Gracie Gold in treatment for eating disorder, depression

[4rkidz]

I know it was incredibly brave of Gracie to be so honest with the federation and the public about her battle with mental illness and eating disorder.

My husband committed suicide 6 weeks ago due to mental illness. Unless you have lived with it or cared for someone who suffers from it, you can truly never understand how difficult day to day life is for those affected.

That is just awful, I can't imagine. I have learned a lot about mental health the last few years because of those close to me. ((@judiz ))

Agreed this thread belongs in the TRASH can

 

[skateboy]

I am so terribly sorry, @judiz

 

[Loves_Shizuka]

My husband committed suicide 6 weeks ago due to mental illness. Unless you have lived with it or cared for someone who suffers from it, you can truly never understand how difficult day to day life is for those affected.

I am truly sorry and I hope you're getting the support you need during what must be a terribly difficult time.

 

[synchrogirl17]

I know it was incredibly brave of Gracie to be so honest with the federation and the public about her battle with mental illness and eating disorder.

My husband committed suicide 6 weeks ago due to mental illness. Unless you have lived with it or cared for someone who suffers from it, you can truly never understand how difficult day to day life is for those affected.

I am terribly sorry for your loss. I too struggle with mental illness, and agree that those unaffected cannot truly understand. Lots of love to you in this difficult time.

 

[Carolla5501]

I know it was incredibly brave of Gracie to be so honest with the federation and the public about her battle with mental illness and eating disorder.

My husband committed suicide 6 weeks ago due to mental illness. Unless you have lived with it or cared for someone who suffers from it, you can truly never understand how difficult day to day life is for those affected.

I am so sorry that this happened to you. And I appreciate your bravery in posting it. Take care of yourself!

 

[fan]

I am terribly sorry for your loss. I too struggle with mental illness, and agree that those unaffected cannot truly understand. Lots of love to you in this difficult time.

i echo this sentiment in every way. sending you love judiz.

 

[CantALoop]

Wait how do we know so and so does or does not have an eating disorder unless they announce it?

That's the problem - we can't know for sure.

I struggle with binge eating disorder (BED) but I appear relatively normal in weight because I try to burn most of the calories with exercise out of fear of getting obese. When I was diagnosed, it was a surprise to me that BED was even considered an eating disorder because I had only heard about anorexia and bulimia, and I knew I wasn't bulimic because I didn't throw up. At my most f*cked up, I wished I had anorexia or bulimia because I thought "at least I wouldn't have to worry about being obese".

When I revealed my diagnoses to my family and friends, they didn't believe me. Nobody said I was brave, they actually thought I was joking. "You're not fat." "Guys don't get eating disorders." "What are you, a teenage girl?"
I stopped seeing the counselor.

That sent me spiraling, but at the time I didn't know it. Somehow I maintained my job, relationship, and responsibilities, but as the weeks went on, I felt emptier and emptier. I never felt suicidal, but one day I told my partner, "I don't want to die, but it feels like if I disappeared tomorrow, I would be okay with that." He convinced me to go back to counseling, where another psychologist diagnosed me with depression.
I didn't believe it myself because I had a doctorate, a job, home, boyfriend, what else did I have to be depressed about? Turns out that depression can hit even when you would otherwise be considered "successful".

Coming out day again. My family was particularly unsupportive - they thought I was spoiled and said I had no reason to be depressed. Many "friends" didn't believe that as well and thought I appeared fine to them. I can count the people who did believe me on one hand - all of them had also experienced depression or had loved ones who did.

I would have given anything to have one iota of the support Gracie has gotten from most of the skating community. Barely anybody I knew believed me (Edit: A few people did believe me - I wouldn't have made it through without them), and it was because of that disbelief and people who shame, ridicule, or cast doubt on these diagnoses that adds another part of the problem of why it's hard to diagnose and treat eating disorders and depression.

@skatepixie , I hope you or a loved one never has to go through an eating disorder and/or depression. If you do, I hope they show you a lot more sympathy than you showed in this thread.

 

[Omilona]

Cantaloop, my daughter also has been coping with BED for a while now. After going the talk therapy route for a year...totally useless....we put her on Vyvanse. It's like a miracle. Totally shut down the BED.

 

[LilJen]

Hugs to Cantaloop and judiz. It is very hard for some people to understand mental illnesses. Those of us who have struggled with things like depression (me) and eating disorders know better. It's not something you can just shrug off, and it doesn't follow any rhyme or reason (no, I had no reasons to be depressed, I've had a great life overall but what the hey, I struggled with it for years and it still lurks in the background at times).

 

[CantALoop]

@judiz I can't imagine what you're going through, please take care of yourself. Another terrible thing about depression is that it doesn't just affect one person - usually the person's family and close friends suffer from seeing their loved one in anguish. The most stressed I've ever seen my partner was when he was taking care of his mother who had a major depressive episode that lasted months. It's also part of the reason why I was in denial about my own depression - I didn't want to add to his problems by having him take care of me as well.

Hugs to Cantaloop and judiz. It is very hard for some people to understand mental illnesses. Those of us who have struggled with things like depression (me) and eating disorders know better. It's not something you can just shrug off, and it doesn't follow any rhyme or reason (no, I had no reasons to be depressed, I've had a great life overall but what the hey, I struggled with it for years and it still lurks in the background at times).

I feel exactly the same @LilJen , I feel like I'm better than I was, but definitely not "over" depression and BED.

 

[puglover]

The isolation and stigma attached to mental illness in all it's forms, even in our more enlightened day, is heartbreaking. Perhaps others find it easier to understand physical pain as it afflicts all of us from time to time. I am grateful for anyone willing to help educate others by sharing their own stories.

 

[skateboy]

Entire post

((( @CantALoop ))), thank you for sharing your very personal story with us.

I hope that things continue to look up for you, every day! (And if you ever feel like just talking, feel free to send me a PM, anytime.)

 

[pp55]

Canadian skaters Osmond, Duhamel praise Gold for putting health first

http://www.metronews.ca/sports/2017...mel-praise-gold-for-putting-health-first.html

 

[AxelAnnie]

Thanks for posting that article. Really enjoyed reading it.