How long does anorexia take to kill you?

[Pryras]

I'm an identical twin to my sister who was a diagnosed anorexic. She went fully gaunt, was near death but fully functional until she was forced into a child treatment program. She is fine and a healthy weight now.

I used to go to her specialist appointments when we were both kids. I recall the doctor warning my mother I could and probably would eventually have the same fate since it's common for sisters to share the same disorder neurologically. Don't know how true that is.

Starving doesn't work for the vast majority but I'd like to try it. I won't go without water and I'll try mixing some electrolytes to keep me from suffering more than I need to. I'm just curious if there's a cut off point to where the body will give in. I'm 5'4 and 120 lbs.

 

[endofline2010]

You're going to probably do permanent damage and get put in a mental hospital. There are both better ways to live and better ways to die..

 

[Pryras]

You're going to probably do permanent damage and get put in a mental hospital. There are both better ways to live and better ways to die..

Definitely, I have SN but can't bring myself to use it for my mother. Anorexia is painful and slow but my family is used to it. Dying from an illness of any kind would be kinder to my mother than knowing I drank poison . I'm 27 and can't be involuntarily taken anywhere.

 

[ScaredOfMachines]

Definitely, I have SN but can't bring myself to use it for my mother. Anorexia is painful and slow but my family is used to it. Dying from an illness of any kind would be kinder to my mother than knowing I drank poison . I'm 27 and can't be involuntarily taken anywhere.

What country do you live in? I'm an adult but was recently forced into a psych ward after an overdose attempt, so I don't think it will stop them. It's kind of you to want to look out for your mom, but starvation just isn't a good way to go. It'll take 1-2 months (some sources say 3) and there's a good chance that SI will kick in and force you to eat something. Death from anorexia is pretty under researched, so there's really no way for you to know when you'll go either.

 

[Pryras]

What country do you live in? I'm an adult but was recently forced into a psych ward after an overdose attempt, so I don't think it will stop them. It's kind of you to want to look out for your mom, but starvation just isn't a good way to go. It'll take 1-2 months (some sources say 3) and there's a good chance that SI will kick in and force you to eat something. Death from anorexia is pretty under researched, so there's really no way for you to know when you'll go either.

Canada. Suicide attempts can lead to involuntary holds (I've been there and it sucks) but anorexia wouldn't fall into that. I think at most doctors can involuntarily keep you alive or give you a feeding tube if you're found passed out somewhere and taken to the hospital. Even taking SN when I'm very physically sick / anorexic would be better tbh on my mother. We're ethnic and it's a huge shame to die from suicide. If my state was bad enough at least she could tell people I died from anorexia even if she knows I took the sn.

 

[yariousvamp]

Eugenia cooney is still alive..

 

[Praestat_Mori]

I would say if you fail, you might be at risk of becoming anorexic. You probably won't die from it but it can make your life even more difficult if you're struggling already. Would it be worth that?

 

[Mooseanonsky]

It ain't worth it. Anorexia has a high mortality rate but given how stubborn the human body is, it's gonna do everything it can to keep you alive. And you're gonna suffer a great deal if you decide to starve yourself until your body starts to feed off of your muscles, brain, organs, fat. You will barely have any energy, have brain fog, and you'll be in pain constantly whether it's from an empty stomach or your body aching due to your bones weakening and lack of body fat once you become dangerously underweight. If you survive and decide to recover there's still a chance your heart, bones, teeth, colon, etc will have permanent damage.

Even if it does run in your family, you can't deny how painful it'd be to die from an eating disorder. You could try to stay hydrated but I guarantee you're still gonna suffer a great deal. And who knows how long it would take for you to die. Could be years. Look at Eugenia Cooney. She's had an ED for most of her life and she's still alive at 30.

 

[lavenderlilylies]

Takes too long to be reliable. Even if you successfully keep yourself from eating at all, which is unlikely, when you eventually get put into treatment they'll make sure you stay alive

 

[vampire2002]

as someone with AN myself, it's really a gamble. so many anorexics can live for years and years, even while continuing to be emaciated, because they get the bare minimum to keep their bodies functioning. not healthy, not functioning well or fully, but functioning enough to keep living. take eugenia cooney for example (no hate). and these years you live like this will be absolutely miserable. i imagine one would have to probably resort to complete VSED, which is a bad idea and unreliable, i've also tried multiple times in the past.

 

[CogitoMori]

Starvation typically happens around 3 weeks - 30 days, but that research is based on people that were also exposed to the elements during their starvation.

 

[metothemoon]

I had AN myself and I can tell you, the body is stronger than you think. It does everything in its power to preserve itself. It will take very long and will very sure not be pleasant.

 

[opheliaoveragain]

as someone with AN myself, it's really a gamble. so many anorexics can live for years and years, even while continuing to be emaciated, because they get the bare minimum to keep their bodies functioning. not healthy, not functioning well or fully, but functioning enough to keep living. take eugenia cooney for example (no hate). and these years you live like this will be absolutely miserable. i imagine one would have to probably resort to complete VSED, which is a bad idea and unreliable, i've also tried multiple times in the past.

bumping this response. enough said.

hasn't killed me in 20 years.

 

[siouxsie]

22 years and counting. It usually rather cripples than kills you. And if it does it takes forever and is a really horrible death.

Eugenia cooney is still alive..

surprises me every time. Not only is she alive but able to walk, speak and lots of other things one would think would be impossible to do at her BMI

 

[divinemistress36]

22 years and counting. It usually rather cripples than kills you. And if it does it takes forever and is a really horrible death.

surprises me every time. Not only is she alive but able to walk, speak and lots of other things one would think would be impossible to do at her BMI

I'm amazed that she has the energy to do her makeup and youtube videos

 

[maniac116]

My mom had both acute anorexia & bulimia her whole life. She died of congestive heart failure at 62 years old. It was both, a miserable life & miserable death. Starving yourself won't work.
It takes a long long time. It's miserable. Read some of the VSED posts from people who tried
Not a good way to go!!