The Neurosis of Orthorexia Nervosa

[Guest guest]

What is Neurosis?

 

" Neurosis refers to a variety of psychological problems involving persistent

experiences of negative affect including anxiety, sadness or depression,

anger, irritability, mental confusion, low sense of self-worth, etc.,

behavioral symptoms such as phobic avoidance, vigilance, impulsive and

compulsive acts, lethargy, etc., cognitive problems such as unpleasant or

disturbing thoughts, repetition of thoughts and obsession, habitual

fantasizing, negativity and cynicism, etc. "

 

-Dr. C. George Boeree, Shippensburg University

 

The important question to ask ourselves is: Is our desire to eat correctly

based upon a desire to love and heal ourselves and the world, or is it a

result of a negative sense of self?

 

As an instructor at a Living Foods Institute, I have worked with close to a

thousand students about this very question. From my own process and the

processes that I have worked through with hundreds and hundreds of students,

I can tell you that only the first path of self-love is healthy and

ultimately successful. If we are punishing ourselves with raw food for our

mistakes of the past or out of a sense of self-loathing of what we have

become, we will rock between extreme adhesion to " orthorexic " principles and

damaging episodes of binging and other destructive behaviour.

 

Often the most important of transition is learning to really love ourselves

and kindly and gently devote ourselves to our healing.

 

If we can remain in that mind state, the choices are no longer as

challenging. We begin to instinctively reach for the healthy and loving

choice.

 

Does your internal battle with " eating correctly " focus on the negative

elements described by Dr. Boeree, or is it a loving process of healing and

self-love? Only you can answer that question.

 

If you identify with the negative destructive process, there are things that

can be done with a qualified therapist to heal our sense of self and to

lovingly participate in the process of healing and recovery of which raw

foods can be an excellent part.

 

 

 

***********************************************************

 

Tom Spontelli

Instructor

Ann Wigmore Natural Health Institute

 

Aguada PR 00602 USA

 

www.AnnWigmore.org

 

Two week Living Foods Lifestyle Certification Program on tropical beach at

one of the world's most respected Lifing Foods Institutes.

 

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[Guest guest]

<snip>The important question to ask ourselves is: Is our desire to eat

correctly based upon a desire to love and heal ourselves and the world, or

is it a result of a negative sense of self?<snip>

*That*, as a disorder, I will buy.

What bothered me about the " symptoms " list was that only ONE of them had

anything to do with " a negative sense of self " and the rest could easily be

anyone. How is planning meals ahead of time reflective of such negativity,

for example? How does one feel virtuous AND self-loathing? (Perhaps that's

possible, and I just can't comprehend it. That's probably a good sign for

ME, then!

 

Tom's definition was much more understandable in that the key element of the

disorder is a negative feeling toward the self. Though, I can see how that

diagnosis could be aimed at ANYONE with a conscious about what they eat if

the person making the diagnosis doesn't " get " veg*nism/raw foodism. (Such

as the man I remember appearing on the Today Show to talk about this

disorder, who gave the impression that anyone who was concerned with what

they ate and therefore limited their diet, and especially non-meat-eaters,

were ON.)

 

I think it's an important discussion to have on this list, because public

ignorance is powerful. I can't tell you how many thousands of times I've

been asked where I get my protein, usually by people who are verging on

obese.

There are some people who would have been very worried that *I* fall into

the ON category had they read that list of symptoms or seen that guy on

television talking about it.

 

Suzy

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

The one thing I've learned in life is that ANYTHING in excess is never good, no

matter what. That includes alcohol, drugs, sex, and yes, even working out or

eating healthy. If you are so obsessed with eating that it consumes your every

thought, that is a problem as with anything else. Be healthy and wise but also

use common sense and don't make yourself miserable. I am a recovered

anorexic/bulemic, and my relationship with food has finally reached the point

where I am concerned about nutrition, health, and most importantly: balance.

 

[Guest guest]

Well said!! i agree 100% with you!

jen

 

julie wilson <shoe_lover26 wrote:

The one thing I've learned in life is that ANYTHING in excess is never good,

no matter what. That includes alcohol, drugs, sex, and yes, even working out or

eating healthy. If you are so obsessed with eating that it consumes your every

thought, that is a problem as with anything else. Be healthy and wise but also

use common sense and don't make yourself miserable. I am a recovered

anorexic/bulemic, and my relationship with food has finally reached the point

where I am concerned about nutrition, health, and most importantly: balance.