Recovery Quote Of The Week: September 30, 2011






















The tree is more than first a seed, then a stem, then a living trunk, and then dead timber. The tree is a slow, enduring force straining to win the sky.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry


#more Recovery Quotes of the Week and Inspirational Recovery Quotes can be found in the sidebar menu




picsource:http://www.flickr.com/photos/ben-kreunen/3309187466/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Recovery Links: As We Near The End Of Recovery Month 2011























Though National Recovery Month 2011 is coming to a close, the importance of recovery remains a daily focus. Below you will find some helpful links within Weighing The Facts to aid you with some of the aspects of recovery.


Reach Out for Help

Help Hotlines, Websites, and Organizations:

Eating Disorders

Males with EDs

Mental Health

Self-Harm

Suicide Prevention

Domestic Violence 

Sexual Abuse



Tools

Relapse Prevention

Self-Soothing Techniques 

Using Affirmations 

Morning Recovery Affirmations

Bedtime Recovery Affirmations
 

NEDA Tool Kits

When You Can't Afford Treatment   


Information

ED Information Links


*For more ED info please see sidebar drop down menu "ED Information."

Recovery Inspiration 

In the sidebar menu you will find drop down lists that link to Inspirational Recovery Quotes, Recovery Quotes of The Week, and Submissions (poems, stories, and personal accounts) by readers.

Recovery Is Possible! 



pic source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajc1/4659799248/sizes/o/in/photostream/



Affirmations For Recovery: New Pages






I'd like to introduce you to two new pages on Weighing The Facts: Morning Affirmations for Recovery, and Bedtime Affirmations for Recovery.

Both pages can be accessed by clicking the two icons located in the sidebar and pictured here. They will be updated regularly.

Affirmations are the statements we repeat to ourselves daily. They help change our inner talk and, in turn, our lives. They replace negative self-talk, set the tone for the day, and inspire us. Positive affirmations are a powerful tool for recovery. 


If you're unsure how to use affirmations you can find out more here: Using Affirmations

 
Come join us on Facebook for daily affirmations!

©Weighing The Facts

picture credits can be found on the above pages.

Weight Stigma Awareness Week 2011



Today marks the first day of BEDA's (Binge Eating Disorder Association) first annual Weight Stigma Awareness Week, which runs from September 26th to the 30th.

What is weight stigma?

Weight stigma, also known as weightism, weight bias, and weight-based discrimination, is discrimination or stereotyping based on one's weight, especially very large or thin people. The term is a misnomer as the stigma arises from the condition of being obese or schadenfreude arising from the suffering from the disease, and not the mass of the individual stigmatized in this manner. Weight stigma reflects internalized attitudes towards the obese that affects how these people—the targets of bias—are treated.

A person who is stigmatized possesses a weight that leads to a devalued social identity, and is often ascribed stereotypes or other labels denoting a perceived deviance which can lead to prejudice and discrimination. Common, “weight-based”, stereotypes are that obese persons are lazy, lack self-discipline, and have poor willpower, but also possess defects of intelligence and character. Common weight-based stereotypes of non-obese persons are that non-obese persons are unattractive, anorexic, unhealthy, diet and/or exercise excessively. There is no experimental or scientific evidence to indicate that these stereotypes are true, although pervasive social portrayals of obesity create and reinforce biased attitudes.
Wikipedia

Children

Weight Bias and Bullying in Schools:

Weight stigma, including weight-based teasing, bullying, and social isolation, is a common occurrence among the lives of children and adolescents. Although overweight and obese youth experience higher levels of stigma, underweight youth also experience weight stigma.
Recent research shows that weight-based victimization in the school setting is highly prevalent, occurs across all grade levels, and is more common than other forms of teasing and bullying. Despite its prevalence, some overweight and obese students report that school-based policies to prohibit victimization are not being enforced.

Numerous studies have documented the adverse consequences weight stigma has on the psychological and physical health of youth. Children and adolescents who experience weight stigma are at increased risk of depression, anxiety, poor body image, suicidal ideation, as well as disordered eating behaviors, binge eating behaviors and avoidance of physical activity. Weight stigma has also been found to be associated with poorer educational outcomes and increased school absences.
Research has shown that peers and teachers, along with parents, are the primary sources of weight stigma experienced by youth. Thus, schools are an appropriate and important venue for environmental level policies and interventions to reduce weight stigma and victimization. School-based interventions aimed at changing the social environment of the school (i.e., norms regarding weight-related harassment), have been shown to reduce the amount of stigma experienced by youth.
Obesity Society: Youth Weight Bias and Bullying in Schools

When I was younger the rules were: thin is pretty, fat is ugly.From the tender age of two until I was 12, adults seemed to be in awe of my thin body. I had one neighbor count my ribs every time I saw her, and another neighbor who, when I complained that I wanted rounder hips, said, “Trust me, one day you’ll miss those hip bones.
The body ‘compliments’ stopped when I entered puberty and I gained weight and fat –natural life processes that I didn’t think of as “bad” until others around me started to tell me that this new weight looked “bad” on me. One day my mom called me her “stocky daughter” and I was mortified.
Because of comments like those, I spent the next 16 years of my life on diets, exercising and speaking self‐loathing body thoughts. And for 16 years I denied my body its genetically natural weight and shape.
It was a miserable existence.
Kathleen MacDonald: BEDA Stories PDF

Adults

The Workplace:

There is clear evidence of weight stigma and bias in multiple aspects of daily life for obese individuals. Negative perceptions of obese persons exist in employment settings where obese employees are viewed as less competent, lazy and lacking in self-discipline by their co-workers and employers. These attitudes can have a negative impact on wages, promotions and decisions about employment status for obese employees.
Research studies also show that obese applicants are less likely to be hired than thinner applicants, despite having identical job qualifications. There are also increasing legal cases emerging where obese employees have been fired or suspended because of their weight, despite demonstrating good job performance and even though their body weight was unrelated to their job responsibilities.
OAC: Understanding the Negative Stigma of Obesity and its Consequences

Discrimination against overweight people--particularly women--is as common as racial discrimination, according to a study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University.

"These results show the need to treat weight discrimination as a legitimate form of prejudice, comparable to other characteristics like race or gender that already receive legal protection," said Rebecca Puhl, research scientist and lead author.

The study documented the prevalence of self-reported weight discrimination and compared it to experiences of discrimination based on race and gender among a nationally representative sample of adults aged 25- to 74-years-old. The data was obtained from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States.

The study also revealed that women are twice as likely as men to report weight discrimination and that weight discrimination in the workplace and interpersonal mistreatment due to obesity is common.
Science Daily
 

In Healthcare:

Unfortunately, weight stigma also exists in healthcare settings. Negative attitudes about overweight patients have been reported by physicians, nurses, dietitians, psychologists, and medical students. Research shows that even healthcare professionals who specialize in the treatment of obesity hold negative attitudes.
It is not yet known how bias among healthcare professionals affects the quality of care they provide to obese patients. However, some studies have indicated that obese patients are reluctant to seek medical care, and may be more likely to delay important preventative healthcare services and cancel medical appointments. One reason for these experiences may be weight bias in healthcare settings.
OAC: Understanding the Negative Stigma of Obesity and its Consequences

“I grew up with a Mom that was morbidly obese from compulsive overeating. Through out her life she experienced a lot of hurt and discrimination because of her weight. Discrimination and plain ignorance ultimately killed her. In May of 2008 she was admitted to the hospital with shortness of breathe. She received a blood transfusion and seemed to be recovering. The doctors did not know why she needed a transfusion. One doctor thought a bone marrow test should be done but then quickly dismissed the idea because of my Mom's size. The doctor even joked about her being to big...laughing that she (the doctor) was so petite & getting to my Mom's hip would be too hard because of her size. In the end that test would of proved beneficial. Less then a year later my Mom died suddenly from complications to amlyoidosis. A disease that would have been detected with a bone marrow test.”
Fran Erbe: BEDA stories PDF
Has weight stigma touched your life? I invite you to share your story on Weighing The Facts. Email me at mrsmenopausal@yahoo.com.


picsource:http://www.flickr.com/photos/estenh/4163978077/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Women in Advertising: Killing Us Softly

 
"Jean Kilbourne's pioneering work helped develop and popularize the study of gender representation in advertising. Her award-winning Killing us Softly films have influenced millions of college and high school students across two generations and on an international scale. In this important new film, Kilbourne reviews if and how the image of women in advertising has changed over the last 20 years."

"With wit and warmth, Kilbourne uses over 160 ads and TV commercials to critique advertising's image of women. By fostering creative and productive dialogue, she invites viewers to look at familiar images in a new way, that moves and empowers them to take action."

Thanks to adiosbarbie.com, where I came across this video.

Recovery Quote Of The Week: September 15, 2011

click image to view larger

If I can see it, then I can do it, if I just believe it, there's nothing to it ... I believe I can fly.
R. Kelly


See sidebar menu for more Recovery Quotes of the Week and Inspirational Recovery Quotes

picsource:http://www.flickr.com/photos/massimobarbieri/2685812402/

Spotlight: Eating Disorders Poetry



Spotlight

You thought you’d done it,
And pushed me off stage,
You thought you’d beaten me,
And locked this cage.

I know you’ve been there. Watching,
Waiting for my fall,
I’ve heard you sometimes,
Singing your tempting call.

Your idea of a perfect duet,
Lured me straight in,
You waited for my loneliness,
So your dance could begin.

You knew I’d always heard you,
Always. Such a long time ago,
Your rules were so familiar,
But I was happy with my solo.

You’re the girl I could hear,
Telling me I’m no good,
And the hands that embodied me,
What I shouldn’t eat, what I should.

I’ll give it to you though,
You’ve waited such a long time,
To push me off my stage,
And encapsulate what’s mine.

That’s what you do though,
You wait on the side,
You waited until I was quiet
And stepped in with pride.

My thoughts and your rules,
Take over control,
You’re constant abuse
Dents and damages my soul.

You knew I was unhappy
Dancing this stage on my own,
Your whispers became louder
And your seeds were sewn.

Despite your dance being clear,
I was a fool to believe,
The control was mine,
When you were so near.

Every mirror, every picture,
Every thought, every meal
You’d tell me it’s my fault,
And how I should feel.

As you came a little closer,
I accepted you in,
I welcomed your friendship,
And let your control begin.

You allowed me to rest,
And stop playing my game,
All the things I hated
But had stayed the same.

You showed me your dance,
And sang me your song,
It all looked so perfect,
I must have been wrong.

I felt so guilty,
For keeping you so long,
Waiting side of stage,
Quietly singing your song.

Your dance looked so perfect,
And your song so sweet,
Your rules, my obsessions
Your shoes on my feet.

Having you on stage,
Dancing my dance,
Your rules, your numbers,
Id given you a chance.

You shared my stage,
And followed my steps,
But you stole my light,
And forward you crept.

But enough is enough girl,
I am awakening again,
I can see your faults
And have felt your pain.

Your drugs are wearing off,
And your feet look sore,
I can see you’re struggling
Towards the stage door.

Your control is slipping,
And your time is up,
Your dance is becoming weaker
And the box office is shut.

It’s time for my solo,
My moment to shine,
So tie up your shoes, Ana,
This spotlight is mine.

By Sarah Louise Robertson


*See sidebar menu for more ED and Body Image poetry and writing submissions 

Be Featured on Weighing The Facts: share your eating disorders and body image poetry and writings


picsource:http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnpics/469167953/

We Will Never Forget: The 10 Year Anniversary of 9-11


September 11th, 2011 marks 10 years since the attacks. I will never forget where I was or what I was doing that morning. I will never forget the disbelief that was so soon replaced with overwhelming fear, horror, and sadness. So many innocent lives lost. So much tragedy. So much bravery. That day changed the lives of every American and more.

To all who lost a loved one, to those who found their lives changed that day, I offer my condolences and my prayers for peace. To all who came to the aid of those in need, I offer my thanks.

We Will Never Forget.



Please see also this touching video tribute: I Can't Cry Hard Enough

God Bless America! 



 

Eating Disorders Poetry: Pray For Me

 *Warning: Poem may be triggering


Pray For Me

this isn't one of those poems about recovery
this isn't one of those poems about how beautiful I know I am
this isn't one of those poems about how I overcame the odds
this is one of those poems about how I didn't
I spent my life trying to fit into this picture
Aryan brothers and sisters standing
5 foot 6
115 pounds
beautiful
I am twenty years old and I long for the androgyny of adolescence
I wish I could will away the curves on these hips
the prominent bulges of double D tits
and pants size weighing in the double digits
I know I was meant to be "curvy"
my body was built to wield the twists and turns of a full-figure woman
and standing at 5 foot 3
weighing 173 pounds
I look every bit the plus size woman
that was meant to reside in this skin
but god
I don't want it
bless another with this body so vivacious
and give me something devoid of interest
I want flat-chested brilliance and a size two waist
I used to be beautiful, you know
a long time ago, when I gave up living
I starved myself for just a little feeling
and I guess I did it wrong
because I can never go back
I have to eat now
every bite filled with resentment as I force it past these lips
but I do it because I have to
I look at you and I pray to god that I can one day stop
stop the madness reeling inside me that prays for just a little death
just a little decay
a taste of the impossible
for these improbable lips
screaming for mercy and begging forgiveness
I want to be healthy for you
but some days it's hard to breathe
cold sweats cover these sheets as you slumber away
pretending that I'm okay
some days it bothers me how you don't seem to notice
but other days
I'm glad you can't watch me fall
it's selfish, the way I torture myself
because I know I drag you with me
but I've spent a lifetime tearing myself down
and I'm not sure I know how to stop
but for you, baby
I'm willing to try
throw myself into an empty sea
where empathy used to live
and I'll wait for my salvation
By Alana Rosen

*See sidebar menu for additional, original poetry/writing submissions.
*Share your ED/BI writings and be featured on Weighing The Facts

picsource:http://www.flickr.com/photos/milkthin/4419662652/

Recovery Quote Of The Week: September 8, 2011

click image to enlarge

Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings.
Victor Hugo


picsource:http://www.flickr.com/photos/gwilmore/5484009533/

National Recovery Month 2011: Join The Voices For Recovery


September is National Recovery Month 2011.

Recovery Is Possible!

 "Recovery Month is a national observance that educates Americans on mental health, addiction, and recovery support services and how they can enable those with mental and/or substance use disorders to live healthy and rewarding lives. This observance highlights individuals who have reclaimed their lives and are living happily and healthily in long-term recovery; it also honors the treatment and recovery service providers who make recovery possible. Recovery Month spreads the positive message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover"
National Recovery Month


Share you recovery experience with others. Let them know what recovery means to you and how it has changed your life.  Spread the word and the hope.

Join The Voices For Recovery! 
Would you like to share your recovery story and experiences on Weighing The Facts? If so, please send me an email to MrsMenopausal@yahoo.com.