Purging Disorder in Teens: A Day in the Life

Haley’s experience shows why recognising the signs and early intervention for teens with eating disorders, including purging disorders, binge eating and anorexia is so important. 

7:10am

Upon waking up. Opening my eyes. The first three seconds is blissful, I have no thought. Then BOOM! Those lingering thoughts hit me like a tidal wave washing my good sense away.

“You’re fat, what ya gonna do about it gurrrl……………..”.

“What’s today?”

“Urrrr whatever it is it’s gonna be bad. I need to get some more laxatives and keep them in my PE bag and my shoe, so that I have them on me all the time. And no food today, just laxatives. If I take just laxatives, hopefully it will start to work on my body fat and get rid of it. I need to Google this.”

“Well it tells me that I will lose weight so I’m going with that…..(smacks her right palm of hand onto her forehead, hard, and winces). Grrrrrrr, I HATE school, I HATE me, I fucking hate everything, why can’t I look normal? Why do the other girls look at my tummy, I know I’m fat but there’s no need to stare.”

Takes a laxative with water and checks herself on the scales, twice.

8:20am 

Mum shouts up from the bottom of the stairs (“Hayley, are you ready to go, I need to be off now, come on love”). Meanwhile Hayley is dressed, and continuously checking herself in the mirror from all angles; looking at her stomach and holding it in, while crying silently in disbelief at what she sees.

Driving to school with mum in the car. “You’re quiet Hayley, what’s on at school today?”

“Nowt”

“Nowt? You must be doing something?”

“Shut up please, I don’t wanna talk, it’s too early” (in a quiet voice).

“Don’t you talk to me like that young lady, I’m telling your father tonight and you are grounded by the way. You will learn to speak…………..

“SHUTTTTTT UPPPPPP!”

10:11am

Hayley asks her teacher to go to the toilet. Decides to take two laxatives instead of one, to speed up the process of getting a flatter stomach.

Lunch time comes and goes and Hayley walks around the school building instead of eating in the school canteen.

3:15pm

“Sir, can I go to the toilet please?”

“Hurry then”.

Hayley decides to take another 2 laxatives as she is really hungry and wants to eat something, so needs to make sure those laxatives are working fully. She has the runs a little but nothing too bad. Eats a banana from her bag and goes back to class.

Evening:

Hayley decides to eat dry cereal without milk, hoping this won’t make her put weight on. Then takes another laxative. Tells mum she ate a big lunch and isn’t hungry tonight.

What has Hayley eaten today?

1 banana, dry cereal and six laxatives.

As well as this, she has checked the scales eight times today and used YouTube for a total of four hours, watching yoga instructors and weightlifting females, as she obsesses about getting a body like theirs.

This is in one day!

After day fifty, Hayley is losing weight rapidly and gaining her desired outcome. Her laxative intake has increased to eight per day and she is exercising in her bedroom for three hours per day. She feels in total control of her body and is excited at her results.

Then, on day fifty-one, she collapses at school and is admitted to her local hospital.

This story is happening all over the world, amongst young people. Body Image Coach is are an early intervention service for eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder. Talk to us today to find out how we can support your school and/or child.

Contact Us