My pediatrician made my eating disorder worse. And it’s not for the reasons you may think.
My pediatrician made my eating disorder worse. And it’s not for the reasons you may think. TW: mention of eating disorders, weight numbers I first learned what the term “self conscious” meant from my pediatrician. I must have been around 8 or 9 years old when she said it to me as I stood exposed in my underwear. Until then, I didn’t have the awareness or vocabulary that my nervousness around undressing and instinct to cover myself was because I felt “self conscious.” I left the visit feeling like self-consciousness was an unfavorable diagnosis that I had to overcome. At my next annual visit, I received another negative mark on my record. My pediatrician said, “Mom, we’re a little overweight. Let’s cut down on portion sizes. No more seconds at dinner.” I remember the scale reading 75 pounds. It was the first time I became aware of how much I weighed. It was the first time I felt ashamed of my eating habits, and of my body. This is when I first started to restrict my food intake. I...
