anoreximale

Male here: First off, congrats on the progress you've made. It's incredibly difficult. I've been through a lot of the stuff that you went through. I had a string of bad relationships, began exercising to cope, and slowly but surely started restricting. For months I was eating 300-600 calories a day. As a 6' 1", large frame male my weight got down to 130lb. I ended up in a hospital for a month of treatment. My resting heart rate was 25bpm. For the first few weeks I was not allowed to walk, and required nurses to move me by wheel chair. I remember the lowest point of my life very clearly. The first night in the hospital, sitting in that wheel chair for the first time, looking down at my legs and suddenly realizing how skeletal they were. The realization hit me hard; I was very sick. I cried a lot that night.

After getting out of the hospital I was still responsible for gaining weight back. That was a struggle for a couple months too, as I still desired to restrict. I began to exercise again, which helped me more than anything. Exercise really stimulated my appetite. That was four years ago, and today I have no thoughts or desire to restrict. I have an excellent exercise regimen and have been at a healthy weight for years.

Although I only struggled with anorexia for about a year, I would say I am 100% recovered. I can never see myself desiring to return to the restrictive lifestyle. Granted, you fought with it for 3 years, so I imagine your recovery time will be longer than mine. But I believe (with time) you will fully recover.

Males suffer more fequently than most people would think. If I remember correctly, the statistic is that 10% of eating disorder cases occur in males. And I'm guessing that number is still low, because a lot of guys would never admit to having an eating disorder. Thanks for the wishes though, and good luck to you as well. Just keep your mind busy and your days full and you'll have it beat in no time.

That stuff is nectar of the gods. I was drinking three a day when i stayed in the hospital. And 12... that's so sad. I hope he has recovered. Eating disorders are starting at younger and younger ages.