Mental health professional: Hello. Please, introduce yourself.

J: I am Joan and I am feeling so bad right now. My hands are shaking and I hardly stay on my feet…

Pr: Please, try to calm down and sit. I am here to help you. What happened to you?  

J: (in a depressed tone of voice, some phrases are faster than others; the message is understandable). Two hours ago I had this awful binge eating attack. I normally do not keep food at home, but my parents arrived today and brought meals with them. We spent some time together and I listened again that I am malnourished and so on… My mother was almost crying when she was filling my empty fridge with food. When they left, I was roaming around the kitchen for the whole evening. When Charlie, my son, went to bed, I decided to do the same as quicker as I could. But this awful insomnia which I have kept me awake. I could not bear it, I could not cope with my thought… I somehow backslid and ate 5 kilos of food, two of which were sweets. Oh, I so much hate myself for that! That cake and an ice-cream were for Charlie. I know that he is also starving because of me... Then I took 50 laxatives and drank 2 liters of cold water. I spent 1 hour in my bathroom. I think I was insensible from pain in my gut. Every time I do this I think I will die, but somehow I remain alive. I feel so terribly bad right now… I want to sleep, but I can not. I am so tired, you know. I am tired of being hungry, of being afraid of food, of being an awful mother, of being a horrible daughter. I hurt myself every single day and I can not change my behavior! Please, help me. I am just killing myself when I need to be there for my family. Actually, I do not want to live. At the same time, if my parents lose me like they lost my brother, they will die. And my son, Charlie, he also does not deserve to suffer… I do not know what to do. I planned to call you so many times and eventually I decided to do that. Hello?

Pr: Yes, I am here. Thank you for your frankness. I have some questions for you. So..