My Friends, Max, and Max's Mother, Sara,

I am responding to a private e-mail message that I received on my
private e-mail address about the 2 pictures of the 2 different women
who are severely underweight, malnourished, and look to be on their
death bed due to eating disorders...anorexia nervosa. These 2
pictures were not meant to "trigger" anyone. If it has then I feel
that we need to come together and have monthly chats as I have
suggested and also if you or someone has been "triggered" by these 2
pictures then you need to consult with a therapist. Above all, this
is NOT a Pro eating disorders site! These 2 pictures are to show
this world what is really going on with people who are struggling
with eating disorders. When you mention the words "eating disorders"
to the public-at-large and some in the medical community there are
many people who still believe that if you just feed them, i.e.,
force-feeding, then it will go away. This is not the case at all.
As I have said many times before, eating disorders are NOT solely
about food. There is always a reason why someone has an eating
disorder(s) and some of the cause(s) can be due to abuse, rape,
school, career, live in general, etc. Eating disorders is a sign of
lack of control in someone's life so the only thing that they
believe they can do to try and regain control of their life is to
control their eating, i.e., to eat, not to eat, binge-purge, binge,
etc. However, this is not an answer and nor does it work. If
anything it compounds the situation. People with eating disorders
are doing and have done damage to their bodies, i.e., teeth, hair,
skin, nails, heart, esophagus, etc. Many times the damage is
irreversible.
There are different types of eating disorders not just anorexia and
bulimia. I am not saying that in every case there was or is abuse
involved. Nor am I blaming anyone because no one is to blame unless
there was or is abuse involved. To call these 2 women in those
pictures "tiny ladies" is "sugar coating" the seriousness of this
disease.
Ladies and Gentlemen, these 2 pictures are reality, plain and
simple. Too many people (females, males, and at all ages) are dying
even as I am typing this response because the public-at-large and
some in medical community do not really understand that struggling
with eating disorders is a death sentence without proper treatment.
These 2 pictures are a wake-up call the world and show to truth as
to what is really happening. As the saying goes, "The truth will set
you free." We have a huge problem when it comes to eating disorders
at the community-at-large and that problem is that "people still do
not get it" and that is sad. They simply want to sweep it underneath
the carpet and in their minds it will make it disappear. In reality,
all that will happen is that all these people will die and thus
disappear. This is why I started this support group, what I am
trying to prevent with your help and the hopefully the help of
others. The shear mention of the words eating disorder(s) makes
people silent, so silent in fact, that you can hear a pin drop. They
cringe at these words. This disease makes people feel very
uncomfortable. Death makes me feel very uncomfortable. No, there is
no quick fix for people struggling with eating disorders. So if I
have to add pictures of 2 women who are about to die from their
eating disorder(s) to let people know what is really going on then
that is what needs to be done.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have not even touched the surface of males
who are struggling with eating disorders. This support group was and
is designed to help everyone understand the seriousness of eating
disorders. Hence the name of the group, "Eating Disorders for All."
This support group is for mother's, father's, guardians, family
members, friends, lovers, husbands, wives, and for people who are
struggling and who have struggled with eating disorders. Eating
disorders is not a pretty picture nor should it be. Those 2 pictures
were to shock and enrage you. I want people to become enraged and
start acting and not reacting. Be proactive and ban together with
this support group and make a difference and start saving people's
lives. To your question, "Should we be broadcasting them?" My answer
is, "Yes, and more if need be to make the world really understand
what it like to have an eating disorder. Doing this and other acts
until people "get it and start taking this disease seriously."
Sadly, people are going to die and are dying if they do not receive
proper treatment. Treatment is NOT wildly available to all as it is
advertised. It is a major misconception and I for one am tired of
it. Aren't you? If you have read my messages about the costs of
treatment, accepting no health insurance or providing no
scholarships, discriminating against people who have
diseases/medical conditions, who have to take narcotic pain
medication(s) to be able to function, etc. You would be just as
tired of the major misconceptions of how easy it is to obtain
treatment as I and others alike myself are.
Removing these 2 pictures would be living in denial. I refuse to
remove the 2 pictures because they depict the brutal honestly of
what it is like to be at the edge of death due to eating disorders.
Let us start working together as a group and make a difference if
not for our own lives, but for the lives of others who are
struggling with eating disorders.
I am serious about monthly chats online, I would like to see people
add pictures of themselves (beauty comes from within and this is a
safe place), add artwork, poetry, music, anything that describes who
you are and I mean everyone, i.e., those who are struggling with
eating disorders and those who have to watch their loved one's
suffer. Keeping things all bottled up inside is not good for
yourself or anyone. This support group is a "safe place" for
everyone to share your thoughts, views, ideas, etc. No one is going
to be judged. I hope that I have answered your concerns about those
2 pictures and anything else.
If you have any more questions, concerns, thoughts, ideas, etc.,
please feel free to contact me. I am also available via telephone (I
have a toll free number). If you would like this toll free telephone
number, please feel free to contact me. I would like to get a
support telephone tree going. I do not want anyone to feel alone and
I want to help those who feel like they need to not eat, binge and
purge, overeat, etc., to have people whom they can turn to and
trust. I really do know and understand what it is like to live with
eating disorders. I struggle with anorexia and bulimia (I am more
anorexic than bulimic). I began at age 6 years old. Yes, you read
correctly 6 years old. I was a victim of childhood abuse (all types)
and now I consider myself a survivor.
I would like to see membership of this support group grow, so I am
asking for your help.
We are in this plight together.
Happy holidays to all.

Best wishes,

Erika, Founder, Eating Disorders for All
(A Safe Place to Be Yourself and Not Be Judged)

Yahoo User, ID: Freedomisntfree2003

PS: Eating Disorders for All" is a support group at AOL Groups. All
is welcome.