Awareness of Unawareness

They don't mention eating disorders, but the video is still well worth watching. I wish people discussed anosognosia and eating disorders more.

You can learn more about anosognosia here.

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19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am not convinced that all people with EDs exhibit anosognosia. Many people I know with bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder are desperate for help with their eating behaviours and are very aware that their eating is out of control.

In terms of anorexia nervosa (AN).. Two people have recently commented on my blog stating that they made 'snap decisions' to recover from AN when they were at very low weights. I know of others with restricting AN who also decided to eat after a prolonged period of semi-starvation - because they were sick and tired of the illness. These observations suggest that some people with AN can operate freewill.

On a personal level, it was only during the first 12-18 months of AN, when I was a child, that I didn't recognise that I was ill. Through the remaining 26 years that I was actively anorexic I recognised that my behaviours were damaging my health but I couldn't get out of the illness on my own. I had such terrible anxiety and mood swings (mainly depression) when I tried to eat more that I felt suicidal. There was no way that I could have made a 'snap decision' to recover from AN. The process of recovery for me has been torture, and has entailed a lot more than just gaining weight. But for 26 years I didn't have anosognosia; just terrible fear.

Rufty said...

I'm inclined to agree with ELT. I have met very few (if any) folk with eating disorders who would deny entirely that they have an illness. Some of the illest folk I know are entirely aware despite feeling terribly stuck and being unable to do all that is necessary to make changes towards some kind of recovery. It is one of my main frustrations with myself! One of the "symptoms" of anosognosia is the oft talked about "lack of insight". This too does not marry with my own experience, or, as far I'm aware, the experience of many.
I wonder if sometimes the term anosognosia gets a little mixed up with dissociation? I've thought this for a while now, as although I and many have insight into our illnesses, the detachment from, well, I guess "reality" really does hamper a continual movement forwrds towards "recovery". And yes, I agree with ELT in that I have spent many years trying to find my way out of the eating disorder only to be tripped up by terrible fear (which has lead to dissociation - which has tipped me off the precarious tightrope, or, just not let me climb up to the tightrope at all!)
Like anosognosia, this detachment ot dissociation is not chosen, but I believe it is part of the illness and perhaps part of my brains make-up.
I'd be interested what your thoughts on dissociation are Carrie, as I always give great weight to your views and value your opinions.
I suppose, also, I have a personal dislike of the use of anosognosia as someone who has been detained (in 1996) for a year via the Mental Health Act for my eating disorder. Somehow I find the term quite disempowering, as I did my detainment and subsequent "treatment" (and then my discharge in 1998 at which point I was no "better" than before, in fact weight-wise I was lower!). Although I was told frequently how great an insight I had into my own illness, it was obviously not enough to enable me (with all this "help" and support I was being given) to break free from the eating disorder. I just ended up feeling rather hopeless and, indeed rather helpless. Hmm, not sure but I may have strayed slightly from the topic at hand!
I'd be interested in any evidence, such as fMRI scans that showed the damage to the areas of the brain mentioned in the video from eating disordered patients that supports anosognosia. I'm more inclined to think it a direct result from the damage caused by malnutrition in those that do clearly appear anosognostic.
Of course these are just my own thoughts on this, I think it's important to discuss these things and be aware that anosognosia might be an issue for some folk. But also that it is not necessarily a true indicator or symptom of an eating disorder.
Hmm..interesting as usual Carrie, thanks!

Anonymous said...

Dear Carrie
I do enjoy reading your blog.
I looked into anosognosia a little while ago as i noticed that it was mainly the Feast boards that were talking about it in relation to eating disorders. The article they linked to wasn't an academic article by any means either.
I looked at a few journals and Walter Vandereycken's Denial of illness part 2 article touches on this. Also, from a neural perspective-as we learn from the "The Fault Is Not in Her Parents but in Her Insula—A NeurobiologicalHypothesis of Anorexia Nervosa" article which is freely available on the net- anosognosia affects Somatosensory cortex which affects Body evaluation.

I'm sure that there is more to it, but from a neural perspective there is answers.

Anonymous said...

It's probably something that can shift say from when you're younger denying that you have an eating disorder to denying the severity/effects of it in later years.

Anonymous said...

I think this applies to OCD too. I know that when I am in the middle of an obsession, I really do feel like it is real. The anxiety is high and even when people tell me it is my OCD talking, I don't believe them. It is not until that obsession goes away (or turns into another one) that I can see how illogical it was.

hm said...

I get this, in a major way. I never knew I had an ed, despite being told by various md's and therapists that I did. I always just ignored them b/c it seemed it didn't apply, and that wasn't why I was there to see them anyway. The therapist I am currently seeing went-toe to-toe with me on it and demanded that I get treatment for it from an md and a dietitian if I was going to continue seeing her. We fought about it for months. There was nothing wrong with me- I just knew it. But she is the first professional I've ever really bonded with and trusted, so we kept fighting it out till she convinced me to receive some help. Even now, after getting a thorough medical evaluation and understanding that bloodwork results prove dehydration and EKG results prove irregularities in my heart, my brain still goes back to "there's nothing wrong with me" over and over- but at least now I am getting help- because I trust her. So I totally get this.

Anonymous said...

I did not lack awareness about my ED. I was painfully aware of it. My parents on the other hand....now there was some denial. As soon as I was on my own in college, I went into therapy.

Even in the grip of an obsession/obsessive behavior, it's possible to be aware of it and the damage it's creating. What's truly hard is breaking out of the behavior.

Kelsey said...

I didn't realize how sick I was becoming until I was in way over my head. Thank you for this blog.

Angela Elain Gambrel said...

That video was extremely sad, and it makes me question why I wasn't able to tell I was sick with anorexia for a long time. I literally did not believe I was ill. I thought everyone was exaggerating and that I was just *thin*.

I know this probably isn't a popular reaction, but I feel so sorry for the man in the video. He is so ill and he is unable to fathom that. I wonder what happened to him.

Unknown said...

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or you can message him on his via whatsApp at +2348146154388 THANK YOU SO MUCH DOCTOR.

Unknown said...

Been diagnosed of herpes is just like been through hell but everything is posible. So amazing and i want to testify of the good work done by dr AZIEGBE a very strong and powerful spell caster. dr AZIEGBE has proved science and scientists wrong for believing and thinking that there is no cure for Herpes Virus but to be sincere this dr AZIEGBE is so real and powerful. I never thought that this cure will work but this GREAT MAN has proved it to me and it has worked and still working perfectly. My Name is ESTHER JAMES and i was diagnosed of the deadly disease called Herpes April 2016 and i thought that, this will be the end and there will be no hope. Speaking to anyone was always a problem because i was so worried and always in the state of unrest in fact i thought it was over until one blessed day when i was searching for help here on the internet, i came across a testimony about dr AZIEGBE on how he helped a lady who was also infected with Herpes Virus, how he has also helped many others to get their loved ones back, and how he has also help others to cure HIV. At first i thought it was all a lie but i decided to give it a try since there was no option and, when i contacted this MAN he laughed and told me that, that is too small for him to handle but i was still in doubt, and he gave me a form to fill which I did, then he called me and told me that his gods required some items in which he will use in preparing the cure for me. He bought the items and prepared a cure for me, and instructed me on what to do and i OBEYED him completely as he told me. Then he sent a parcel to me through the courier delivery service. it was a holy water and a pure holy oil as described by dr AZIEGBE . I took the holy water and the holy oil and after taking it, he told me to go for check up but I was still in doubt and was so afraid to go for the test but i took a bold step and believed that it is well, and i believed all what he has done and all that he has told me. So i went to the hospital for the test it was so amazing, awesome and exciting what seems to be impossible became possible, the VIRUS disappeared completely from my system quickly I called him and told him what happened he congratulated me and today i am a happy person again the way things use to be. Don’t you think that this testimony is worth sharing? I promise to tell the world about him and i will keep sharing this testimony till the end because many people has died of herpes and i want many people who believed that it is over to know that EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE AND I WANT THEM TO GET HELP FROM THIS SPELL CASTER by contacting him on his email at draziegbespellhome@gmail.com
or you can message him on his via whatsApp at +2348146154388 THANK YOU SO MUCH DOCTOR..

Unknown said...

Been diagnosed of herpes is just like been through hell but everything is posible. So amazing and i want to testify of the good work done by dr AZIEGBE a very strong and powerful spell caster. dr AZIEGBE has proved science and scientists wrong for believing and thinking that there is no cure for Herpes Virus but to be sincere this dr AZIEGBE is so real and powerful. I never thought that this cure will work but this GREAT MAN has proved it to me and it has worked and still working perfectly. My Name is ESTHER JAMES and i was diagnosed of the deadly disease called Herpes April 2016 and i thought that, this will be the end and there will be no hope. Speaking to anyone was always a problem because i was so worried and always in the state of unrest in fact i thought it was over until one blessed day when i was searching for help here on the internet, i came across a testimony about dr AZIEGBE on how he helped a lady who was also infected with Herpes Virus, how he has also helped many others to get their loved ones back, and how he has also help others to cure HIV. At first i thought it was all a lie but i decided to give it a try since there was no option and, when i contacted this MAN he laughed and told me that, that is too small for him to handle but i was still in doubt, and he gave me a form to fill which I did, then he called me and told me that his gods required some items in which he will use in preparing the cure for me. He bought the items and prepared a cure for me, and instructed me on what to do and i OBEYED him completely as he told me. Then he sent a parcel to me through the courier delivery service. it was a holy water and a pure holy oil as described by dr AZIEGBE . I took the holy water and the holy oil and after taking it, he told me to go for check up but I was still in doubt and was so afraid to go for the test but i took a bold step and believed that it is well, and i believed all what he has done and all that he has told me. So i went to the hospital for the test it was so amazing, awesome and exciting what seems to be impossible became possible, the VIRUS disappeared completely from my system quickly I called him and told him what happened he congratulated me and today i am a happy person again the way things use to be. Don’t you think that this testimony is worth sharing? I promise to tell the world about him and i will keep sharing this testimony till the end because many people has died of herpes and i want many people who believed that it is over to know that EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE AND I WANT THEM TO GET HELP FROM THIS SPELL CASTER by contacting him on his email at draziegbespellhome@gmail.com
or you can message him on his via whatsApp at +2348146154388 THANK YOU SO MUCH DOCTOR.

kate said...

ALL THANKS TO DR WILLIAMS WITH HIS HERBAL PORTION I WAS CURED FROM HERPES.
Herpes Virus is a terrible virus, if not for my Husband and the help of the great Dr. WILLIAMS my life would have been a mess! I was diagnose with Herpes virus in 2009, my husband encouraged me, and tell me not to lose hope, I manage to give birth to a baby Boy who was free from this virus, and my Husband was always there for me! One day he came to me and tell me that he have found a man who can cure me. Base on scientist, they said there is no cure for Herpes virus; he tell me that he has seen many testimonies about him on the internet. We decided to contact him, we filled his Herbal home form, and he asked us to buy some local root and herbs items which we did! and he prepared for me a herbal medicine and 21 days later he asked me to go for medical test, faithfully hopefully i went for the medical test, and Behold, I was cured, from this virus and its was not found in my Body system again... DR WILLIAMS herbal medicine was able to restore me back to normal and now am very okay without any side effects whatsoever If you have HERPES or any other sickness, you can contact him on his email address drwilliams098765@gmail.com for help

mona linda said...

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Erica J Bradley said...

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years and I was tired of life because of the Pain and sufferings l was going through, so one faithful day a friend of mine gave me a contact of a herbal doctor who cured her from Herpes disease and immediately I
contacted the Doctor on his email address:(drwilsonherbalcure@gmail.com)
and his WhatsApp : +2348136219493, and immediately the Dr. sent me a herbal medicine and told me to take the medicine morning and night and I
did and immediately the Herpes DISAPPEARED and I was cured from Herpes disease.. so if you are infected with Herpes, any diseases such as cancer, kidney, HIV or Hepatitis Virus then Dr. Wilson is the right man to contact for the cure. so kindly contact him now on his email: (drwilsonherbalcure@gmail.com) or His WhatsApp number: +2348136219493.... once again, Dr. Wilson thank you very much for what you
did for me am very grateful... God bless you sir.!

james Ava said...

I can’t believe this is really true I never believe there is cure to this hsv 2 because all the hospital have told me there is no cure to it, few months ago I saw this man email DR.AZIEGBE on internet from a testimony share by someone who he help with his herbal cure I contact his email and ask for his help also, that is how he inform me about the cure process and this man sent me a herbal medicine which I took according to the way he instructed for 2 week I can’t believe when I go for test my result come out negative i am so happy to share this to the world there is real cure to herpes you can also contact DR.AZIEGBE through his email now DRAZIEGBE1SPELLHOME@GMAIL. COM and also WhatsApp him +2349035465208. or my assistant whatsApp me +1 (601) 452-8622 or email: JAMESAVA0001@GMAIL. COM...
He also have herbs medicine to cured the following diseases;
Diabetes, Lupus, HPV, Gout, Hepatitis A,B, Infertility, HIV/AIDS, CANCER

monika love said...

I has suffered for Human papillomavirus HPV) for 2years, I was given some tablets at the hospital but I refused to take it, They said I have to be on it for life so I don't want take a drugs everyday for life. No point in taking medicine everyday when u won't get cure from it and I was advice to seek for natural herbal cure, after some time I found dr onokun is the most trustful herbalist that have herbs to cure wicked symptom's,I emailed dr onokun, for 2weeks been his patient he cured my (HPV) with his herbal. I only used his natural herbs for two weeks it was 100% cure. I'm not (HPV) patient anymore. I'm happy about it i finally got cured out of this mess been in my body for 2years. I also recommend you if you're living with (HPV) or herpes symptoms i also want you to be free contact dr onokun with the email attach to my post. dronokunherbalcure@gmail.com

monika love said...

I has suffered for Human papillomavirus HPV) for 2years, I was given some tablets at the hospital but I refused to take it, They said I have to be on it for life so I don't want take a drugs everyday for life. No point in taking medicine everyday when u won't get cure from it and I was advice to seek for natural herbal cure, after some time I found dr onokun is the most trustful herbalist that have herbs to cure wicked symptom's,I emailed dr onokun, for 2weeks been his patient he cured my (HPV) with his herbal. I only used his natural herbs for two weeks it was 100% cure. I'm not (HPV) patient anymore. I'm happy about it i finally got cured out of this mess been in my body for 2years. I also recommend you if you're living with (HPV) or herpes symptoms i also want you to be free contact dr onokun with the email attach to my post. dronokunherbalcure@gmail.com

John Keck said...

I'm 61 years old, I contracted hpv in 2011' I has be taking lot treatment for it and embarrassedsome months ago the wart stated coming out seriously, I used lot recommendation because there was lot warts around my anus and was so . but today I'm totally happy I got the virus eliminated by using natural treatment from Dr Onokun herbal center after his treatment I got cured. all the warts went away' seriously believed Dr Onokun he have the cure for human papillomavirus because he has eliminated hpv been in my body since 2011, Dr Onokun make it possible for me. Here is Dr Onokun email to reach him: Dronokunherbalcure@gmail.com  he is welled capable of curing terrible diseases.      

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I'm a science writer, a jewelry design artist, a bookworm, a complete geek, and mom to a wonderful kitty. I am also recovering from a decade-plus battle with anorexia nervosa. I believe that complete recovery is possible, and that the first step along that path is full nutrition.

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Have any questions or comments about this blog? Feel free to email me at carrie@edbites.com



nour·ish: (v); to sustain with food or nutriment; supply with what is necessary for life, health, and growth; to cherish, foster, keep alive; to strengthen, build up, or promote



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