Eating disorder = lack of discipline?

When people ask you "Why don't you just stop thinking about food?", "How can you not discipline yourself?" or "You look absolutely ok, why do you train so hard?", it can be very frustrating. You might feel even lonelier, because you feel completely misunderstood. Eating disorders are not, however, always easy to understand. It is possible that the people around you have good intentions, but it is difficult for them to understand that it is not a problem of discipline or willpower. Quite the opposite - there is a part of us that demands discipline so strictly, that other parts have a constant need to rebel and do the contrary. Therefore, try not to blame others or yourself.

Instead, try to understand why there is a part of you that has such strict requirements. You can thank others for trying to help you and draw their attention to what kind of help you would appreciate more- for example, that you would prefer them to just listen and be there for you.