how old are you and how long have you had an ed?

Submitted by Xylanthius in proED

Just curious what the demographics are around here? would you be willing to share?

I'm 33 now. my ed started when I was about 13. It got really bad when I was 19. I tried recovery when I was 31, relapsed, and tried again at 32. I'm 33 now, and I'm still in recovery.

When I was in my early 20s I posted on a forum regularly, and there was a thread similar to this. One of the oldest women on the forum was in her 30s. At that time it seemed like so old to me to have an ed. Like for some reason, there was some kind of an age limit or it was a young person's illness.

it's not though.

I think my mom is anorexic.

I think a lot of people who suffer are in denial, too.

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Cup_And_Saucer wrote

I'm 27, I think I was probably 18 when my ED became diagnosable, although I didn't get a diagnosis til I was 24. Honestly didn't realize it was an actual ED until i found ProED 💁‍♀️

Both aunts on my Dads side are diagnosed so I wonder that it doesn't have a genetic component like some mental illnesses 🤔

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Coffeeandtea wrote

My Ed is tie with my depression and anxiety. Anxiety makes me restricte and depression makes me binge. Anxiety and depression runs in my family. Although I don't see any Ed symptoms with my older relatives. I think my brother has slightly binge and over exercise tendency.

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Coffeeandtea wrote (edited )

28 now and it started around 24 for restriction. I was a late bloomer. I was an emotional eater since 11 due to bullying and abuse. Now I just cycle through restriction and binge cycles.

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Queenblasphemy wrote

I'm 18 now and been in and out of the community/ recovery since I was 12 ish

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Iron_blanket wrote

I'm early 30s too. I think I become aware of mine at about 16 - 17 but looking back I had disordered eating for a lot longer.

I was fine during my mid twenties then I was in and out of hospital for other mental health problems and ended up gaining so much weight.

It's been so triggering. I can't manage to get control of it. I'm afraid to jump back in. So instead I'm pussyfooting around the edges with the occasional fasts and purges.

Still though so fml

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SoggyRamen wrote

  1. I only learned my eating habits were disordered a few years ago. But if I look back I'd say my habits started when I was about 13. My body image issues started a few years before that. My obsession with weight maybe when I was 10.
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favisnugget wrote (edited )

I’m 38 and I’ve been anorexic since I was 7. According to lots of people, I shouldn’t be alive. But I am and I’m here and life has fucking sucked. But I’m here. Somehow.

And happy to have you all.

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smhicant wrote

I'm 16, almost 17, and my habits started when I was 14.

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Trackerbrothers wrote

I’m 28 and it all started when I hit puberty (10) but shit really hit the fan when I was 16. It’s been off and on since then. It’s weird, when I was younger I thought I would grow out of it, but it’s been with me either in the back of my mind or in complete control of my life. Also I have family history of ed hardcore on my moms side.

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Fossidarity wrote (edited )

Late 20s here, I think I had an ED on and off since I was around 15. For me it seems to coincide with periods of depression.

Never knew about this community before the Reddit ban, welcome to Raddle!

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GlitterVega wrote (edited )

I'm 44. I remember my earliest disordered thoughts happening around 5 or 6, honestly. "How long can I live on carrots, celery, and vitamins and not have anyone notice?"

I've been on and off the active ED Train pretty much my whole life.

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Xylanthius OP wrote

Thank you for being so honest about this.

Do you have health problems related to restricting for so long? what does your hair look like?

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GlitterVega wrote

I've actually been really lucky when it comes to related health problems. I have a heart murmur/valve issue that has been exacerbated due to my restrictive behaviors, so even though it kills me some days, I try to keep between 650-1k/kcal per day as the worst of the issues seem to crop up when I restrict sub-500/day.

... that also makes it easier to pass off "ED Behavior" when people SEE you eating, it helps keep people less on guard.

(that sounds terrible. I do not recommend hiding your stuff, but I never listen to myself.)

Somehow my hair has remained extremely thick, despite my best efforts to destroy it due to approx. 2x/mo bleach/color cycles. I'm not sure how I ended up lucky in that aspect. On the other hand, I have ended up with horrible dry skin issues, to the point of cracking and bleeding regardless of how much lotion is used.

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catsnapsandpoppunk wrote

I'll be 31 next month, and my ED started around 10 with odd habits and invasive thoughts, but didn't really kick off until about 13. It's been two decades and I'm tired as shit, man.

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DisguisedAsMe wrote

I'm 22 years old! I remember the day and even what I was wearing when I first started to worry about it.

For some background I was super underweight in 6th grade. I was 57 lbs and had a BMI of about 14-15. It was enough that I got calls home about it from school. I didn't have an ED and actually ate a ton. I just was pretty sick with random illnesses. I was always very used to being "the skinny one".

So then I gained quite a bit of weight when I went through puberty. So at the end of 8th grade I was about 95 lbs. I remember my mom distinctly telling me "you got fat" and poking my stomach. And I was still underweight then. So I started to gain even more weight and since then have been going back and forth with it. Binging and restricting and losing and gaining.

I would say that it really decide to stick with me around 18 years old.

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coffeecat wrote

I am 24 years old. I developed my eating disorder when I was 22. My story is pretty weird. I was in my last year of college and I participated in a research study the university was conducting. They were just looking for students to participate because the purpose of the study was to get a general idea of the health of their students. The study involved a blood test, weighing you, measuring your height, cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar, things like that.

They also measured your body fat percentage. At the time, I found out I weighed 118lbs and my body fat percentage was almost 30. I was absolutely disgusted with myself and the woman conducting the study suggested I lose some weight. Other than that, my cholesterol, blood pressure, and everything else was very good.

I took the advice too far and now I have an ED. Soon after that research study, I found ProED and basically realized I had a problem. I dont blame the university at all, it's not anyone's fault I developed an ED, it just happened.

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6sixofspades66 wrote

Hey guys! I am a 24 heavy restrictor, but began at 17 as b/p. Became healthy for a short time in college, and now back on the Ed wagon. I saw what I looked like in recovery, and it was just gross.

Something that keeps me going is not getting back to where I was a year ago. I weighed 165 at that time. And luckily, my mom has become a health nut so my behavior looks normal to those around me. OP I believe there are a lot struggling that are in denial. It was that way for my mom for a long time. Recently, she actually admitted to me that she might have ED behaviors and is worried about being 56 and having this problem.

I questioned this fact for awhile, and for a split second I was happy to be have my presumption be true. However, it is very sad to hear the pain in her voice, and the shame kick in. There is not reason for her to feel embarrassed, especially with me.

I guess I am not sure what is better - to be in the clouds or be a ED who is embarrassed to let society know.

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coffeecollarbones wrote

16, almost 17.

I think my ED started around 9 or 10, its a bit hazy, but it really started to kick into gear when i was around 11. I was just about bone thin around that age, and I often literally forgot to eat. Then a lot of bad shit happened unrelated to my ED, and I had no available activities but eating, and now I'm back to restricting.

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Noambition wrote

48 and bulimic since I was 19. I don’t recommend it.

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