONT]

[TheResplendent]

[QUOTE=Allamorph][FONT=Arial] but your [B][I]real[/I][/B] friends who have real thoughts and really care.

[/FONT][/QUOTE]

[font=tahoma]One thing about your [b][i]real[/b][/i] friends when it comes to your appearence, is that it shouldn't matter. They may give you objective (or subjective...everyone's got their own way of doing things) opinions about your appearence if that's what you want, but by no means should it determine how your viewed or valued.

As for boyfriend/girlfriend, it's an unfortunate thought that they compensate for you [u]not[/u] being the spitting image of perfection by claiming you are. Allamorph is half correct though in that the importance of physical attraction in a relationship can often inspire idealistic delusions. But a real relationship built on compatibility as opposed to one built on attraction is not a source to take for granted when asking honest opinions on yourself. It depends on how well you know each other, and how close you are. So don't necessarily count the opinion of your significant other out right away. The truth of the matter is that when your in a relationship, neither of you are the prettiest person in the world, however neither of you are also the ugliest person in the world. It's important to remember that the worst way you can try to assess your own esteem based on appearence is by comparing yourself to others.

As for myself, I'd be lying if I said I didn't care the least bit about my looks. I like to be presentable when I leave my house and therefore I make sure my hair looks alright, my facial hair looks alright (and believe me, if i don't shave, i got a lot of it). That is normal however, I simply don't like appearing dirty whether it be in public or simply infront of my friends. It isn't about how other's look at me, it's about how I feel based on how I look. But I know it isn't a disaster if I look like i just woke up when simply hanging out with friends.

I happen to think from the neck up I look somewhat decent, maybe even attractive (I'll leave it to the opposite sex to determine that exactly). My body is in good shape, but I could stand to do a little more work. For my age and height, I am actually 8 pounds underweight according to my doctor. My metabolism moves a bit too fast for it's own good sometimes, heh. But this only means that I get to eat more, and I don't have to worry about losing excess fat before lifting weights or doing ab work outs. So it's not that I'm unsatisfied with my appearence, but I do acknowledge that i'm not quite at my standard yet. Not a big deal, as i'm sure the majority of people feel the same way. Though people typically have exorbitantly high standards, it's best to keep them within reaonable limits.

In any case, when taking into consideration how your viewed by the opposite sex, anyone that tells you that looks aren't important are lying through their teeth. It's human nature, it's normal, it's nothing to admonish or be ashamed of/about. Physical attraction to good looks is like bait on a fishing pole. You see what you like, then you give it a chance to see if you really like it. It isn't the most important part, but it's often the catalyst for the motivation to want to get to know someone for what really matters, like intellegence and personality.

Another thing to remember about the way you view yourself versus the way other's view you. As long as you are satisfied and have good self-esteem, it more then often reflects off of you and also helps greatly in how positively other's will view you. Usually, people appreciate much greater what you can offer beyond your own looks. That's typically what becomes most memorable.[/font]

[Guest Katty Kit]

[QUOTE=taperson][SIZE=1][COLOR=RoyalBlue]
[B]However, I knew that it wasn't healthy, so instead, I would just eat and feel like crap. It was like I would eat and then just FEEL the fat, even though there was none. One of my friends defines it as having an "anorexic mindset", which is basically what it is.[/B]

What I want to know from you guys is this:

First of all, have you yourself ever struggled with a self image/esteem problem? In other words, have you ever seen yourself as too fat/ugly/etc until it got to the point that you obsessed over it? Have you ever known someone go through this? Feel free to share stories.

Second of all, do you have any advice for overcoming it? Did you tell your parents [and if you did, HOW]? What steps did you take to overcome this?

Thanks, guys! =]
[/COLOR]
[COLOR=Black]Just a note, having a low self image is a SELF thing. It has nothing to do with how people see you but with how you see yourself.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE]

I've been feeling the exact same way recently. Usually when I tell someone they just blow it off. Thankfully I am there for myself, if that makes any sense. Which I've had to learn how to do ever since my mother passed away seeing as my father is pretty much a kid trapped in an adults body. On top of that God has helped me a lot. My friends get on me all the time saying "Your catch phrase is definitely, "I don't need anyone but myself and God to be stable"". And really it is. I've been fighting anorexia for a while now. It's not a "bad" case of it though, I've never been hospitalized for it, never been "too" underweight. But I do have to fight daily against falling back into it.

I really don't have any advice for you other than God helps, which sounds WAY corny but there' s no other way to put it. He was the answer for me. Although what's right for one may not be right for another. If your parents are anything like my dad.. lets just say I hope they're not. Just make it as clear as possible to them, help them understand that it's serious. Sit them down and explain to them that it's worrying you. No yelling or attitudes involved because with parents that never solves anything. Even though you might have the urge to swear and yell, it'll just make them take you less seriously. If they don't listen, become a broken record. Maybe you can annoy them enough to get their attention. :animesmil

[pooperson]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][SIZE=1]Hey guys, I just wanted to thank you for all your advice. There are a few people who posted who I never expected would have these problems, but they proved me wrong, and seeing how everyone has dealed with it has helped times a billion. I totally printed out your replies and have them in my room as support when things suck.
Just as an update, I haven't weighed myself in almost a month, so I don't even KNOW what I weigh right now, which is good. I've also talked to God and my mom and, of couse, the ex-boyfriend, and they're all supportive still. Things are getting better, and I'm feeling better. So thanks. =]

Ooh, and I'm eating breakfast now. And drinking water. Lots and lots of water.[/SIZE][/COLOR]