A young man whose life was destoyed by an eating disorder has revealed how it acted like a “weed” taking over his life, as new data shows that there are one million Aussies struggling with similar issues.
Alex Rodriguez, 25, told news.com.au that his eating disorder came in waves, starting when he was just 10, but the most severe was when he was 14.
He said when it was developing in intensity, like a lot of people, the then-teenager was in complete denial about what was happening, explaining that eating disorders are primarily coping mechanisms while not understanding other aspects of life.
“On reflection, I would have been terrified to lose different coping mechanisms that I had at the time which were presented through my eating and exercise behaviour,” Alex told news.com.au.
His mum quickly realised that these behaviours were becoming excessive and all-encompassing.
“When these things started to interfere with my day-to-day life – my friends, my family, my schoolwork – that’s when she started becoming very worried and started making comments and suggesting that I speak about things, suggesting that I see a healthcare professional,” Alex said.
“I was in signi...
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