Jennifer and Darlene both came off as being extremely selfish, spolied and self absorbed. There are people in this world who don't have arms, legs, sight - but they still manage to think and do for others. What are either of you two doing for the world or anyone else in it?
Yes, you are anorexic - but has that robbed you of your ability to still realize there is a world out there, people out there and it's not just about you?
Who supports Jennifer that she has clothes, a place to live and the time to take 2 hours to get a teaspoon of food down? Who pays for that food - however little the amount is? Many people have dibilitating and / or disabling medical conditions and still manage to work or volunteer. Has Jennifer ever held a job of any sort? She could at least volunteer somewhere and think of others. There are jobs she could do from where she lives on the computer. What ever gives her the idea she has even the remotest right to control anything about her parents? Go shopping with mom telling what she can and can't buy; throwing out stuff that dad bought - who do you suppose paid for it? A 22 year old who can manage to travel to the store and the Dr Phil show is certainly capable of handling a job of some sort. Sit a computer at a hospital and admit sick people, do something. If you're not going to work, then you could at least volunteer. Help a blind person study in high school or college by reading to them or helping them study. Enter information into a computer. Many places need help getting all the info they can into a computer so others can access it. Address enevelopes for a non-profit organization. There are so many people in this world that could benefit from just a tiny portion of the time you are devoting to yourself. Does she help out at home? Laundry? Cleaning? She may have a serious problem, but it does seem like no one is holding her accountable for anything. She said she'd like to just be left alone all the time with her illness - well, I'd like to be left alone all the time with my books. But reality has to set in sometime. Who's going to pay for the books, the chair to sit on, the electricity for my lamp and a roof overhead while I sit and do nothing but read? Whose going to pay while you sit alone with your disease? She came off to me as extremely spoiled, coddled and self absorbed. Mom and dad get a backbone, quit being her victim. She has the problem, not you. You can love, help and support her without being her victim and enabling her. Enabling her is just allowing what she is doing to be ok. Jennifer, you are so self absorbed.
And Darlene - honey, get a life!!!! If you've got the time and strength to walk 20 miles a day - why not do it in a setting where it will benefit someone? Go to a VA hospital. There are people there -- people who have served in this nation's military so you could have the freedom to choose not to eat - that need help recovering from real injuries - much more severe than whatever you suffered with your leg. At least you still have the ability to walk 20 miles a day - there are some who can't walk across the room. You have the ability to see, to hear, to help. You want to walk? Help someone learn to walk again. Walk beside them as they practice on their new limb or limbs. Walk beside a blind veteran or a child who needs help learning to navigate the world without sight. You want to walk? Push someone at that VA hospital in a wheelchair in front of you. Go to a nursing home and walk up and down the hallways with an elderly person or push their wheelchair. Help an elderly or disabled person get their groceries home. Deliver meals. Want to exercise? Go to a nursing home or a VA hospital and help others exercise. They may not be able to do as many reps as you or do it as fast as you - but then life should not be all about just you. Go volunteer somewhere and make a difference in someone else's life. There are so many ways in life you could help others. You may be sick, but you are also extremely self-absorbed. You may not need to work to earn money to live on, but you can always volunteer. Think of how much energy you are expending every single day with all your walking and exercising - think of how much good in the world you could do with even half that energy directed at something other than yourself. There is soooooooo much in life you could do to help one person or many people. Think of someone besides yourself for a change. You are so self absobed.
To both of you - Many people have battled the same things in life that started you down this path with, whatever they are, and many have suffered much worse things. Many have managed to deal with it in other ways. Ultimately you, and you alone, have what it takes to help yourself and change your ways. It takes the help of prefessionals, but you have to make the decision yourself to want that help, then you can learn to help yourself and then stick with it. Hard to face things and do it? Sure, but if you want it - you can do it. No one's life is perfect - why should yours be? No one can control everything, why should you be able to? Most people learn to deal with what comes along in life instead of retreating into themselves. Maybe if for even one hour a day, you focused your energies on someone or something other than yourself - then maybe you could see that you are not the only one in this world that matters and many others have it much worse than you do on so many levels. You are devoting wwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy tooo much time focused on yourself.
If you're going to be anorexic, it doesn't mean you have to be so self absorbed.
