Ward Politics

Ward life is, frankly, tiring at times. In many ways, it's like playing an extreme game of Survivor/the Apprentice/Desperate Housewives.

There's alot of politicking, and it mirrors the contradictory minefield that's all our (the patient's) psyches. On one hand, there's the (in varying degrees in different patients) desire to get well. On the other, there's the eating disorder within which fights its own eradication. And it manifests with shifting alliances and friendships and backstabbings (which would put Richard Hatch to shame!) which occurs everyday.

Take this for example: someone not finishing their food. A person who's intent to recover would feel triggered and feel guilty about having to eat 'more'. A person who's not that motivated would feel that it's unfair and want to 'one-up' the perpetuator by engaging in some form of competition. To complicate things, the perpetuator may be liked/disliked in general by the rest of the group, which means that airing your displeasure may result in social suicide. And so it goes.

Plenty of gossip abound in the ward; you can almost see the social cliques (and i can't deny that it's more entertaining and engrossing to engage in ward politics than focusing on recovery) and daily bitching about other patients. Add to the fact that eating disordered patients tend to have a non-avoidance (you can even say 2-faced) personality, and you can never be sure if the person talking to you truly is friendly, or is just being friendly to you and airing your dirty laundry to other people.

The perfect solution, of course, is to keep in mind that your purpose of admission and to focus on it, instead of doing the daily bitching and catching up on gossip. On the other hand, temptation is a difficult force to resist.

Now excuse me while i go find out who's trying to cheat at their supplements.