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Topic : 06/11 Scary Skinny

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Created on : Friday, November 02, 2007, 11:53:05 am
Author : DrPhilBoard1
(Original Air Date: 11/16/07) We live in a culture that glamorizes svelte celebrities from Angelina Jolie to Paris Hilton. But some women put their lives in jeopardy for the sake of being skinny.  Twenty-three-year-old Jessica weighs 95 pounds and has battled anorexia for 10 years. She says she’s obsessed with exercising and counting calories, and only sees a fat woman when she looks in the mirror. Jessica’s younger sister, Theresa, fears for Jessica’s life but doesn’t know how to approach her. What’s at the root of Jessica’s disorder? Find out why the siblings say the answer lies in their childhood. Then, Jessica isn’t the only one in her family fighting anorexia. Her 12-year-old cousin, Nicole, was recently hospitalized because she lost 60 pounds in the last three months -- all in an effort to look like Nicole Richie. Don’t miss Dr. Phil’s strong message for the young women. Plus, Alita became bulimic at the age of 17 when she weighed 220 pounds. Now, at 24, she’s 95 pounds lighter but still wants to lose weight. Alita says she binges every day -- eating up to six plates of food at a time -- and then purges. She gives Dr. Phil camera crews a disturbing look at a day in her life. And, Alita’s father, Frank, worries that she’ll die if she doesn’t get help soon. Is Frank enabling her bulimia? Share your thoughts here.

Find out what happened on the show.

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June 11, 2008, 5:51 pm PDT

06/11 Scary Skinny

Quote From: ramair

After ten years of trying to help Jessica, maybe her mother is so emotionally burned-out, she appears numb to outsiders such as us. Let's not make such broad assumptions based on 15 minutes of highly edited TV footage.

I agree!

 

Although I have not had to deal with this illness with myself or my daughters, I can well imagine how a mother would eventually have to step back from the heartache and frustration this causes everyone involved.......step back or lose your mind!

 

It's not a good idea to judge so harshly.......there, but for the grace of God......... 

 
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June 11, 2008, 5:55 pm PDT

06/11 Scary Skinny

Quote From: jakesjo

Does anyone else besides me think that the mom seemed a little detached, even cold? I have lived through this with a step daughter and saw that same look of detachment in her father (we have been divorced for years). When I tried to intervene on this lovely girl's behalf I was met with extreme anger. Denial perhaps? In my case the father was extremely critical of all three of his daughters and I found it difficult to help the girls without alienating him. All of the girls had eating disorders, but this one in particular had a pretty rough time of it and became dangerously thin. I was very disturbed by the look on this mother's face everytime the camera cut to her. I wonder if DR. Phil took notice of this. I sure hope so.

Yes, she may have looked cold and detached, but like I said in another post, either you have to detach or lose your mind. After10 years of dealing with this, how do you expect her to look?

 

Doesn't mean she doesn't hurt terribly inside for her daughter, and doesn't mean she isn't caring and loving!

 

Be careful how you judge.

 
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June 11, 2008, 6:33 pm PDT

perfection

Quote From: tanyaattebery

Wow, I probably was one that coveted your body if you are that perfect, but not any more. I am a size 10 and am healthy which I was not when I was a size 5 and not eating, so I hope your body holds up. I know I have a choice and really it is what I think of myself and I hope when you mention-until you die-that you mean you like yourself now and that what you do for others, yourself, family, friends, etc....is what makes you who you are and not what size your pants are. I hope for you that you know you have value because of who you are and not what you weigh. I think we have a lot in common :)

Perfection is not what I have achieved but try to achieve  I am a  size 4 5'7.  Obviously after so many years of dealing with this problem my body will not hold up.  I just hope that someone who has these tendencies reads this post and gets help so that they don't end up like me, 30 years later

'

 
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June 11, 2008, 8:23 pm PDT

question

I definitely teared up listening to Jessica's story. I really felt for her because, like Dr. Phil said, there's other issues that she's struggling with that aren't really about food. On a kinda related note, I saw part of an episode of Dr. Phil about ED's on youtube, it was about a 28 year old woman named Aimee who was severely anorexic/bulimic. I think the episode was from earlier this year. Does anyone have an update on her? I looked up the message board that goes with that episode but there's no comments past early April.
 
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June 11, 2008, 8:33 pm PDT

Scared FAT

From the time I was 18 years old I had suffered with a horrendous case of anorexia.  Finally 50 and after having weighed 100 lbs at 5'8', I'm back to being not perfect but at least you cannot see my hip bones

and ribs sticking thru.  I still constantly fight the feelings that led me down this physically destructive path

but the ups are so much better and having a pushing cushion and little belly is so much easier and healthy than the alternative!

 

Still fighting and trying not to relaspe.

 

Still thin on the inside, but finally no bones sticking out

 
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June 11, 2008, 9:26 pm PDT

06/11 Scary Skinny

Quote From: jangler

I just finished watching the show on EDs, and at the end I just noticed that there was a message saying 'In Memory of' but I didn't see the name of who it was that had passed away. Does anyone know if it was one of the guests on the show? I'm concerned it was one of the girls.
It was in memory of Roger King. Roger King, was the CBS and King World Productions executive who helped bring stars including Oprah Winfrey, Alex Trebek and "Dr. Phil" McGraw to television.
 
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June 12, 2008, 4:07 am PDT

06/11 Scary Skinny

Quote From: jmjacobsen

The great thing about TV's is,,,,,,you can change channels. If you are tired of the topic, you are free to watch something else. There are many sides to eating disorders, as there are with most other addictions. Anorexia and bulemia kill THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of OUR children each year.

 

This upcomming show is very close to me too. I'm a 53 year old guy and also the next door neighbor to Alita, the second girl who will be on the show. I've seen her go from a beautiful talented little girl to a skeleton of a person that was near death. We've lived next door to her and her family for 14 years and i'm SO thankful that the show choose to bring her on and get her help.

 

Just because you don't understand it, please don't minimize their struggles and the seriousness of their diseases.

 

Mark

 

True, she could turn the channel or just turn the TV off altogether, but why should she have to? She has a right to her opinion just as you do and I agree with her, this disease or whatever they call it is ridiculous. How can anyone believe that constantly purging to the point of your bones damn near sticking out of your body is healthy or sane. Now I really don't want to make this a race issue but I don't know a African-American walking this earth who would do this to there body, we either deal with who owe are or make a healthy choice to correct the imperfections, and just so you know I immediately turned my channel because to watch it would have made me purge literally.

 
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June 12, 2008, 4:35 am PDT

06/11 Scary Skinny

Quote From: jem010600

 These boards are filled with ignorant people-I just posted a message and wanted to see other's responses to the show-no wonder we still have ed's, with people like some of the ones on here...Its hard not to take anything personal.  This is a serious disorder.  There are phisiological changes that people with eds go through  where we cannot see weather we are too thin or not, It causes more anxiety and more depression-I know I have been through it.  PEOPLE IF YOU ARE TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT IT DO NOT WATCH!!!  Do not post ignorant messages that hurt other people. 

 

GET A GRIP, EVERYONE IS ENTITLED!!!! 

 

 

 

 
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June 12, 2008, 4:38 am PDT

06/11 Scary Skinny

Quote From: jancyemcd

I feel bad about this but I'm going to say it .  I have no sympathy for these people because it is something they bring on themselves. I can't even stand to look at them, they are so disgusting looking. I know that I should feel bad for them but it is something that even if my best friend had the "disorder" I would walk away. They know what they are doing is going to kill them and yet they choose to continue doing it, competing with the next anorexic or bulimic to see who can be the skinniest and who can get the most attention.
The biggest thing I have against people who do this to themselves is looking at the pictures on TV of people who are starving to death in 3rd world countries. It is a mockery to them that they do this! They are the ones who have my sympathy and I would give my eye teeth to be able to feed them. How dare these selfish people who have everything they need and more deliberately starve themselves for attention and competition when millions in the world would love to have the food they refuse or vomit!!!!! And to those that would whine, "you don't understand", or "you are uncaring", I say I do understand and I do care. I understand your selfish motives and I care about those that are starving because they are dirt poor. We in this country are so blessed and to refuse the blessing is an affront to God.

I will not watch this show. I can't stand to even look at them and their crocodile tears.

 

 

BRAVO!  BRAVO! 

 

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June 12, 2008, 10:31 am PDT

Be mindful who you look up to

      Ladies,

 

        Be careful who you look up to. Too skinny is not attractive to many men. Spice, Lindsey, and many others who have developed Eating disorders involving overly slender bodies lose their appear to many guys. I don't know about all men, but I can vouch that I lose interested beyond extremes.

      The psychological message you send on this topic and the exact opposit to many men; you are not confident, secure, and you don't take care of yourself. It's a real double edged issue. The one thing that both sides of this issue have in common is; the attributes many men initially notice about women are gone. Personality is greatly impacted by these issues, and it further hinders advancement in better self-esteem and self worth.

     I agree with Dr. Phil; the solution lays both within yourself and seeking aid. It's a definite sign of suffering in some way, and it seems to be part, if not the root, of the problem.

    

     I wish everyone with Eating Disorders good luck for their future.

 
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