Suggestion for RYL: Volunteaters ED Board

[CoffeeawakestheArtist]

I understand this may be abad idea but it just hit me thinking about RYL and all. Eating together with friends is hugely suggested for those recovering from EDs. My suggestion is that we have a certain group of people called 'volunteaters'.
The people would have to be comfortable eating and obviously not suffer from an eating disorder themselves. I'm going to get myself a webcam so I can eat with people.
Maybe once a week like in the SI board with wednesdays.
I realise some people can't get support other than RYL and find it hard telling maybe their friends off the comp. about their ED. So they may find it hard to eat with friends, to ask them for support and stuff.
It could start out as eating something tiny, then everntually getting to fulll blown meals. NO PRINT SCREENS and if any pro activity goes on, simply report it. Or maybe those dating via RYL who suffer from EDs. I don't think people who have no concern to get better should be included, I realise webcams are very popular so for those without may need to invest.
It could be like the supporters type thing just more specific. If there are official people then no pro activity will go on. As they will be part of the RYL team. It would help ED recoverers and evenutally would be able to push them for little challenges. Maybe then we could have a volunteater per person, but only people who want it.
So it would be a two way thing.
The volunteater would not have to eat the same amount as the ED recoverer, definitely not less.
For example: for people suffering from bulimia, or people who purge.
Say the sufferer usually goes at the most 30 minutes. Well the volunteater would wait with them on web cam for 35 minutes. And they could chat and joke and stuff.
Baby steps.
For restricters maybe at first it would be something a little bit over their restriction and then eventually getting to healthy and nutritious amounts of food.
I realise if people with EDs do it with another, they may get competitive.
The volunteater could post a thread then about how well their person has done, not inclding what they have eaten or anything obviously.
It's just a suggestion.
Ed's a complex and varied and it's difficult to find support.
I mean if I had someone eating with me off RYL who was my friend, just once a week, I'm sure I would improve.
The food, would depend on the ED sufferer, as all EDs are different. But they are only allowed to discuss what they are going to eat with their volunteater. It could be fun as well as challenging.
Maybe the voluneater could send a certificate to the sufferer in the post or something, after they have challenged themselves a good few times, and got through it.
I understand this is complicated, but right now realising I have an ED and I want to get better, I know how difficult it is, to get over my restriction.
It's a horrible thing to overcome.
I realise times and dates could be difficult but I'm sure we could all get it sorted out.
The nutrition stuff could be checked between the volunteaters and maybe the first aid advisors? Msn and webcam would be needed. I'm sure you can use webacm on ebuddy.
I realise I would have to suggest it here for the RYL team to look it.
The volunteaters would keep praising their person after they did it.
It could be different days for different people.
So anyone want to volunteat?

[Sans Peur]

I really dont understand the whole thing, my brain is a bit dead today.

I dont see the appeal of the whole webcam thing, even if you dont have an ED you can still suffer from low self esteem.I personally am sort of recovered but still have very bad days from an ED and can see how it can become competative.A lot of people with Eating Disorders dont feel comfprtable eating infront of someone.

With regards to the bulimia i know from my own experiences the urges to purge just dont disapear after 30 mins and i know the urges can last for hours.

I just feel at the moment without seeing anyone elses opinions and thoughts that this will be a HUGE responsibility for those people helping others.Most members here have real life things going on, school, uni, work along with their own problems they have to deal with.

The ED board at the moment is very supportive and is much more recovery based since the new rules and i feel that if the whole bringing in numbers in food and to know how many calories someone would need for thier body to funtion would take a lot of details

I personally dont see how watching someone eat would help,maybe it could help people.

I do feel sometimes that the ED board only seems to want to help those that are deep into their ED's and not those that are in recovery/ recovered but still have those bad days like myself.

sorry this is a very jumbled and awful reply.My brain doesnt want to put sentences together.

Jane

[CoffeeawakestheArtist]

I was just thinking that's all.

xxx

[Sans Peur]

I know that, so i just gave you my opinion on it but perhaps it could work for some people on the ED board

[Caru y Nos]

I have actually done this with a couple with people who suffer from their EDs (upon request) and it isn't the most successful of methods if i'm perfectly honest, it helps with eating but then not the purging. It's a nice idea but then people may feel pressured and forced into eating. Furthermore, it still doesn't prevent purging. It may make people feel worse because they were seen to walk out of the room and that they have let people down; and depending on the cause of the ED it may make it worse.

Issues such as time zones and different eating times may also become apparent. Recovery should be about self-motivation, and people becoming too reliant may become an issue, if they have internet issues do they then not eat until they can get back online?

Though i appreciate EDs need alot of one-on-one support, maybe it's something that is better left for the supporters? I'm sure that they have some sort of scheme(s)? People can also create a thread if they need a little motivator.

Nice idea though, just seems to have too many kinks and not very practical. (:

Take Care,
Josh

[CoffeeawakestheArtist]

:)

I agree, I guess so, I was just trying to think of something.

xxxx

*hugs*

[Caru y Nos]

I know you were, and it's a good idea. I thought of something similar a while back. Another idea that i thought of was eating with a pet. Set it out into portions and then you eat a bit and then hand your pet a piece of their food, etc.

Not very practical when the person i suggested it too didn't have a pet :-P

Thankyou for sharing Hannah (:

[CoffeeawakestheArtist]

I was just thinking, people are going to be more comfortable eating infront of someone off RYL then infront of their family or something.


Thank you, I will, I'll ask one of the ED mods to read this to see what they think.

xxxx