The Problematic Reality of Social Media Weight Policing...

[@nora4642]

Disordered eating is not the same as an eating disorder

[@zoemckeown3786]

Louder for the people in the back !

[@1822romantic]

yes!!!!!!! i have very disordered eating, but not an ED

[@dani-xw3lc]

wait what is the difference??

[@josie5000]

Yes!!

[@Project_Worm]

Is disordered eating dessert before dinner? Cause I'm down

[@CM-fw6hz]

Herbs and Beast are the weirdest crossover. Love it.

[@ObesetoBeast]

🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼

[@XsunnyEunhae12]

YES and i love it

[@soph6324]

truly the best teachers for us

I think you mean that this is the crossover we didn't know we needed until we got it!

[@yomomma8237]

That’s why I clicked so fast. I was like wtf when I saw the thumbnail lol

[@vampirefangirl]

there was a person on tiktok saying they lost weight by counting calories and everyone got so upset and mad saying “they’re promoting eds” like do y’all realize just because someone counts their calories means they have an ed

[@catherinegelle]

true

[@jadengrave]

lmao weight loss is just calorie counting because how else would u know how much ur consuming, prob 15 yr olds that watched 2 ED short films and now think they're experts.

[@Jenny-tu9fc]

This comment is just one example proving that tiktok is literally a cesspool of idiots. When I lost weight I had to count calories because how else would I have lost weight?? CICO is a diet term that literally means "calories-in, calories-out." God I'm glad I deleted that stupid app before it ultimately turned into tumblr.

[@popflorals]

There are people who count calories to gain weight(muscle) too.

[@aimexoxo2933]

Bruh... I count my calories because I tend to over eat

[@AMortalDothApproach]

"Comfortable diagnosing someone over a three minute video" - that kind of thing applies to narcissism as well. People feel reeaaaal comfortable claiming strangers they've never met have NPD.

[@sarakjeldsen769]

True!

[@beultra3083]

There's also a lot of people who seem to encounter nothing but narcissists back to back....if everyone you talk to is a narcissist, maybe you're the fucking problem.

[@sarakjeldsen769]

@@beultra3083 True :3 It's sort of like the whole "all my exes are crazy" thing. Maybe there's a common denominator there. lol

[@luciq1007]

@@beultra3083 sounds like something a narcissist would say 😂😂

[@luciq1007]

@@beultra3083 sounds like something a narcissist would say 😂😂

[@hairyfrankfurt]

As a person who suffers with an ACTUAL eating disorder, when people tell me "everyone has an eating disorder" REALLY pisses me off. And yes, I've had someone tell me that when I was live on stream and I had to put my feelings aside and explain to them slowly and patiently that they were incredibly wrong.

[@thehapagirl92]

I’m shocked someone was stupid enough to claim everyone has an ed. That person needs to take a health class at their local community college.

[@hairyfrankfurt]

@@thehapagirl92 Yeah look honestly idk what their deal was but I just hope I was able to let them know the reality of it all. At least I tried to educate them and maybe everyone else who sees that clip will be a little wiser next time too

[@thebtchthathikes1008]

@@hairyfrankfurt uh the point is EVERYONE struggles with food. It's not just about 'feeling/looking fat' 🙄. First it's either food deserts or no access or quality of food being poor. Poor quality animal conditions and practices coupled with hidden sugar and chemicals you cannot pronounce makes shopping a literal headache. And ironically ed is a VANITY disorder because thin pale bodies were made the norm to discredit EVERYONE. So when I read comments above that say 'I love to feel my hip bones' or 'I am so proud of my thigh gap' it's because for chix it's about thinking and feeling you are ABOVE others. Guys want to be strong and healthy and chix are into vanity. That is why this is a pale beky issue, because without vanity most of you twats would be irrelevant 🤡.

[@manicpepsicola3431]

@@thebtchthathikes1008 you're so embarrassing and pathetic 😂

[@thebtchthathikes1008]

@@manicpepsicola3431 don't talk about yourself 🤭. That's why you tried to project it onto me👋.

[@amandahebert457]

I like eating my food with smaller spoons.and was told thats a ED Nah bish u get more bites

[@CyclingRochelle]

And you eat your food slower and enjoy it more.

[@loofahsswanson559]

I still eat out of kids bowls sometimes. It’s perfect for snacks like chips or ice cream that aren’t fuel, just a treat.

[@catsrus1409]

I’ve had an ed but even before I developed it I always loved using smaller spoons! It’s satisfying and I just enjoy the dessert better!

[@elijahreid9459]

YES I HATE BIG SPOONS

[@jennarenee6998]

Honest!! Eating yogurt with those small baby spoons gives me life!!

[@rileyj5491]

I love of Herbs and Altars. As someone with a very active eating disorder, their content is super helpful and very insightful.

[@kelseykendrick1328]

Me too, their content is so honest and makes me feel less alone.

[@cloudycloud4171]

Absolutely agree

[@TheCastFam]

Yasss!! Samee ♥️

[@smilemore6130]

They keep it real, i love it

[@JH-kw8zy]

Hey, friend. I have an active AN ED and I just want to check on you and see if you're doing alright and being kind to yourself. 🥺😊

[@riverdaisy4215]

I love of Herbs and Altars ED community loves them they went through it and understand

[@AllyCakes12]

Her accent really matches her look lol

[@liwashere8653]

They’re our older sibling

[@naw_imgood039]

And their VOICE😩

[@baileec496]

@@AllyCakes12 Dorian uses they/them pronouns :)

[@liwashere8653]

@@naw_imgood039 Seriously tho

[@organizedchaos7504]

I have anorexia, have since I was nine, I’ve lost teeth, got Barrett’s esophagus from acid erosion, split my head open from fainting and knocking it on the side of the tub, I have a heart murmur now, and when I was my lowest it hurt my bones to lay in my bed, I couldn’t drink water without vomiting, I couldn’t do a single sit up, people running around proudly wearing their “e.d” like fashion is heartbreaking. People like Tess Holiday saying she’s anorexic while eating passionately on camera, it all Invalidates what we actually go through. Also if you think you have an eating disorder don’t you want an accurate diagnosis? Be honest with yourself, educate yourself, seek out professionals don’t diagnose yourselves through what’s trending on tiktok. you’re probably not anorexic, you’re probably not autistic you’re probably not ocd, these aren’t just playful adjectives, they serve a purpose. we all have quarks, the threshold to fall into these categories exist for a reason don’t invalidate the people who really do need those labels. Mental illness isn’t trendy it’s not a way to bond with strangers or garner likes and online sympathy, please find other adjectives and don’t diagnose the world. Sorry got more upset than I thought I would 🙏

[@Elle_Like_The_Letter]

I used to feel the way you feel about people self diagnosng themselves. Self diagnosis is fine. Cuz some people can't get diagnosed by a professional and it's not fair to tell them they aren't struggling with XYZ because of something they have no control over. But when those people start diagnosing everyone around them as if they are an expert that is wrong. Or if they clearly are just milking their "illness" for attention.* But also when it comes to mental illness professionals can get it wrong. And so self diagnosis is important to make sure that doesn't happen. I've had professionals mention they think I have borederline personality disorder. When it's actually complex PTSD and Bipolar disorder. Before I found out about complex PTSD those professional who mentioned borederline got me thinking that maybe I do have borderline. But then my friend mentioned complex PTSD a few years back and it completely freed something inside of me that helped me so much. I get it there are those people who use this shit as a way to get attention of some kind. My teen years were spent during the myspace emo phases of people's lives. And it is frustrating but I also have agoraphobia and was struggling with mental illness way before I got properly diagnosed and those online support groups I went to before I got diagnosed helped me through so much shit. Those who are not diagnosed with XYZ should be welcomed with open arms in support groups if they feel they have it. Now there are times when it's obvious that someone is just doing it for attention and those people should be ignored. *but also I mean they do have some kind of issue if they are pretending to have a mental illness for attention. So they do need help of some kind. But yeah. I've heard so many stories of how people stopped going to support groups because people shamed them for being self diagnosed. It is so hard to get properly diagnosed with something. Don't shame those that are not mentally up for the journey or those that don't have access to being diagnosed but want to. And shame is probably not what you mean to do. But sometimes that is what those kinds of words feel like to others.

[@just_aline7317]

Thank you for your honesty and openness. I really feel ashamed of Tess and her post, she claims to be all kinds of things she's not. All EDs are terrible and I am a teacher and try to educate my students about all EDs. I wish all the best.

[@Giulia-yx8tr]

if im not mistaken tess has atypical anorexia which clearly presents itself differently and was professionally diagnosed, i don’t think it’s very fair to just deny it because she isn’t or wasn’t struggling the way you personally have, which im so sorry to hear about what you’ve been through, i hope you’re doing better. id also like to point out that getting a professional diagnoses in the first place is a privilege, not everyone has access or money to get professional help and race or gender often play a part in it as well, so i dont really agree when people say self diagnosing is bad because sometimes that’s all that people have and it most of the time comes from extensive research and talking to people who were professionally diagnosed. in my personal experience, if everything or most things you find on the internet point to you having a certain condition, you most likely do have it.

[@TheDilemma76]

@@Giulia-yx8tr I am still recovering from atypical anorexia. Generally when speaking with my therapist and medical professionals we just say anorexia for the sake of convenience. The only difference between anorexia and atypical anorexia is that the weight can be within or above the normal range. It seems people discredit atypical anorexia as not being as bad as typical anorexia. I was diagnosed when I was in an eating disorder day program. I had originally been admitted for binge eating disorder but we quickly saw a pattern that severe restricting was what lead to the binge. There are two subtypes of anorexia one being restricting type and the other being binge/purge. It’s been hard since Tess said that she had anorexia. It seems that the majority of people have tried to claim that she couldn’t have it because she’s fat or because she eats on camera. Every time it felt like they were laughing at me and dismissing what I have been through and being in recovery for the last six years. When I was restricting and binging I was still losing a lot of weight and people just kept congratulating me on the weight loss. That just lead to more pressure that I had to keep losing weight no matter what or people would be disappointed in me. Dorian was one of the few people that actually had an understanding response.

[@clarissamarie4605]

Tess Might have a binge eating disorder that got a little bit out of control.

[@markmcauliffe9834]

This situation applies to people’s idea on gaslighting too. Making an argument is considered to be gaslighting to others.

[@thoughtquake7516]

YES! Way over-used buzzword that is usually misused.

[@IsaRican810]

Add Truama and abuse to that list too.

[@---nobody---]

Seriously, so many people completely missuse that term, as well as many others.

[@drumcorpfreak]

These kind of buzz words get used so much, that people don't actually know what the meaning is anymore. Or they never did.

[@LoveYourself-my9nz]

Gaslighting, trauma, narcissistic are the words which have become the buzzwords.

[@RachelReduces]

Social Media is such a weird space sometimes. You can be praised for your looks and confidence, as well as accused of being insecure and disordered; ALL ON THE SAME POST. 🤨😕🤔

[@theywalkinguptoyouand4060]

Almost as if different people have different opinions.

[@RachelReduces]

@@theywalkinguptoyouand4060 Nothing wrong with a variety of opinions, but sweeping statements and telling someone they have a disorder in the comment section is not helpful in any way.

[@MSJARELA]

Sometimes I feel like Dorian is “telling our secrets”. I love their videos because they are so relatable and you feel less alone to know you aren’t the only person who is like this. Also as a fellow Goth she reminds me of my Gothy days so much. It’s like a hug from the past.

[@lov3sarah]

wait? dont they use he/they pronouns?

[@lavender1539]

@@lov3sarah yeah he does

[@Hippiepoper]

It's getting weird, like girls are told to be confident and to feel themselves, but now if this girl is skinny and takes pictures being confident in an outfit that they are confident in its triggering or proof of they have an ed/are body checking.

[@anasianemo]

I was surprised to see Dorian. Their content is always so interesting and taught me a lot growing up. Edit: I recognize some of that bodychecking behavior from when I was a teenager growing up with Tumblr and pro Ana sites. Like I would brag about my phone being able to slip through my thighs when I sat down cause “thigh gap” and I would always stroke my chin to feel that I can still feel bones there same with my ribs. I started doing that after losing some baby fat, cause I was chubby around 7-12 years old. I never realized that back then that what I was doing was bad, cause I was close with the other teens with body and mental issues… Then I got older, went to therapy (for other things) and gained weight. I still have bad days where I just want to lose everything, but I’m trying to do it healthily. Dorian really helped me.

[@kellyopondue]

This is about the same for me. I lost a lot of weight my 9th grade year and I always laid on my stomach at night because I loved to feel both my hip bones dig into the mattress.

[@anasianemo]

@@kellyopondue The fact I still do that but also laying on my back cause seeing them taller than my stomach comforts me… This mindset is very hard to get rid of, even now in my twenties 😔 Still trying hard. You too, stay healthy and strong!

[@MSJARELA]

I started doing what I now recognize as body checking when I was probably about 8 years old. Eating disordered behavior emerged around 15. I didn’t even know what body checking was or that it was a common behavior among people with eating disorders. I didn’t even get a computer or the internet until I was 18 years old. Internet was not a factor for me.

[@christinec3594]

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[@sg-yo4kp]

body checking is such a strange conversation and so nuanced because although I do catch myself doing some of these things consciously and unconsciously, it does not necessarily motivate me to eat less/engage in disordered eating. All I think is 'this is rad. I'm still on path' and move on. I think it can definitely be toxic to someone already suffering from an ED but its not a sign of one.

[@devilssemblance5938]

I was very spooked upon seeing the thumbnail that you were going to be ragging on Dorian! Good to see you're agreeing and understand what they're saying. ED culture is so nuanced and strange that people on the outside really don't understand what is happening with the vocabulary 90% of the time. It's a killer to have people freak out at you over something so minimal as appearing online, just because you are struggling with an ED. It's the same issue with fat folks just hanging out online-- promoting disordered eating and existing with disordered eating need to be separate categories and treated just as differently as they are. Driving people who need support off the internet because people without EDs are too sensitive is w i l d

[@liwashere8653]

Same! I was scared and respectfully, I’d side with Dorian tbh. If it was one or the other.

[@vivalasvixen]

@@liwashere8653 same here. I almost didn't click as I love his content but am so used to people taking shots at someone's appearance or undermining their experience because of how they look. I should have known better, haha

[@juliannacolombo5584]

Ditto to all the above.

[@RibbinOpinion]

Seems to me like Beast is testing the waters in all aspects of health and body. You never know how someone is going to take a workout/body/health video and use it. I'm sure many ED people have watched him for inspiration.

[@whyjordie]

I’ve heard people bitching that Intermittent Fasting is an eating disorder………. uh no………

[@Blackandwhitecat-u9v]

I do IF and I think that it CAN be, it just depends!

[@camillefaith2005]

It can be. Depends on the person. I know when I was at the height of my eating disorder I would use "intermittent fasting" as an excuse to not eat, even when I was hungry.

[@sarah-ut1dh]

i think it can lead to one but it all depends on the person and how much it controls them.

[@BLiNGyourALARMclock]

If people are PRONE to disordered eating it can be. For someone who has an unhealthy relationship with food, obsessing over health can definitely be a disorder. For example, some people become vegan so it’s easier to have a reason to eat restrictively and deny food if offered. Being vegan isn’t an eating disorder, but you can see why it could become intertwined with one!

[@showerpwner]

If I just don't eat for today, I can have pizza tomorrow...yes it can be. Particularly alternate day fasting. You are trying to convince yourself to restrict so you can indulge later. Couple that with people who suffer with alcohol and it's like: ok to afford 3 drinks tonight I need to skip breakfast and lunch and only have a little dinner.

[@k74728]

It’s really sad to run people off the internet, especially those recovering. We all need hobbies and developing your interests (such as fashion, etc) is vital to living a full and happy life for anyone, but especially for someone who used to spend all their time with their ED.

[@somethinggood9267]

You remind me of princesspeach : )i like it

[@nahidav1860]

I love the reflection in your glasses, it looks like you have googly eyes. °_°

[@gelflingfay]

😂😂😂😂🤣

[@thisisthewaterandthisisthe3254]

Can’t unsee it 😂

[@amyhatch3761]

There are obvious exceptions (binging and purging for example), but most of the time, particular behaviours aren't disordered in themselves, but performing this behaviour compulsively or obsessively would be a symptom of a disorder. Like not everyone who drinks green smoothies or whatever has orthorexia.

[@xtinkerbellax3]

Even things like calorie counting to lose weight aren't inherently disordered. yea they can become part of a larger problem but people need to stop projecting their experiences onto everyone else. You having a problem with something doesn't mean everyone else does. it's like saying everyone who drinks or has gotten drunk is an alcoholic.

[@amyhatch3761]

@@xtinkerbellax3 yeah counting calories is literally not disordered by itself. I count calories because I have PCOS and can pile on weight if I'm not careful, but I take a week off every month or two so that I can just relax and not worry about it. I don't get any anxiety or urge to track calories/restrict calories during those weeks so I refuse to believe I have a disorder. I just don't want to be obese 😂

[@lalalalalalee6311]

@@amyhatch3761 Amy, I hear ya. I’ve struggled with weight all my life. I have a lot of disordered eating habits but don’t think I have an eating disorder. Ive had success in the past with weight loss through counting calories and honestly feel like I will do that for the foreseeable future simply bc it works for me. It helps me to focus on nutrition and to be mindful of what I eat. No way I believe that my decision is an eating disorder. I’m not an intuitively healthy eater (in terms of what I eat or the portions) so this habit adds structure…at least for now. Unlike you, I am obese again and I’m tired of it.

[@symphonia-ix1478]

TW rant ahead about people making comments in the grocery store. I needed to vent this somewhere. Watched this video about 6 hours ago, since then went to the grocery store. At said grocery store I was in the chocolates isle deciding what to get, woman comes up to me and says some stuff about eating too much chocolate and gaining weight covid pound cooking bread chocolate is tasty if you get the ones with nuts it seems more healthy etc. Luckily this grocery store was close to home, 5 minutes after this interaction I am crying in the hallway at home. I AM UNDERWEIGHT. I was wearing an oversized coat, and felt insecure in it when I left the house cause I thought it made me look "big". Either way the comment should not have been made, definitely put me in a terrible mood. Incredibly triggering experience, idk ranting here feels like the appropriate place. Was mostly crying over it thinking what if she said that to someone who was on the edge of something bad.

[@itgirlinIT]

She was nasty for saying that shit to you, I'm sorry you had to go through this 🥺

[@DrBitchcraft.]

@Talena Meechan yes most definitely this! Also no sane person would go up to a stranger and talk about their possible weight gain

[@ecampbell3759]

before my eating disorder i've never heard any weight-related comments by strangers, but now it seems like the entire world is focused on my appareance and my way of eating. i didn't have problems eating in public since people started to comment about what i was eating RIGHT WHEN MY ED STARTED and when i was trying to hide it from people. i don't know if it's karma or universe or anything like this but it's something that im noticing and it's really strange.

[@angelnbc]

i was hooked from the moment this man said "EVERYTHING IS AN ED NOW" Like POP OFF!! as someone with a diagnosed ED, there is a difference between weird eating habits, picky eating, disordered eating, and EDs. like EDs are EXTREMELY SERIOUS & they are not something one should WANT to have.

[@missmatti]

I feel sorry for everyone getting comments accusing them of body checking. When I was in my teens I was very skinny but I didn’t have an ED but I used to get accused of having one and getting comments like “you can’t become as skinny as you are if you don’t have an ED”. It was extremely hurtful to get these comments. I could imagine if the internet was around then that I would also get accused of doing it just for existing. I learnt so much from Dorian on the subject thank you for sharing this video and learn with us!

[@yugare-chan4742]

I can understand the frustration, my friend is always telling me she thinks I have ARFID which I have to constantly point out that everybody in my family eats the way I do, so I probably got my eating patterns from them and I DO NOT have any of the qualifications for it. I get mad that I have been keeping a daily exercise schedule, cleaned up my diet of excessive sugars, drink the recommended amount of water I need daily, and started to really take the time to cook healthier food that also tastes good; only to get speculation from my best friend that I must have this ED because I lost weight, plus bread and dairy make me nauseous. People getting their "online doctorate" need to chill and zip it.

[@GraceWhip]

Oof that's the worst. I got some remarks like that when I figured out I have celiac and lactose intolerance. I soon went vegetarian afterwards. What really happened was that I was figuring out what finally made my body feel good! As long as you know if your heart you're doing things healthily, it's not bad to change your diet or exercise habits!

[@nataliesnyder6037]

@@GraceWhip same! I'm a vegetarian because I don't like meat. People have told me that I'm orthorexic. I'm perfectly fine. Being vegetarian just feels right for me. It's great that you found a way to eat that works for you!

[@dacutsy]

I think the thing to consider when thinking about body checking is “what is the purpose?” and “how does it make a person feel?” Most of us do it. I’m in the process of losing weight, I definitely body check to see progress. However, when I do it, it does not cause me to want to restrict or purge in some kind of way, like it could do for someone with an ED. That said, the greater point to this, is that as viewers, we can’t answer the those questions, so unless a creator states “this is something I am struggling with, can you let me know if you think you see it” it’s not really helpful to speculate.

[@rikki7953]

I actually found it really freeing when I realized it was okay that I preferred to be lean and to eat/exercise accordingly (so long as I’m meeting my nutritional needs and not letting it take over my life) body positivity was not very positive for me!

[@catherinegelle]

exactly

[@haldafritz9110]

Das v jz vo oh c zu h lol ich Ja oh oh

[@haldafritz9110]

G u JVC Zug uguuu Ja x h ich c

[@haldafritz9110]

@@catherinegelle haber g Kati h klingt klug goh

[@snowletsh5759]

It’s across all sectors: I’m a dog trainer and almost every post including cutesy dog picture is “dog abuse!!” 🙄🙄

[@lalalalalalee6311]

I’m sure. People are so quick to point fingers with innocuous thing yet we hear stories of how real dangers or red flags are ignored bc ppl don’t want to get involved. I think the finger-waggers are just sad sacks who have a need to feel superior honestly; it’s not rooted in anything good. Sad. Smh

[@Giraffe27]

I posted how our dogs never came inside the house and I was accused of abuse. These dogs have a whole farm to frolic around they’re doing just fine.

[@novemberblake9505]

I posted a video of me jogging with my dog and someone told me I’m abusing her because she was panting. Like ???? Of course she’s panting, I’m panting, too

[@mikhailavandermerwe5636]

I bloody love Of Herbs and Altars! Their work pushed me over the edge and de-radicalised me, while making me want to be a better person. It's difficult to explain how that happened, but they are integral to my growth as a person and I absolutely appreciate their existence.

[@cassied.6731]

As someone who sometimes deals with some pretty disordered eating, Of Herbs And Altars is really nice to watch just for information when I'm doing well and to feel supported and like I have a community when I'm doing badly. I've never gotten to the point where I have a full-blown ed but I've definitely gotten close more than once, and having this sort of community around is super comforting and to some people can even be literally life-saving.

[@hollysmith1347]

One thing I learnt while studying nursing is. Nurses do not diagnose, only doctors can. Some people should take that advise. Also to add just because you've watched a video on something doesn't mean you know it. Like watching a video of baking a cake, doesn't mean you'd be able to bake a cake or become a baker.

[@liyah5607]

This should be pinned

[@hannahmcmullen7668]

ive also suffered from eds and i wouldnt describe bodychecking like this just cuz i was in a different kinda community, i was on tumblr, where a lot of people (i never did cuz i had BED) uploaded bodychecks. espeicially asking questions about how they look cuz sometimes they cant quite tell eugenia might not always be bodychecking but shes is, at the very least, showing off for fetishists, look up eugenia moving her makeup box

[@bumblebee874]

Totally agree. Have uploaded my own pics and seen many others upload their body checks. Totally believe eugenia is at least sometimes uploading videos hoping the comments trigger her. When mine was bad I would have killed to have millions of strangers tell me i look sickly and too skinny.

[@Feverm00n]

Yeah, I’ve seen tons of ppl post their body check photos online. I feel like there are certain indicators that set body checks apart from ootds. I don’t call ppl out bc what’s the point really but from 16 years of struggling w an ED I can usually spot an obvious one a mile away.

[@katherinemorelle7115]

Dorian did say that they do think people are uploading them specifically to ED areas- and the ED part of tumblr would definitely be included in that. I feel a bit weird, because I relate to Dotson, having had an ED as a teen, and being the same age as them (or thereabouts). But I fell back into ED as an adult, and got into the tumblr ED community, which was so different. And now I have an entirely different ED, to go along with being disabled. Let me tell ya, gaining weight due to disability was a real mindf*ck. So remember that the time they were most active in ED communities was 20 years ago. A lot has changed since then. But the basic foundation of ED has not. I also think that tumblr (at least when I was active on it five or so years ago) was more toxic than the dedicated ED forums (which oh my god, early internet, you cannot imagine!). It was a bit smaller and more intimate, more supportive. Still toxic, still played into a lot of the same problems, but because you got to know everyone there, it was very different than just scrolling through ED tumblr, occasionally reblogging from some stranger and maybe uploading some pics of your own. Very different.

[@treceslez]

Well, Dorian did say that there might be ED communities on the Internet (like in Tumblr) where they upload their bodychecks to get support and validation from other people with EDs. So yeah, you're describing bodychecking just like Dorian did just with different words.

[@bumblebee874]

Except that youtube, insta, and tiktok aren't ed communities and posting ed content especially outside of ed communities is really toxic and harmful. I cant speak for anyone else but I dont dislike or have anything against this woman. I just disagree with her about how frequently people post their body checks and ed content even outside of ed communities. I dont think any commenter is going to make a difference in eugenias health, in fact i think most of the comments fuel her ed and people really need to butt out. But at the same time theres no way her videos are an innocent interest in fashion. She body checks. She puts herself out there so can receive triggering comments. And its toxic and harmful to more than just herself.

[@nikkiconrad299]

I was diagnosed with anorexia when I was 12 and since recovered, however, I still suffer with disorder eating on occasion. There is a HUGE difference in “disordered eating” and “eating disorders”!!!! Terms like anorexia and ED are being thrown around so casually especially on tiktok and it’s a bit concerning

[@KaylaNoelle1]

I used to pinch my hip bones every night before I could fall asleep and then eventually I found myself feeling my abs instead and I thought "well this is definitely better... not amazing, but it's a healthier impulse." :/ Body checking is definitely always unconscious or you being privately mean to yourself. Very few people are spending an hour making a TikTok to post ...

[@sprig.sprout]

I’ve definitely consciously body checked before. And I think a lot of people do/have. Not saying I would post it necessarily, but just that I knew what I was doing.

[@haleymarie9618]

I respect you sharing your opinion, but body checking is not always unconscious. I have consciously body checked and I know other people who suffer from disordered habits also consciously body check. It is definitely not common for people to post tik toks as just a body check, but there is a toxic minority that wants validation for how they look. Just wanted to share the other side of things

[@frightmareswithfoster1111]

Dorian made me realize what I was doing was body checking. I have orthorexia. I notice that since I can see my collarbones and tendons in my neck now I am constantly in the mirror or in my video viewfinder during videos moving my head and stuff around to see them. I didn't realize how awkward I look sometimes doing it. I'm trying to get better as I lose more weight. The messed up part is I have to continue to lose weight for my health but I get so high chasing numbers and I'm all healthy healthy healthy I'm so afraid it's just going to get worse. :/ Therapy definitely helps. It's how I found out that I didn't just have disordered eating or BED I have ortho. Binging just happens to often be a part of ortho. Oh joy. Sorry for making this so long winded.

[@KaylaNoelle1]

@@frightmareswithfoster1111 Never apologize for sharing your story! Eating disorders can be so easy to misinterpret or to deny. I am so proud of you for being able to self-reflect like that and for seeking out therapy! I hope you are able to heal your relationship with food one day. You are powerful!

[@saramarie7984]

It was the hip bones for me too..it’s really annoying how ‘body checking’ is thrown around for everything now.

[@GloriaGladene]

I didn’t know I needed this video. Long comment- I’ve been in active recovery for over a year now (FRICK YEA) and wow was this at first triggering. I appreciate the warning. I call that voice ED - how suiting - and I told him we can click off if we need to . Yes I DEFINITELY body checked, especially when I was in the thick of it. I didn’t know this was happening for people just uploading videos of their outfits smh. It really helped show that side of me, that history- that hey !! this is something you have grown from! It is super dangerous for people to throw that out willy nilly, because honestly it wasn’t even a conscious thing I thought about! When watching it was like, woah I really did that shit! I still have to make sure I don’t do those things, but it is super awesome to have this kind of content shared. Absolutely love my therapist & I am so blessed to be in recovery. I pray that for everyone who struggles with an ed and let’s not try and diagnose anyone! It is hard enough for yourself to know you have a problem, let alone have strangers poke at it. Awesome stuff 💜 thank you for sharing her video

[@TazMarriott]

Herbs and Altars has some of the best ED, drug and mental health content out there. been a subscriber for years and I encourage all of you to do the same. Love her to pieces! Thanks for featuring her on your channel dude!

[@allid2018]

I love Dorian so much because it’s so true. As someone with an Ed it makes me laugh when people call anyone showing off an outfit or their body is body checking. All my body check photos / videos are exactly what she describes, awkward. It’s not anything I’d post or show. Also the arm thing is something I realized I subconsciously do during zoom calls.

[@Laf631]

Holy shit, this person's style is so hella cool. Like go their team. I can't even get my eyeliner to look consistently right.

[@dorian5876]

Afaik he does his own makeup and everything. Absolutely stunning every time.

[@weruleyoudrool]

The clean lines, blending, JUST ART!! 💗💗

[@stacyq7656]

Exactly what I was thinking!

[@frightmareswithfoster1111]

And I love that they're my age 😍💕😍💕 40ish

[@Lara-fv8fg]

omg Dorian! I love them so much. My two favorite worlds have collided.

[@NormanKonstantin]

I remember back in the day when kids were saying "I will never use biology, why am I studying it". And these are exactly the ppl who knows everything better :D

[@azaleaacevedo5124]

I hate that mentality. Just because it won’t be your career does not mean it’s not worth learning. Sometimes, just knowing something for the sake of knowing it is better than ignorance. And of all subjects, biology (or anything that involves scientific knowledge of your body and other living organisms with which you interact) is useful in daily life. And keeps you from becoming these people!

[@NormanKonstantin]

@@azaleaacevedo5124 I can agree, but these are the same ppl who knows everything better sadly

[@jenny127832]

Real life advice: try not to be the smartest person in the comment section. Especially when you have limited context and knowledge to someone else’s situation.

[@crazee4590]

Dorian! They helped me so much through my recovery last fall

[@becca17ify]

love to see a old fave and a new fave in the same video. I love Dorien and have thoroughly enjoyed their discourse on varies topics over the years. And ObesetoBeast has been a very positive influence during my weight loss journey.

[@early.autumn.summer]

I’m so happy you reacted to Of Herbs And Alters! Their channel has helped me through so much of my bulimia, and I relate to so much of what they were talking about with bodychecking: photos from weird angles, photos taken before and after purging, videos talking to myself. I think it’s really interesting to hear someone’s response from outside that part of the ed community

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

I'm doing a project on body dysmorphia and I just learned alot from this video I have never heard of body checking before and it was interesting to hear about

[@Kaeldra3]

You handled this video really well

[@ObesetoBeast]

Thank you!

[@XOChristianaNicole]

I really enjoy Dorian. I’ve been a casual viewer, for sometime. Though, it was super cool to see ‘em put out content, regarding being an adult autistic woman - right as I has discovered I am, also, autistic. It was really great to hear someone have such a similar experiences/difficulties - especially not knowing I was autistic, until recently; which, I am 33. Also, as One who struggles with ED (from being morbidly obese, due to Cushing’s Syndrome [symptoms began at age 6, yet, was misdiagnosed] to wasted away due to health issues, from complications as a result of weight-loss surgery - as well as being involuntarily bulimic, as I refer to it; as I am missing most of my stomach, and sometimes, will have to get sick, after eating, for a variety of reasons. Though, body checking is, still, a daily thing - even if I don’t emotionally beat myself up for it. It’s more so because my body has been through a massive transformational process and I find it fascinating how I’ve changed/changing). I find Dorian incredibly insightful, entertaining, and relatable.

[@sunnysprite8559]

Love your "guys, gals, non-binary pals" intro! It's inclusive and so cute. Great video once again.

[@angelwings6186]

Wow, this video hit home and has actually made me pay attention. I was severely anorexic in HS and back then, if you ate you were "cured". Life went on and I gained too much weight. Now I'm 35, back in the gym, and I've been doing some of these things without even thinking about it. Especially the self soothing with touching and constant taping. 😬 time to make some adjustments. Thank you so much for sharing this, and ty to Herbs and Alters for sharing their journey.

[@Eyeluv2d]

I have binge eating issues and I body check daily to try to scare myself into not bingeing. It never works I just feel like shit about how I look

[@Lurker404]

I have atypical anorexia after eating only 1000-1500 calories per day for 10 years (never once did my body weight get below the top end of the ‘ideal’ area of the BMI scale) and am now 2 months into a recovery program and am in the process of fixing my body checking. I had to write down how often I body checked for one day and easily filled 3 pages. I’m so sick of people telling other people they have an ED based off superficial videos. ED recovery is soul destroying, so telling someone they’re body checking regardless of if they are or aren’t, is incredibly horrible. Please be kind, especially if you don’t understand what you’re accusing someone of.

[@ydorri2460]

Their makeup is always mesmerisingly awesome x

[@punkybrewstar83]

Didn't even know that Dorian used they/them pronouns. Good crossover 🙂

[@stavroulathebest]

I think the he prefers he/him but they have also said that since you cannot control what people say to you he is okay with anything people refer to him as

[@nadineehab8834]

i think they mentioned it in a QAA video!

[@mingbotlarue5694]

Oh my goodness one of my fav creators positively discussing the video of another favourite creator? Best day ever. Love Dorian, thanks for supporting her work Beast. x

[@tdeuce7]

I'm super excited you showed this video, Dorian is such a well-spoken and knowledgeable youtuber, he really does the internet a great service.

[@nellezor]

I love Dorian, they make me feel normal. I’ve been eating disordered since ~forever~ and they’re only a couple of years older than me so super relatable. This is the crossover I didn’t know I’d love 😂❤️

[@LegalVampire]

Thank you 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Some people geuninely do decide that EVERYONE who deviates from the typical government recommended diet or EVERYONE who appears skinny has an ED according to them. We're in this era of internet culture where some people think they know everything and don't stop to think before they comment.

[@vmbay2212]

Thank You ❣️👍👍

[@babeedoll1315]

I definitely don't wanna know what I look like at those angles either lmao... like at alllll. I know it ain't great smh... praying for recovery for everyone here whose suffering from an ED 🙏🏽

[@lllmall7372]

it honestly messes with my head to see all these people being so sensitive about "disordered eating" and thinking it's the same thing as a real eating disorder. makes me feel like they are downplaying eating disorders.

[@rosalinasantos3078]

Honestly this really validated my restrictive ed because he sees how those bodychecks aren’t normal and they are things I do weekly if not daily and I found everything dorian said very relatable

[@xenex2460]

I just realised ive been doing this ‘body checking’ thing for a long long time and i thought it was normal…

[@hairyfrankfurt]

I'm really and glad and thankful you're making this and spreading the word about this stuff.

[@mitchellbryant328]

Idk what y’all would talk about besides EDs but I would totally love to watch the two of you together on a show. The Jock and the Goth. So relatable

[@faithweibye5161]

John, in my head we’re friends jsyk

[@ObesetoBeast]

Best friends

[@laurenski32ify]

So good to see herbs getting more recognition!! Dorian is an amazing wealth of wisdom and fantastic writer!

[@Flow-sy]

I love herbs. I just feel understood when listening to the videos and feel less alone with my problems

[@TheMoonstruckedi]

Omg, John and Dorian. I love both and watch them for different reasons so I never imagined such a crossover could happen. Yay!

[@roj499]

People really forget that an eating disorder has as much to do with the mindset as it does the behavior. And you can’t speak for someone’s mindset just based on behaviors in a video on the internet.

[@elenapic6859]

I'm so used to seeing Dorian as Dorian, that everything seemed funny to me in this video, like seeing a space that you feel yours through the eyes of somebody else.

was very pleasantly surprised to see this crossover! both of your content is amazing :]

[@crisol6528]

I recently had my all my four wisdom teeth removed. I have to be on a liquid diet for at least 2 weeks(very impacted teeth)… I guess I have an ED to some people now. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@jeallybean2999]

Yup! Literally was severely bulimic and anorexic for 12 years ….have every person online claiming to be’ recovered’ making it impossible for people in my life to understand just what I suffer with …..well if all these other ppl can ‘recover’ why can’t you? When on reality most of those people just went on a diet for while or have bad self esteem or just have odd food habits or a bit of disordered eating. It’s insufferably frustrating for me to feel like I can do this.

[@rebelrebelramblings1217]

NGL I was afraid to watch this video bc I didn't want to hear oHaA being misgendered, but thank you so much for using their proper pronouns!

[@amandatheaverage9650]

When i suffered from ana i would pinch around my collar bone or would constantly wrap my fingers around my wrists to see how much my fingers would over lap i didnt realize I had been body checking. I was on tumblr but i was not familiar with the terms of things that I was doing

[@kendramarkworth6855]

Dorian! I love them ❤ Never thought you would do a reaction to them

[@blondie9909]

Oh shit ! I never payed much attention to the whole body checking concept but hearing her describe the behaviours ... i do those exact things to get those exact answers to be comfortable often mindlessly sometimes id twist my rings too and slightly take them on and off to see how much bigger they were than my fingers ... im starting to realize a lot of tiny "checks" that i do and i didnt know it was actual "body checking " (like i was checking to see my bones or width of my wrists to check if id gotten fatter etc but i just didnt think the term applied to these) i do or did (idk trying to recover ig) have an ed .

[@blondie9909]

Holy shit i have a whole private album on my gallery full of these type of vids and pics holy shit yall dont get it u know that cartoon sound of glass shattering when they get a massive mind blow thats me right now holy shit im freaking out

[@twistedalicemcgee]

I love Of Herbs and Alters, been watching them for a while now

[@giacintaah]

4:55 this is so important! as someone who suffered from an ED & who is also autistic (comes with a lot of sensory issues & food sensory issues is a big thing for me personally), the amount of people i have commenting on my food choices gets really irritating. i get where theyre coming from, but theres a HUGE difference between preferences & having disordered eating habits

[@ptlovelight2971]

A thousand times this. If people understood this it would cut down on alot of hurt feelings and misunderstandings

[@lillithoscar5185]

I have struggled with an ED all my life that I’ve just recently come to terms with. I deleted all my social media other than Reddit because I don’t post there, I realized it’s better for my mental health. I body check every morning completely nude in the mirror and every time I go to sleep he bathroom at work but I never photograph or record it. I check to make sure I look thin and haven’t gained. I completely understand this and didn’t realize I was body checking for a long time. I relate to this and feel very validated.

[@FrauStormm]

I thought my ex’s little sister had an ED cause she only eats the same five foods over and over again. She would get upset and even cry when her family would call her out on it. She refused to try anything new. She would eat hard shell tacos but refused to do soft shell. I just realized the other day she’s probably autistic. She had other personality traits that would point in that direction of the spectrum and no one in the family has the slightest clue. I know they would snap at me and get offended if I were to text any of them and pass on the observation.

[@user-qb4eb8vq5u]

I'd love to.hear about how you (or some special guest) deals with maintenance after a history of large weight loss. Whether it's different/difficult/how you "just live life" without trying to gain or lose and be too focused on food

[@Rosesimanimefreak]

i'm so happy to see you reacting to dorian! they are one of the only youtubers who talk about ed stuff that i feel comfortable listening to as someone who is also struggling with an ed

[@steveheffner]

IMHO there are a lot of toxic people on the internet. It is these bullies that cry about bullying and then in the next breath bully you because you are "different" then them. So my advice limit your time on any media site. You determine what is acceptable or not, just set a boundary and stick with it. MY boundaries are most likely going to be very different then yours. It is your mental health you are trying to protect, so you should be the captain to determine it. IF you try and tell me that you can't live without internet/media sites/etc. You do realize that is exactly what an addict would say which points back to my previous statement of mental health and limiting your time on such things.

[@vintagecameragirl]

I didn't know I had an Ed after being myself for 35 years.... not sure how anyone who isn't a professional could know after 3 minutes. :/

[@frightmareswithfoster1111]

Same I just thought I had a binge eating problem cuz I'm morbidly obese and emotionally ate. The more trauma happened and I just stopped eating. I didn't care it wasn't a priority. I lost so much weight so fast. I started having renal failure. So I picked at food. Would emotionally eat one day then go a few days without eating. Drink tons of water. Boom more trauma. Emotional eating again. Okay so therapist said total disordered eating. Finally in a stable place. New house. Less seizures. Great therapy. Healthy eating lots of exercise. Start cutting food out of my diet. Start punishing myself when I eat the bad food. Food starts weighing heavy af on me. Calorie counting I know the calorie count of almost everything. Was specifically told to stop weighing myself everyday. I cannot stop. I struggle everyday to hit near 1000 calories but I do eat 3 meals a day but only good healthy foods. My therapist and I make things easier by her just asking if I'm not off right now so she knows if I'm in relapse. She weighs me to make sure I'm not losing too quickly. If it's too quickly she knows relapse and we start to talk about what's going on around me that I cannot control. So when people are like I'm too caught up in counting calories I think I'm ortho and need to stop doing this. I'm like UHM okey doke. You have absolutely no idea. They are officially adding Ortho to the DSM6

[@schweetnemo]

my body checking files used to be the weirdest shit - I used to run (yes run) in my room in HIGH HEELS because it was obviously a really vital thing to see me doing.

[@louisac303]

I love Dorian so much and i was so glad when he made this video because i think it had been subconsciously annoying me then when he talked about it i was like "OH, so THAT's why I've sometimes gotten annoyed at videos made by non-EDers talking about body checking"

[@booknerdcatlady]

Body checking is a new concept to me, but I had the same collar bone moment that you described. It was one of my first “NSVs” when I started to lose weight after years of dealing with a chronic illness that led me to gain weight at a young age.

[@cherrytomato7711]

i remember when my ex found my bodycheck folder (just pictures)and i had to explain to him that they weren't badly taken nudes but bodychecks ;-; was definitely very awkward especially because he thought they were nudes due to me usually bodychecking almost naked, and some could be considered nudes although the reason why i took them had nothing to do with anything sexual at all. rather just the feeling of,, hey i am not disgusting looking all the time (for example when i was just on a high of losing x amount of weight). i would barely look at them after i took them but i would use it as evidence/validation for myself. ugly posed pictures to exaggerate how disgusting i felt when i just binged, nicely posed pictures to exaggerate how pretty and well i was doing when i was undereating successfully.

[@555starangel_]

Two of my most favourite youtubers in one video? What is this, a crossover episode!?

[@SogDough]

Me: *Does intermittent fasting* 14 year olds on Tiktok: Actually u have an eating disorder.

[@wrenbear]

i think people often forget that diet culture is deeply ingrained in society. i’m anorexic and currently in treatment for it. i was convinced for so long that my restricting was for losing healthy weight! even though i was already healthy. there’s a lot of nuance requires when handling the subject of eds and disordered eating. yes, most people don’t have an ed. but people can still exhibit ed behaviors and encourage a lifestyle or image that can spiral into an eating disorder. as an anorexic, one of my deepest fears is that i am not sick enough. and though i think it’s absolutely the right thing to do to call out people for diagnosing themselves and others left and right based on nothing at all, the ED inside of me immediately thinks: oh you do that. you’re not sick. you need to prove you’re sick. i can’t believe you ate that slice of pizza. if you were really anorexic you wouldn’t be eating at all. it is impossible to tell who has an ED just by looking at them.

[@klaradvorak2633]

these two youtubers rlly out here helping me w my health and fitness

[@tatianahernandez2802]

This video was very eye opening for me. I used to do almost everything they mentioned when I was younger. I am so happy that is all in the past.

[@LegalVampire]

Just because a behaviour is associated with a disorder doesn't mean that that behaviour is exclusively tied to that disorder. Of course if you're losing weight then you'd want to check that your body has changed and you'd be amazed by the changes & want to feel them. That doesn't mean that's 'body checking'. And someone might just be insecure about how they look and want to keep catching themselves in the mirror or see how they look in different poses to check that they look alright. That doesn't necessarily mean that person has an ED. They may just have an insecurity, which is fairly normal.

[@q1s2e3w]

omg i love both of your videos i got so excited at the thumbnail

[@cng4797]

i just recently started watching Herbs and Alters and then I happened to check your channel today and find this, what a treat

[@LouisesJourneyxo]

Yaaas John is here to spit some facts keeping me company during my warm up 😁💪🤣

[@a.jpurple6515]

Wait is this me always checking how small my wrists are with my fingers and how much my thumb can overlap my other finger? I did this as I lost the weight, but I didnt know there was a word for it...

[@frightmareswithfoster1111]

Yep

[@JudasAdorus]

As a viewer of you both, I never expected to see you two in the same video lol! Thank you for being open minded and sympathetic, and for continuing this dialogue!

[@joylox]

When I was in high school, like 7 years ago, people accused me of having an eating disorder because I was vegan and gluten free, and was underweight (I had issues with food, so I wasn't purposely restricting, I was because I felt sick if I had a long list of items which I have since healed mostly from, like I can have eggs again, and tofu, and stuff). There were genuinely people at the school with eating disorders, and I don't understand why they focused on me, who was already seeing 2 different doctors, instead of others who needed it. Although I feel like my other chronic illnesses and ADHD made people worry about me as it's a weird combination. I have done different yet similar kinds of videos in terms of weight gain after that underweight experience, but I was able to realize it just a random impulsive thought and stopped.

[@kaitlincoulter1811]

A couple years ago I was in a mixed community of recovering anorexics and struggling anorexics so I would constantly fight between recovery and relapsing. Once I left I realized how toxic it was. We constantly posted body checks that were allowed by Instagram and measurements photos of food we ate and much more. It was a very bad time for a lot of us many of which were in our late teens early 20’s. When we came across a younger person they usually were very much pro Ed and we always tried to explain this is not what you want. Some of them left and went to get help others didn’t care and refused to listen to us since Ed’s had been glamorized by some people.

[@unnamed3392]

I understand the frustration, the times I was in hospital all my "odd" and " different " was always told it was a ED behaviour, evan though iv eaten like that since I was as young as I can remember, so so ridiculous