Second hand advice required

[Kuroshashu]

Heyo people.

Its been quite a while since I've visited this site but it's nice to be back.

In December 2009 I took a holiday to the beautiful country of Sri Lanka from my home in Australia and meet a beautiful local girl who took a liking to me. We kept in touch since and what I'm hearing now is quite worrying: she's exercising six hours a day, she's asked me to list drugs that'll make her vomit, she's tried to get her hands on morphine in the belief that it'll help her lose weight etc.

She's already quite slim, especially as compared to those around her, and yet the quest for lower mass seems to be her sole purpose now.

This drug seeking behaviour seems to me a particularly dangerous twist on the already dangerous condition she seems to present, and yet I've nearly no course of action open to me. I contradict her everytime she writes of needing to lose weight and advise her of the dangers of each thing she tries, but I'm having little effect. Her family cannot know of our contact, as if they knew that we'd retained contact, the response would be violence, shunning or both. Nor can I get her to professionals on account of the 20Mm gap between us.

So I'm here to ask about approaches that I may lever effectively. Please do ask if you wish for clarification on any point.

Thanks kindly
KS

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Have you suggested to her that she see a counsellor or therapist about any of this?

 

[Kuroshashu]

Honestly, no. I don't think it's a possibility for her in any case, but she doesn't understand that she has a problem.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

If she doesn't think she has a problem or needs to change, other than continuing to voice your opinion that her behavior is risky, I don't think there's much you can do.

 

[Kuroshashu]

Yeah, I realise that my position is rather impotent, but all the same I'd like to do what I can. I was more interested in what people here would say to such a person in the knowledge that the usual "Seek help" may not be applicable.

 

[Ashley-Kate]

What could be an idea is if you state the symptoms that you see, the behaviors that she has presented and write them to her let her see from you perspective what she is doing to herself without telling her to stop or giving her some kind of pep talk because she will ignore you or just get frustrated most likly so let her know that you are worried about her yet feel unable to help her because she doesn't see what you see. Explain to her that people with eating disorders in the beginning tend to deny they ave a probleme and sometimes realise they do have one and it's too late.. she may think you know nothing but if you simply let her know she will start noticing her own behaviors and realise that she may need help.
anyway the best of luck

 

[Kuroshashu]

She's since seen a professional and is, hopefully, following a prozac prescription. Thank you all for your help.