The age group that an eating disorder usually hits is the one that sees our teenagers, young adults choosing subjects, courses or careers. It is a huge decision from the age of 16 onwards as to what to choose and what would be right, your life path so to speak. All teenagers find this a big step.
Spare a thought for those with eating disorders, or any kind of illness that affects judgment and decision making. Eating disorders destroy the normal thought process. Decision can be made based on what will benefit the eating disorder behavior and allow it to exist. Or the decisions can be based on insecurities, fear, unworthiness. The decisions made can be completely out of character or ability realm. Medication further muddies the water by lowering concentration, memory and awareness The whole psychology behind ED’s is low self-esteem, little self-confidence and seeing no hope or future.
Sophie was in-between hospital stays when she had to choose her senior subjects. Parents often wonder if their child is even going to get an education when the eating disorder moves in – it is that destructive. But we don’t realize just how much more can be affected. Sophie chose subjects she thought would be the path of least resistance based on the anorexia affecting her memory, focus, learning capabilities. Her self-esteem was zilch and she figured there wouldn’t be much of a future. Now at her second year of HSC, realisation has finally hit. Subjects are wrong or not wide enough. She wants to pick up the other side of her academic abilities and do science and research. It has taken over two years of recovery for her memory and focus to finally start to work properly again. I am seeing the academic girl who existed before anorexia.
Of course she is now annoyed and saddened – (1) the realisation again of the cost of the anorexia, it is an illness that just keeps giving but not good things, (2) whether she can follow the path of science or have to now wait for mature age entry.
Some have found the same as Sophie about subjects/career choices, others have just dropped school altogether, others have started one uni course and found it wrong or can’t cope, others lose dream jobs. In a world that applauds academic success, study and career paths and expects it within a certain timeframe, we provide very little to help those unable to make rational or wise decisions. Worse it is left to the sufferer to try and unravel this mess by themselves, pay the price (yet again) for having an ED and then to make a life worth living.
