anorexia and AS

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Oh, yes, the BMI standards for "eating disorder" status totally need to be dropped. That kind of plays into the social glorification of thinness, doesn't it? Like oh, you're on harmful diets, you're starving yourself, you're vomiting on purpose, but hey, you're fat, so you probably needed to go on a diet anyway. That's horrible. Even an obese person can be anorexic or bulimic.

Issues with change is so much a part of ASD that given the amount of people who have both ASD and food disorders you would think there would be some kind of support within the system that combines the two. What makes me angry is that if CAMHS had of done their job 10 years ago and asked me and my parents questions about my past instead of assuming the social difficulties, anxiety, isolation, OCD, issues with change, strict adherance to routine, meltdowns, life long eating difficulties, sensory difficulties etc were as a result of having an ED this could have been sorted within about half an hour. However, as I was a girl they automatically assumed that I couldn't be on the spectrum, ignored my parents when they said this had been going on for a long time, split us up, told me I was doing it because I liked causing my parents pain (which I don't, my parents are the only people I've ever had a close relationship to), insinuated to my parents there was abuse (which there wasn't) and messed everything up.
If they'd of helped me 10 years ago in the way they are now it would never have got to this point ever. I wouldn't have a severe ED, Social phobia and OCD that's been going on for 16 years. My parents would have been told to kick me out because I was 'choosing' to behave like this, I wouldn't have been banned from going on holiday for 5 years because I was 'choosing' my ED and that means I shouldn't be given nice things (my ED 'expert' told them if I wouldn't choose recovery I shouldn't be allowed on holiday). I wouldn't be living in a horrible house with people who steal my stuff and hate me. I miss my mum and dad, I miss home, I don't fit anywhere and this could have been so easily sorted 10 years ago. All they needed to do was give me a damn AQ, BAP, EQ test to see I score significanly within the ASD area. The same with the SPD test, so why on earth didn't they?
Sorry, I'm angry with the damn system and I am tired of being let down by them. I'm not thick, I could have been well on my way to getting a Phd if they had just given me the damn tools to function, it wasn't hard they just needed to help me in an ASD way which they are now and suprise suprise it's helping. However, they've wasted 10 years and I'm in the adult system now which means there is no god damn funding!! !

I think that an even bigger problem than anorexia for young aspie girls/women is comfort eating. I've done that since I was a teenager. I just felt so empty and had to fill myself with something. Right now, I try to be strict with myself, I watch what I eat and exercise regularely

My doctor thought I was anorexic at 12, but I refused to get tested. I'm fine now though .

For 2 years, I was obsessed with calorie counting, and for about 14 months, I exercised all I could, even though I was exhausted from school, and was behind on homework from the exhaustion.

I know it doesn't help to contradict all your experiences here, but I just want to say that the anorexia thing isn't universal. I do sometimes get obsessive with my diet and calories, but I always end up eating quite a lot, anyway. I've always loved food and eating. It's very difficult for me to control, even when my mind is on it. I have to exercise a lot and try to distract myself to stop myself gaining. I'm overweight right now and trying to get back to a healthy BMI. It's impossible for me to diet. I just try to be mindful of portions and exercise a lot.

Bubbles137, you're pursuing a teaching career with an ASD?
Depending on where on the spectrum you are this might be impossible to keep up with in the long run, stress wise.
The noise, the completely random and 100% unpredictable nature of it....

I thought classes at Amsterdam University... They where all 18+, but still.... couldn't do it for more than half a year. And that was my very best period of being EVER...
Saw a documentary about a very mild case actually trying to be an assistant at a kindergarten. She'd shutdown several times a day completely for periods of time. Not sure that could be called healthy!

About people knowing you where IP; who knows that should impact your job? Surely not the students?

I've thought about it a lot... I started working in schools when I was 16 because I needed the structure and routine of school and I love that side of it. I also really liked planning lessons and marking the kids' work. I can't do early years because of the noise level and chaotic nature of the classroom, but a 'properly managed' KS2 (age 7-11) classroom could work if I could control the class, I've helped in KS2 classrooms for a long time and if the kids are quiet and getting on with what they should do, it's really nice and I usually get on with kids and can communicate with them a lot better than with adults. I find it really hard with other adults though and I have no idea how I'd cope with parents, and with feeling adult and professional which I could never do. I really want to work on it though because I genuinely can't think of another job I'd feel comfortable doing, I feel really comfortable in a school setting. I only have mild AS which is why I didn't follow through with the diagnosis but if it helps, it might be worth looking into. Definitely going to ask the woman who mentioned it though, her kids were in the class I was trying to teach so she knows both sides of it. I never told the kids about ED but I had to mention it on the health form so the teachers knew and some parents did because I'd babysat their kids at some point so it got around which I hate. Really don't like people talking about me.