I first met Ed (a figure widely used by specialists and therapists to represent an eating disorder as a character/concrete presence) in 2003 when I was in 8th grade. He convinced me that the way I looked did not match up with the standard of the other girls in my grade, and society. Every magazine and TV show I watched depicted the same type of skinny girl, and she always … [Read more...]
Dear Mom and Dad: A Letter From Your Daughter Recovering From a Restrictive Eating Disorder
Dear Mom and Dad: If you’re reading this, it means you want to help my recovery. Honestly, support is one of the most important parts of recovery, and parental support makes a huge difference. But you've had an eating disorder… There’s no nice way to say this – you suck at dealing with eating disorders. And that’s okay! It’s easy to get it wrong. No matter the intentions, … [Read more...]
Parents, You Have to Be OK First: How to Help Your Teen With an Eating Disorder
“My eating disorder had become my best friend, my soulmate: to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.” The words floated from my mouth, coating the room in the potency of my hardships. It was the first time I publicly spoke about my recovery. All of the emotions I wrestled, all of the thoughts I braved, and all of the pain I … [Read more...]
Acceptance
Accepting that you may have or even do have a mental illness is, in my opinion, one of the hardest things about the illness itself. On the outside, I come across as this girl that has everything together. To my friends, I’m this goofy, funny (or at least I think I am), super outgoing, and happy girl. To my parents, I am involved in everything, smart, have a lot of friends, … [Read more...]
I Am A Strong Woman
I am a strong woman. I could argue that this is the hardest story I have ever written. It is a personal story involving self-discovery, confusion, anger, ignorance, laughter, and last but certainly not least authenticity. I say “authenticity” because I want to be real with you, my reader, and do what I can to paint my story in a way that is helpful. Anxiety took form in … [Read more...]
A Recovered Life
ORIGINALLY POSTED: "My Story, Abbreviated," A Recovered Life, November 30th, 2011 Which came first? The chicken or the egg? For me the question was between anorexia and depression. Did depression cause my downward spiral into anorexia? Or did the sharp turn into starvation-mode wreak havoc on my brain chemicals? Perhaps in someway, it was both. I was in college when the … [Read more...]
Body Image Issues
Body Image Issues: This article includes healthy [and not so healthy] living, eating, and overall well-being in teens and young adults. According to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), over 50% of teenage girls and almost 33% of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking … [Read more...]
Support Groups: Moving Treatment Beyond the Dress Rehearsal
EATING DISORDER HOPE, Candice Hershman, MA., LMFT, New Dawn’s Eating Disorder Recovery Center, JULY 30, 2012 Therapists aim to provide clients with an authentic experience: not a dress rehearsal, but rather the actuality of relationship. This experience includes support and positive regard, and also disagreements, misunderstandings, and the necessity to remain engaged in a … [Read more...]