The Three Main Things NOT To Say To A Person Who Is Anorexic & Pregnant

Hello everyone , I hope everybody is well and has had a lovely Christmas and new years :) This is my first blog post of 2016 and today's blog post is about " The Three Main Things Not To Say To A Person Who Is Anorexic And Pregnant ." If you have read my previous blog post you will know I am expecting a little one in June. I am currently 17 weeks pregnant and if you have followed my blog for awhile now , you may also be aware that I have suffered with anorexia for a long time. 

I wanted to write this post hoping to help others who may  know somebody who suffers with anorexia or any kind of eating disorder and are also pregnant on how to be a little more sensitive to support them throughout there pregnancy. 

Body

1. Where is your bump? Lets see it then...

( A person with Anorexia is already self conscious and mental struggling with there body image as it , pointing out the obvious that there body is changing makes them feel more judged about their body and feels like they are constantly being analysed for there body and weight. )   

Food

2. You are eating more aren't you? get that food down you!

( Many individuals with Anorexia are not selfish , so no matter how hard it is to eat , they will eat for the sake of the baby's health , no matter how unhappy eating makes them. Somebody pointing out that the individual is eating more could trigger the individual  relapsing and cause them not to eat at all. A person with anorexia often feels ashamed  and guilt of eating , so pointing there increase in food intake will make them feel 100x worse. ) 

Clothing

3. If an individual with anorexia says " None of my clothes fit any more "Don't reply with " get a few sizes bigger then ."

( An individual can be very sensitive to the topic of clothing and sizing. A person with anorexia is struggling to come to terms with the changes in there body and in the individuals mind going up in sizes means they think they are fat. It is hard to separate the mentality of feeling fat to being pregnant. Eventually the individual will come to terms in there own time that they might have to go up a size, but never suggest to them to go up a size , let them come to terms at there own pace.)

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10 Daily Struggles Of An Adult With Autism

1. ROUTINE - I like routine and structure because I know what to expect. If my routine is disturbed I become distressed , overwhelmed and anxious , which will usually result in having an anxiety attack. 


2. SENSES - Sight , sound , touch and smell can be difficult to cope with on a daily basis. Personally I am very sensitive towards sound and sight such as bright light or any kind of artificial light. My sight can be very fragile and sensitive towards the colours yellow and orange. I also find certain textures to touch discomforting and can make me feel irritated.

3. UNDERSTANDING - I may come across like I am not listening to you , when in actual fact I am trying to understand what you are saying. Understanding what people are saying to you is like doing a jigsaw puzzle and you can no find that final piece of puzzle to complete the jigsaw. Just because a person with Autism does not understand you , does not mean they are stupid or dumb , it just means we understand things differently. 

4. DECISIONS - Almost every day I have to ask others for approval or to make a decision for me. I struggle at making my own decisions , and these decisions  can include things such as asking if I am allowed to get a drink when I am at home or If I can have a shower.  

5. ANXIETY -  Anxiety is a very common trait to have if an individual has Autism. Having high increasing and intense anxiety effects being able to communicate with others, such as working , education , social events or even relationships. Because of the anxiety we tend to like our own space and often isolate ourselves from the world.  

6. COMMUNICATION - Physically talking to others in person can be very difficult and distressing. We tend to not look at the person when speaking to them or we keep looking at our surroundings. Often people may also look to loved ones to speak for them. People who don't understand Autism tend to think it is rudeness or ignorance when we don't talk back or look away. We find it uncomfortable and very overwhelming which we can not control.


7. HUMOUR - Having Autism things said are often taken personally , due to not understanding jokes , figure of speech and sarcasm. I tend to take things to heart and become very emotional towards the " Joke". In my head, I think the individual telling the joke is purposely trying to insult or upset me without understanding it was a joke.

8. INSOMNIA - Due to the anxiety that individuals with Autism experience , lack of sleep often occurs which makes the day 10x harder for someone with Autism as their irritability and lack of patience will double. 

9. CONCENTRATION -  It is much harder for a person with Autism to concentrate. For example I struggle being able to move things without dropping them , opening packets or bottled lids , remembering things or not being able to focus on a certain activity I was doing. Also understanding maps or instructions of where to go and what to do I have a difficult time doing. 

10 . HEALTH AND MOVEMENT - Constant fidgeting , rocking arms and legs around , sitting in unusual positions , bad posture , toilet problems , sensitive to foods and difficultly hearing are also things                 an individual including myself experiences with Autism.

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Understanding Phobias And The Difference Between Specific And Social Phobias

A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder that an individual has a consistent and exaggerated fear of a specific object , place or situation. This means the individual is most likely to avoid what they fear , although what the individual fears often poses no actual threat or danger to the person themselves. 

There are two different types of phobias. One called " Specific Phobias" which can also be known as " Simple Phobias". The other main phobia group is called " Complex Phobias" which may be referred to as " Social Phobias". 

Specific phobias are usually a phobia of a particular object or situation  that an individual may experience. Often specific phobias start at a young age and though some may grow out of their phobia, for others it may be a phobia they cope with throughout their life. 

Here are some examples of Specific phobias below:

Animal Phobias - It is not uncommon that an individual may have a fear of an animal. The most common animals fears are usually spiders , snakes , mice, birds , incests , cats and dogs. 

Environmental phobias - An individual may be afraid of thunder and lightening , hurricanes or tornadoes , water or even heights.

Situational phobias - Situational phobias tend to be related to situations or circumstances such as having a fear of flying , visiting the dentist , lifts and escalators or even being in small spaces.

Body related phobias -  Body related phobias often refer to having a fear of things such as injections , blood or vomit. 

Social phobias are  more complex than specific phobias. Individuals with a Social phobia tend be extremely anxious and very self- conscious in everyday social situations. Social phobia comes under the diagnose of  " A Social Anxiety Disorder" and individuals have an increasingly intense fear of being watched or judged by other members of society. For somebody with a social phobia their fear can be so severe that simple things for other people such as work , school , meeting friends or being social with people , shopping or everyday activities is very difficult for somebody with a social phobia. Their fear can be so extreme that it may effect and interfere with the individual from leading a normal day to day life.


Some Of The Most Common Phobias Include:

Social interaction fear - Social interaction includes things such as meeting friends , going to parties , meeting new people , busy places or even a working environment.

Performance fear - Performance fear relates to public speaking such as presenting a presentation to other individuals.

Observation fear - Observation fear relates to an individual having an intense fear of being watched or seen by others, even just walking down the street to the shop. 


AGORAPHOBIA 

A person suffering with a social phobia is most likely to suffer with Agoraphobia which is also an anxiety disorder. Agoraphobia is one of the more extreme social phobias , a person suffering with Agoraphobia is severely afraid of any kind of social situations. The individual feels like they are at a high risk of danger and becomes fearful of the outside world. The extreme anxiety they experience often leads the individual to become housebound.  

Other  Known Phobias :

Arachnophobia 
Emetophobia 
Dentophobia
Trypanophobia
Cibophobia
Erythrophobia 
Aerophobia  


Possible Causes Of Phobias      

There is no one particular set cause of why somebody develops a phobia. Every individual is different , therefore the causes of the individual developing a phobia will differ from each other. 

However here are some possible causes which may contribute to a person developing a phobia:


. Genetics - Genetics may contribute to a person developing a phobia. If there is a family history of someone having a certain phobia it is possible that an individual may have developed the same phobia. Some people may be born with a propensity to be more anxious than others. 

. Incident/ Trauma - A phobia can be linked to a specific incident or trauma that an individual may have experienced. For example somebody who got trapped in a lift / elevator because it broke , may become fearful of using  a lift / elevator and develop a phobia of  using elevators. 

. Learned Responses - The family environment may be a factor that can contribute an individual to developing a phobia. A person may have picked up on a family members responses and anxieties  towards different things in their earlier life. 





Psychical And Emotional Response Of Having A Phobia     


Psychical 


  Sweating  

Short Of Breath

Chest Pains 

Fast heart rate

Dizziness / Fainting 

Butterflies in their tummy 

Tearful 

Feeling like their are going to be sick
        

Emotional 

Disappointed 

feeling stupid 

Useless 

Unhappy 

Distress 

Embarrassed

Defeated 

Fearful 

Lonely 

Worried               

Self Help


Lifestyle changes may help an individual reduce the symptoms of a phobia. Lifestyle changes may include: 

. Regular exercise

. Regular and balanced meals 

. Getting enough sleep 

. Avoiding things such as caffeine or other stimulants 

Another self help is " Self-exposure Therapy " which includes the following : 

Relaxation techniques such as a variety of physical exercise , breathing exercise , meditation or yoga. This may help an individual to have some control of their breathing when suffering the symptoms of a phobia. Self help groups may be useful for an individual with a phobia , as meeting other people who share similar experiences as the individual could be useful as they may share different coping mechanisms with each other. 





Help , Support And Treatment 

For individuals who are struggling with a phobia there is help and treatments available to support them.

Here are some options available who seek help :


Counselling - Counsellors will listen to individuals problems and help them find a way to overcome their problems. 

Psychotherapy - A psychotherapist will use a more direct and in - depth approach to find the cause of the individuals problems and suggests coping mechanisms to help deal with their problems.  

CBT - CBT is a type of counselling that explores the individuals thoughts , feelings and behaviour which will help find practical ways of dealing with the individuals phobia. 

Medication - Medication is not essential but may help a person suffering with a phobia which causes them to have anxiety symptoms may be useful to some individuals. 

GP - Making an appointment to see there doctor is important  for an individual to seek help for there concerns about their phobia. A doctor can provide help and information for the individual and will usually refer the individual for therapy. 



More Help And Information        


MIND.ORG

HELP GUIDE. ORG

TOPUK.ORG

PHOBIA.ABOUT.COM

RCPSYCH

MAYO CLINIC

NHS CHOICES

BUPA UK







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