Going back to school-HELP

I don't know if this is the right area for this question, but I would really like some help please! Right before school ended (late May) was when I started restricting calories drastically. Over the summer I lost 30 pounds (I was 5'4 and 126, now I am at about 100 lbs and gaining) and became anorexic, and not many people from school have seen me. What should I do when people come up to me tommorrow at school and start making comments about my weight? I am really nervous, but I can't talk to my family because all my mom will say is that it is my fault I became anorexic in the first place. My school is really gossipy and I know people will start making rude assumptions. Please help me figure out what to do!

you own NO ONE an explanation. no average teenager will be able to comprehend the complexity of an eating disorder, so don't try to even explain. tell the people you trust as best you can. but to everyone else, i say just let them talk. i'm from a school of 600 students and they ALL know, but they don't understand. either tell them you had mono, or you got a stomach virus.

or if you want to really make people talk...tell the truth. that's what i did my first day back. your recovery is all about YOU. you you you! no one else, so don't let anybody get in your way. you're learning how to be healthy, they could probably learn something from you anyway.

Thanks! Reading that made me feel so much better about it. I realize now that I don't need to tell anyone I am uncomfortable with about it. If they want to talk about me, I guess I'll just let them talk!

hey fhchicky, i know how you feel and stuff with going back! like ilovechai said, your recovery is about you! (great advice, btw :))

 

dont let other people get you down. highschool people are mostly immature and would never be able to fathom the horrors of anorexia. screw them if they want to talk trash. who cares. they're not the ones who are going to get you better, you're the one who is!

 

this goes along the basis of school in general, but forget about the other students. it's your education and your life. do what makes you happy. do what makes you comfortable. you cant control other peoples reactions, but you can control your own actions.

 

best of luck in your new school year, along with your path to recovery! school is a really good distraction, at least i find, from ED thoughts :)

me too!! i have to go back thursday and am nervous about wat people will say about me sinse i lost 25 lbs. and have an ED. but its not like you have to flat out say oh ya i have an ED. i plan on telling people that im fine and am on the road to a healthier me :)

In agreement with the others, you have the right to tell people nothing or anything you want. It is true - most teenagers won't even begin to be able to comprehend your situation, and their callous responses could be difficult to listen to. However, are there any friends you'd be willing to talk to about this, who might really understand your situation and would support you? Those would be the people to talk to, and screw everybody else. Once you leave school, you realize how truly insecure -everyone- is, and that they take that insecurity out on others to feel more confident. It's mean and it's unfair, but just know that it's nothing to do with you. Do whatever you feel necessary to stay above their gossip - ignore them, do activities that are good for you and make you feel good, and be with only the best of people, those who won't bring you down. You're doing the most important thing for yourself, and that's trying to get better. I'm sorry that your mom isn't being very supportive - I'm sure she just doesn't understand your position, although she should know that you need her full support right now. Good luck!

You sound just like me, height/weight wise...however with one big difference: I lost the weight WHILE I was at school.

I think that the responses saying "no average teenager will be able to comprehend the complexity of an eating disorder" are sad. Of course people have empathy and during this period I realised how many people can be actively helpful.

The worst thing is people who barely know you making comments or assumptions. That, and everyone will try and feed you CONSTANTLY! Be prepared to show your face, be brave and stand up for every other person with an ED out there...

Also, bear in mind that ED's are very, very common amongst your age group. When I began to look severly anorexic, many people confided in me just how difficult their relationship with food is. I found out that a close friend was bulimic and many people admitted they had a difficult past. Recently, at my college (of around 1,600) there are pleanty of girls who look unnaturally skinny.

My message? Be brave. You will learn something from it. At the end of the day, people will sympathise with you rather than judging you for an eating disorder that you have CHOSEN to recover from.

I agree with everyone else's advice. You KNOW that you need to get healthy so when people start talking just focus on yourself and block everyone else out. Easier said then done, I know, but we believe in you on CC here. Good luck and just think about how strong you are already for realizing you needed to change! =)

 

I am also scared about school starting because it's DURING school last year that I lost all of the weight (about 25 lbs) and I've gained about 5-10 of that back, but I am terrified people will notice I've put on weight and say something which is stupid I know. I'm an overobsessive person though so thoughts like this happen a lot. And on top of that, I don't want to get stressed from all of this (homework, friends, boys, teachers, sports, etc) and drop any more weight. Any advice?

Everyone who replied- Thank you all so so much. I took your advice and kind of just pushed off people's questions. A few people were rude and said things like "Are you bulmic or something"  and a lot of others said I look really skinny, but a some others had better tact and said more confidence boosting things. I am still trying to decide whether to confide in the people I trust, but I really hope that if I do my friends will at least try to understand! Once again, thanks for all your help