Author Topic: I have a mental disorder... (Read 2083 times)

parentsfortruth · « **on:** September 17, 2010, 10:12:25 AM »

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/aug/16/orthorexia-mental-health-eating-disorder

Eating disorder charities are reporting a rise in the number of people suffering from a serious psychological condition characterised by an obsession with healthy eating.

The condition, orthorexia nervosa, affects equal numbers of men and women, but sufferers tend to be aged over 30, middle-class and well-educated.

The condition was named by a Californian doctor, Steven Bratman, in 1997, and is described as a "fixation on righteous eating". Until a few years ago, there were so few sufferers that doctors usually included them under the catch-all label of "Ednos" – eating disorders not otherwise recognised. Now, experts say, orthorexics take up such a significant proportion of the Ednos group that they should be treated separately.

(read the rest here http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/aug/16/orthorexia-mental-health-eating-disorder )

CathMomof7 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 22, 2010, 07:17:53 AM »

parentsfortruth,

You do not have a mental disorder, you have a sinful condition. As I mentioned in the thread on healthy eating, being overly obsessed with food falls under gluttony, a violation of the First Commandment. You can resolve this condition with lots of prayer and fasting.

If only we were at least half as concerned about what garbage is destroying our souls as we are regarding what garbage is destroying our bodies.....

Belloc · « **Reply #2 on:** September 22, 2010, 07:30:17 AM »

Goes hand in hand with stress and the feeling that "something is not right", though, most people cannot put finger on it.....

Telesphorus · « **Reply #3 on:** September 22, 2010, 07:47:02 AM »

Quote from: CathMomof7

parentsfortruth,

You do not have a mental disorder, you have a sinful condition.

I wouldn't go so far as that. An interest in healthy eating is not sinful. Any more than a healthy appetite is gluttony.

Alexandria · « **Reply #4 on:** September 22, 2010, 11:36:52 AM »

Quote

If only we were at least half as concerned about what garbage is destroying our souls as we are regarding what garbage is destroying our bodies.....

I agree wholeheartedly.

CathMomof7 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 22, 2010, 11:57:36 AM »

Quote from: Telesphorus

Quote from: CathMomof7
parentsfortruth,

You do not have a mental disorder, you have a sinful condition.

I wouldn't go so far as that. An interest in healthy eating is not sinful. Any more than a healthy appetite is gluttony.

An interest in healthy eating is commendable. But obsessing over hormones in milk that may or may not be causing some problems, pesticides on tomatoes that may or may not be causing problems, germs on the counter tops, etc. is problematic. parentsfortruth self-identified as having a psychological issue, I did not diagnose her. I simply pointed out that, based on the discussion in another thread, that her comments are treading very closely to the obsession area.

My husband is a mental health therapist. People are really quick to identify themselves with mental health problems, diseases, or disorders precisely because they prefer not to have any responsibility in the matter. SIN is personal. Identifying certain things as sin rather than disorder puts the ball squarely in the person court.

This is not disorder, it's sin. Period. Obsessing over one's food, whether its what we are eating, how much, how its made, who made it, etc. IS sinful.

Does that mean we shouldn't be aware that 95% of corn is genetically modified? NO. Does that mean we shouldn't be aware of the conditions of chickens in egg laying houses? NO Does it mean we shouldn't limit our intake of fast food, sweets, and potato chips? NO It only means that we should be responsible and eat as healthy as possible.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #6 on:** September 22, 2010, 12:36:11 PM »

I don't know if I'm imbalanced or it is sinful, but I take care of what I give my children to eat and drink. Also, making home-made meals is one of my expressions of love for my family. Baking goodies, and teaching them how to prepare food seems wholesome to me.

(I think PFT is into healing and resisting eugenics-inspired foods and drinks-she can correct me if I'm wrong.)

Fasting is really, really good for us, and makes one truly appreciate simple, humble food. Holy Mother Church gives us at least two seasons to atone for our sins, Lent and Advent, and every Friday.

:ready-to-eat: :ready-to-eat: :ready-to-eat:

wallflower · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2010, 12:57:03 PM »

Quote from: Alexandria

Quote
If only we were at least half as concerned about what garbage is destroying our souls as we are regarding what garbage is destroying our bodies.....

I agree wholeheartedly.

They go hand in hand, we are soul AND body. Care must go into both. I think most people up here have put up enough evidence of care for the soul that a little care for the body shouldn't be questioned to this degree. Especially when it comes to mothers who have a duty to nurture soul AND body for their children.

I can't imagine Our Lady knowing that there was cr@p in Baby Jesus' food and thinking "Oh well, I have no time for that, gotta go pray!" In many ways the care we put into the material side of our children's welfare IS an expression of the care we have for their, and our, souls. It can be unbalanced, BOTH ways, but it's pretty tough to judge that on the limited knowledge we have of each other up here.

Alexandria · « **Reply #8 on:** September 22, 2010, 01:19:06 PM »

To each her own.

Belloc · « **Reply #9 on:** September 22, 2010, 02:25:37 PM »

Quote from: wallflower

Quote from: Alexandria
Quote
If only we were at least half as concerned about what garbage is destroying our souls as we are regarding what garbage is destroying our bodies.....

I agree wholeheartedly.

They go hand in hand, we are soul AND body. Care must go into both. I think most people up here have put up enough evidence of care for the soul that a little care for the body shouldn't be questioned to this degree. Especially when it comes to mothers who have a duty to nurture soul AND body for their children.

I can't imagine Our Lady knowing that there was cr@p in Baby Jesus' food and thinking "Oh well, I have no time for that, gotta go pray!" In many ways the care we put into the material side of our children's welfare IS an expression of the care we have for their, and our, souls. It can be unbalanced, BOTH ways, but it's pretty tough to judge that on the limited knowledge we have of each other up here.

whole body approach is right, food, spiritual, exercise,etc.....not one or other, but all

parentsfortruth · « **Reply #10 on:** September 24, 2010, 09:04:19 PM »

Quote from: Elizabeth

I don't know if I'm imbalanced or it is sinful, but I take care of what I give my children to eat and drink. Also, making home-made meals is one of my expressions of love for my family. Baking goodies, and teaching them how to prepare food seems wholesome to me.

(I think PFT is into healing and resisting eugenics-inspired foods and drinks-she can correct me if I'm wrong.)

Fasting is really, really good for us, and makes one truly appreciate simple, humble food. Holy Mother Church gives us at least two seasons to atone for our sins, Lent and Advent, and every Friday.

:ready-to-eat: :ready-to-eat: :ready-to-eat:

You are absolutely right Elizabeth. There are foods out there that are designed to sterilize people, and we need to watch out.

Also, with the way food is, we don't really know how "safe" these pesticides are because who runs the pesticide companies? How did we get Agent Orange (that made my father so ill, he had a heart attack at 38 years old!)? From MONSANTO, which is a chemical company trying to get a monopoly on our food so that we can't even eat organic, grow our own gardens without THEIR seed!

The priest at my church has discussed these things before, a long time after I started doing this. He is a farmer. I know my "mental condition" is not a sinful one. It is absolute concern about people trying to control the food supply, using pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and messing with DNA that God made so that plants become sterile. He only uses non GMO seed, and warned about the "terminator" seeds.

I'm asking people do some research of their own. This is a very important issue!