Going to the doctor:
Drink a lot of water before you go. A pint of water (16 oz)
is about a pound.
Practice meditation to control your heart rate. It may sound
stupid, but this saved my ass a few times. A side-effect of starvation is that
your heart doesn't hold up very well when you go from lying to sitting to
standing; your pulse tends to skyrocket. Focus your mind on slowing it down.
Blood pressure is a tricky thing. Like your heart rate, your
BP is negatively affected by starvation. Put a little salt (about a teaspoon
per glass, more if I'm in a hurry and my stomach's not upset) in each of my
glasses of water (not too much, 'cause it'll shock your system and make you
retch) or I'll eat some celery with salt on it. salt raises your blood pressure
for a short time and can help fool the doctor. If you're worried about the
effects wearing off by the time you see your doctor, get a dark colored or
opaque water bottle and bring it with you.
Dress warmly; even if they make you put on a paper gown,
your body will hopefully retain enough heat that your temperature will be
somewhat normal.
Do anything to make yourself weigh more: drink water, wear
big shoes or a giant belt, put change in your pockets, anything. Ladies, some
coins in your bra add weight, and you won't have to take off your undies for
weighing!
If your throat is sore from purging, make an obvious fuss
about it; say you've been waking up with a sore throat for a week now. That
way, when your doc checks, he/she won't be surprised to see redness and
irritation.
Lanugo is a dead give-away. The razor is your friend.
Speaking of razors. Cuts, burns, scratches,
bruises–anything you do to harm yourself–it will ring alarm bells with any
doctor. You know your body and you know how long it will take to heal. You also
know when your doctor's appointment is. Make sure you're all healed up before
you go see your doc, and if he/she notices any scars, say you've stopped and
you don't plan on starting.
Your doctor is held to confidentiality. Anything you say
during your appointment cannot be repeated unless you say so. So if your doc
isn't fooled and confronts you about your eating disorder, tell him/her you
want this to be kept confidential. This is especially important if you're under
18, since some doctors will go ahead and tell your parents anyway–UNLESS YOU
SAY OTHERWISE. Don't try to deny it; you'll just make things worse.
Every day
Wear baggy clothing and lots of layers. This will hide
weight loss and help keep you warm.
Pack a bag lunch to bring to school, and make sure people
see you make it. Then, when you get to school, throw it out or give it to
someone else.
Hide diet pills in your piggy bank. I did this for months
and no on ever knew. Rotate where you hide them, too, just in case any get
suspicious.
If you keep an ana or food journal, carry it with you at all
times. Never leave it lying around for other people to find.
Purge in the shower, or turn on loud music to cover up the
sound.
Clear your internet history after viewing pro-ana sites.
The opaque cup trick is very risky and should be done only
in emergencies. Better to spit it out into a napkin; that way, if caught, you
can say you bit into something gross.
Put band-aids over your knuckles when purging to help
prevent scarring, which is a major indicator of an eating disorder.
If you know that you're going to purge (with laxatives or
through vomiting), complain loudly that you feel sick. Make a big show of it.
That way, if someone catches you, they won't be suspicious. Obviously this
won't work if you do it constantly, though.
Using a nail-growth nail polish will keep your nails from
becoming brittle, which is an indication of malnutrition. Or just paint your
nails a dark color to cover it.
This may seem obvious, but it's difficult: don't constantly
talk about food and/or your body. First off, people don't like it. Secondly,
obsession and preoccupation with food and your body is sure to tip someone off
that you have a problem.
Leave dirty dishes and food wrappers lying around the house;
that way, people will think you've been eating. Do this enough and you may even
be able to use it as an excuse to skip meals.
Say you have been planning on going for a run/walk and just
save some for me later.
Try getting a high calorie drink then dump it out and
replace wit with a low or no calorie substitute.
A great excuse that you can use only about once a month is
your on your period and you have cramp/stomach ache/etc. Obviously you have to
be a girl to do so. :P
Excuses
"I already ate at work/school/friends house/on way home"
"I haven't been feeling well. My stomach is kind of queasy;
maybe I'll just have some hot tea and see if it settles."
"Man, I've got a massive headache -- I'll just take a big
glass of water and an aspirin."
"Well, I had a really HUGE breakfast/lunch/whatever and I'm
still full from that...maybe later."
"I'm trying to eat healthier." Don't use this one with oversensitive people.
"I'm vegetarian/vegan."
"I'm having really bad cramps because of my period. Just not hungry."
Get in a fight then refuse to eat.
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