For Mr Yeo, who attended CAL’s Caregivers-to-Caregivers Training Programme on Eating Disorders (C2C-ED), and his wife, Mrs Yeo, it is their greatest wish that more can be done to raise awareness about eating disorders affecting males. Perhaps then, youths and their families could be spared the painful ordeal their son went through, which dragged on for 3 years.
Prior to his diagnosis, 23-year-old Shin Loong often ate standing by the microwave. He was picky with his food and insisted on cutting it into tiny pieces. He disliked being seen eating and eventually withdrew from social events and eating with others. Instead of dining with his parents during mealtimes, he puzzled them by standing by the microwave to eat.
“We thought he preferred to eat hot food because of how skinny and cold he was, so standing by the microwave was convenient for him to heat it up”, his parents recounted.
Shin Loong was also exercising excessively – at one time, up to three times a day while in the army. Other issues began to surface, including a swollen foot, extreme weight loss, and eventually avoiding homecoming when he could book out of camp.
When Shin Loong started university life, the academic pressures further piled onto the stress. When his weight and blood pressure were hovering dangerously low, he was admitted to the hospital, where Shin Loong was diagnosed to have an eating disorder called Anorexia Nervosa.
The diagnosis brought relief and marked the beginning of recovery for everyone.
Working closely with a nutritionist and psychologist, Shin Loong regained a positive relationship with food, adhering to meal plans and coming together with his parents to cook and eat as a family. He also sought peace and purpose through meditation and volunteering; the family would also practise energy bagua in the park, a simple meditation practice to reduce stress and replenish energy for health and wellness. As Buddhists, the trio also drew strength from their faith.
Over time, Shin Loong was able to attend support groups and share his story openly, which greatly aided in his recovery. Recently, he shared with The Straits Times about his recovery journey. For eight weeks, after every C2C lesson, Mr Yeo would share what he learnt with Mrs Yeo, allowing them to speak the same language as parents and provide unified support for their son. Thanks to the Yeo family’s resilience and courage in stepping forward, others facing similar struggles may no longer need to endure such a long and difficult journey. CAL applauds the Yeo family’s grit and commitment to combating the eating disorder.
“I’ve learnt that food is not a form of self-control, and can be a form of self-love,” Shin Loong tells The Straits Times, adding that he now enjoys occasional treats like doughnuts and biscuits, something he would not allow himself to do previously.
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