purple for eating disoders awareness week

Ok so I spotted this link up when pocket money polishes posted about in the British nail bloggers fb group. And I needed to take part for so many reasons. The most obvious reason, of course, being thaet raising awareness of mental health is one of my aims with this blog. Though I guess in this case raising understanding might be a better phrase. Eating disorders, and anorexia in particular, are probably some of the most talked about but least understood mental health conditions. Models are accused of it like it's bad behaviour. Flippant remarks get bandied about 'I had anorexia for a couple weeks in high school', 'oh I could never be anorexic I like cookies too much'. Anorexic equates to vanity. Bulimia equates to greed (and of course is disgusting into the bargain) binge eating disuse or compulsive over eating are just lack of self discipline and Ed-nos, What's Ed-nos? I keep seeing this thing on Fb that says before anorexia and implants there were real women. And it makes me angry. I'm not 'pr-ana' I don't encourage eating disorders but seriously? For a start there was no 'before anorexia' it's an illness and has been observed for many, many years. Secondly a serious illness with the highest mortality rate of any mental health condition is really not the same as cosmetic surgery. Thirdly, um I'm pretty sure anorexics are real women. I'm all for promoting healthy body image and I certainly don't agree with attacking people for being overweight... But attacking people for being underweight is not the opposite.... it's exactly the same thing! Sorry I think I distracted myself. I have watched, and continue to watch friends go through a spectrum of different eating disorders. And no matter what form it takes I can tell you it's most certainly not a choice or a fad or an extreme diet. It's horrible to watch. I can't, and don't want to, tell you their stories. They're not mine to tell. I can tell you mine, such as it is, but I've never identified as 'eating disordered'. I've used food in unhealthy ways, certainly, haven't we all? I guess if I'd ever felt the need to self diagnose I would have come up with ed-nos...flitting between restriction binging fasting purging exercise and diet pills. But it was 'only' ever another way to sh, that's my 'thing'. Food has never taken over my life in the way I see it do for others. It's never become all encompassing and life altering. It had never taken control. I'm not, by the way, suggesting that this distinction is correct and if anyone is engaging in any of the above behaviours id strongly urge them to see a Dr. It's just the way i look at myself... and on that score im frequently wrong. Whether I label myself as Ed or not I was definitely not healthy, which is the real point. All mental illness is a continuum and eating disorders are no different. I'm writing this post because I've hung around in the horribleness at one and of that continuum and watched the hell at the other and I hate the idea of anyone having to endure either one. That's all. X The polishes are tarastalons #smile over white on base with leopard print using sinful colors Let's talk and the darker essie sexy divide. I chose the pattern because I wanted something strong and powerful to represent the strength of men and women who fight this every day. X

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