Freddie Flintoff: Living with Bulimia

[Wiseman_Vaughn]

I Watched this on iPlayer last night - really worth a watch!

Over the years I've felt that I've suffered with an eating disorder. Not to the extent of vomiting or starving myself but having eating and working out dictating my day to day life - especially when I've had depressive periods in my life.
I remember John Prescott being ridiculed in the media for admitting to having an eating disorder - he was a brave man to admit to it at the time.

I suspect that eating disorders are far more common than I thought.

 

[j44peo]

I watched it previously. I am currently battling bulimia myself and have been for around 3 years. i am battling it in secret with only a few people aware of this. it is crippling. i cannot imagine the sort of bravery it takes to be out in the public domain like Freddie and especially as a sportsman and admitting to struggling like this. for anyone struggling with anything like this reaching out is often the hardest but most rewarding thing

 

[Wiseman_Vaughn]

I watched it previously. I am currently battling bulimia myself and have been for around 3 years. i am battling it in secret with only a few people aware of this. it is crippling. i cannot imagine the sort of bravery it takes to be out in the public domain like Freddie and especially as a sportsman and admitting to struggling like this. for anyone struggling with anything like this reaching out is often the hardest but most rewarding thing

Thanks for sharing that! I really hope that you get things back on track.

You may not want to share any information but who did you reach out to?

 

[j44peo]

i am happy to share in the hope that someone who needs it sees a way out!
I went to my GP and discussed what my issues were. they referred me off to the mental health team who after one appointment diagnosed me as bulimic and depressed. I was then referred off to Impact on Teesside who offer counselling and CBT and similar services. Unfortunately after initial assessment from Impact i was placed on a waiting list that took over 18 months for me to be seen. In that time my problems got worse. I am currently 3 sessions into intense CBT (1 session a week). Impact only offer an 8 week course and to be honest i do not know what is at the end of this CBT journey for me. I have had private counselling in the mean time but at over £40/ph roughly this is not a sustainable cost at the minute with the way the world is.

the stigma that surrounds eating disorders is incredible and i have even found this with the councilors that i have seen (not the one i am seeing now through Impact! She is very supportive!)

 

[Wiseman_Vaughn]

i am happy to share in the hope that someone who needs it sees a way out!
I went to my GP and discussed what my issues were. they referred me off to the mental health team who after one appointment diagnosed me as bulimic and depressed. I was then referred off to Impact on Teesside who offer counselling and CBT and similar services. Unfortunately after initial assessment from Impact i was placed on a waiting list that took over 18 months for me to be seen. In that time my problems got worse. I am currently 3 sessions into intense CBT (1 session a week). Impact only offer an 8 week course and to be honest i do not know what is at the end of this CBT journey for me. I have had private counselling in the mean time but at over £40/ph roughly this is not a sustainable cost at the minute with the way the world is.

the stigma that surrounds eating disorders is incredible and i have even found this with the councilors that i have seen (not the one i am seeing now through Impact! She is very supportive!)

Thanks for sharing that!

I had a GF when I was 18 and she was diagnosed with it. Her problems were mainly hidden until things started to unravel. We were bothe very health conscious and I put some of my issues down to the way that i was thinking around diet and fitness to those days. Of course when other stress and depression hit those existing issues are made worse. Not being able to workout on any given day would plunge me into a dark mood and my diet became obsessive only broken by binge eating.