How does an athletic teenage girl develop a life-threatening eating disorder? It’s a hard question to answer—even for Rachel, who was admitted into Overlook Medical Center at 17 years old with a dangerously low heartrate from anorexia nervosa.
Feeding an addiction
Admittedly, Rachel struggled with depression and anxiety for years. By junior year in high school, it had become unbearable. She decided to get control of her life by focusing on food and fitness. But this seemed to have the opposite effect.
“I kept telling myself that once I lost two more pounds, I'd stop losing weight,” she says. “I thought I could stop any time, but you can't stop. An eating disorder is an addiction. You cannot stop.”
Hitting rock bottom
Rachel was skipping breakfast, avoiding lunch, and eating smaller and smaller portions at dinner. She had lost more than 30 pounds and her depression was at an all-time high.
Meghan Feehan, PsyD, doctor of psychology and manager of clinical services at Atlantic Health System, says, “Anorexia is a preoccupation over body weight and food. Young people with this eating disorder may consume very little and/or eliminate certain food groups. Many lack insight into the severity of their illness.”
When Rachel was admitted into the hospital, her weight was dangerously low, her BMI and blood counts were off, and her menstrual cycle was nonexistent. Then, her heartrate plummeted to a life-threatening 24 beats per minute during the first night.
“I remember looking at my mom and starting to cry,” says Rachel. “That's when it clicked. I knew this was a bad situation. What had I done to myself?”
Uncovering the truth
After 15 days in the hospital, Rachel’s heartrate and blood pressure stabilized. It was time for the hard work of recovery to begin—with guidance from physicians, registered dietitians, and behavioral therapists who specialize in eating disorders.
“They taught me so much,” says Rachel. “I realized that my eating disorder had started at a very young age. I learned about the personality traits that led me down this road. And I developed coping strategies using cognitive behavioral therapy and journaling that helped me work through the fears and anxieties in my head.”
The turning point
According to Dr. Feehan, recovery is gradual. “Initially, every nutrient Rachel ate supported her organs and not her weight gain,” she says. “Rachel was severely malnourished and needed to eat a significant amount of calories to compensate for her severe weight loss and to reprogram her brain and body.”
With her mother cheering her on, Rachel recalls eating her first veggie burger and first slice of cake. “You have to challenge the eating disorder,” she says. “Eating carrots isn’t going to get you there.”
By the start of senior year, Rachel had her health back and was cleared for school and sports.
Now, a college sophomore majoring in nursing, she thanks her medical team for lifting her up during the most difficult year of her life.
“I am so grateful to my caregivers,” she says, “and I want to be a nurse so I can do that for someone else.”
Be proactive about health
To stay safe and healthy, it's good to have a primary care provider who knows and understands your health history and wellness goals.
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