My name is Jade Angel and I’m 17 years old and I live in Brooklyn, New York.

I wanted to start We’ve Been There as a place for teens to come when they felt isolated and alone with their eating disorders. January 29, 2021 was the day that I finally sat down with a professional and admitted that my relationship with food and my body had gotten out of control and I couldn’t fix it on my own. My therapist told me that of all the illnesses she treats, kids with EDs tell the most lies to cover up their destructive behavior and that was definitely true for me. I literally disappeared from my friends, never going out or seeing anyone, even unwilling to speak on the phone. I don’t want to go into deep details of my patterns because I don’t think that’s helpful. In fact, I think it can be triggering to people not yet in recovery. I say elsewhere on this site that recovery stories can get “competitive” by saying how low down your weight got or how long you went without eating. The truth is, there are no markers that make one person more sick than another. But what was the darkest for me was how alone I was and how I felt that I had to keep my behavior a secret. By coming out and telling our stories I want other teenagers to know you are not alone and there is hope.

In addition to the professionals that I was so lucky to work with, I formed friendships with other girls that had been there too. It’s very easy to slide back into negative habits and destructive behaviors and if your ED was a secret no one will ever know. That’s why I’m encouraging whomever is comfortable to come and share your story. So we can look out for each other.

I hope this is helpful and I want as many people as possible to share their stories so please email me! Thank you for your support!