Ep 9. I Have a Dangerous Eating Obsession

As humans, we all need food to survive. However, for some individuals, food becomes an obsession that takes over their lives. This is the topic explored in the True Life season 16 episode 9, entitled "I Have a Dangerous Eating Obsession."

The episode follows the lives of two individuals struggling with extreme eating disorders. The first person is a young woman named Sarah who suffers from anorexia nervosa. Despite being severely underweight, Sarah cannot bring herself to eat more than a few bites of food each day. She constantly obsesses over the calorie content of everything she eats and spends hours every day exercising to burn off any calories she does consume.

The second person is a young man named Tyler who struggles with binge eating disorder. Tyler's eating habits have spiraled out of control, and he finds himself eating thousands of calories at a time. He binges in secret, hiding food around his house and feeling deeply ashamed of his behavior. His weight has ballooned as a result, and he worries about the long-term health implications of his addiction to food.

Throughout the episode, we see both Sarah and Tyler grappling with their disorders. We witness Sarah's daily routine of counting calories and exercising obsessively, and we hear from her family members and friends about the toll her disorder has taken on her life. Tyler, on the other hand, struggles to come to terms with his addiction. He attends support group meetings and meets with a therapist to try and get a handle on his binge eating, but finds it difficult to break the cycle of addiction.

Despite their different disorders, both Sarah and Tyler share a similar struggle - they both feel like they have lost control over their relationship with food. It's clear that food has become a coping mechanism for both individuals, but one that is ultimately harming their physical and mental health.

The episode also highlights the impact that eating disorders can have on loved ones. We see Sarah's mother struggling to understand and support her daughter, while Tyler's girlfriend expresses concern and frustration with his behavior. Eating disorders don't just affect the individual with the disorder - they can have ripple effects throughout an entire support network.

In the end, the episode doesn't offer easy solutions or happy endings. Sarah and Tyler both continue to struggle with their disorders, and it's clear that recovery will be a long and difficult road for them both. However, the episode does help shed light on the realities of eating disorders and the toll they can take on individuals and those around them. It's a reminder that food and our relationship with it can be incredibly complex, and that for some individuals, it can become a dangerous obsession.