Dads and daughters with eating disorders

Information and resources for caring dads

About Us

I am a dad.  I have a 26 year old daughter who has been suffering from Anorexia Nervosa for somewhere between 4 and 6 years.

A couple of months ago my daughter’s medical doctor informed her and our family that her electrolytes were so out of whack that if she did not get immediate inpatient treatment she was likely to die...soon.

It scared the hell out of me.

Looking back a few years, I had known she was Anorexic.  All you had to do was look at her. 

But, not knowing exactly what to do to help her, I sort of left it in my ex’s and older daughter’s hands.  I figured they were better equipped to handle Eating Disorders than me.  Denial was my ally in my ignorance.

Just over a year ago I went along with the family to some “family group Eating Disorder therapy.” 

I learned from that month of counseling that I was even more ignorant about Eating Disorders than I thought…than I could have imagined, actually.  I knew it was serious, but not just how serious.

And, for there first time, I saw how much agony my daughter was in.  It made me very sad.  And very angry.

So being a “fix-it” guy, like many of us dads, I started doing my research and due diligence to find out how to fix it.  It had been going on long enough as far as I could see.

Here’s news to you dads who don’t know this yet.

There is nothing on Earth that you can do to fix it.  Don’t even try.

Frustrating, for sure.  But true.

The most you can do is offer understanding and loving support—plus a little gentle guidance.

There is no place in your daughter’s Eating Disorder for bullying, badgering, or waving your Dad’s magic fix it wand.

I am no expert in any of this.  I’m just a dad who now has more experience than I want.  And I found very few helpful dad specific resources as I began my journey into my daughter’s Eating Disorder.

So my purpose is to host a place that is a resource for dads.   We’ll use our Blog and Forum for sharing information, not just from me, but I hope you will participate, too.

Unfortunately, I have some experience .

They said my daughter was about to die.

Please use this resource in ways that will work best for you.

 

And please use our Blog and Forum  to share your stories, experiences, and knowledge.

 

We dads are not helpless in our daughters’ battles against their Eating Disorders. 

 

With Knowledge & Appropriate Action, we can be a valuable asset to them.

DAD-EDS