I wish I could tell myself that everything will be okay. There are so many people who care about you and will be there for you no matter how you feel.
I still struggle with comparing myself to others
My biggest support system was my friends. They were extremely helpful. Having a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold makes so much difference. Their job is not to try to fix your problem, just to be there while you’re figuring it out
The thing about anorexia is that it does not look just one way. The fact that people associate anorexia with being “skinny” continues this toxic cycle.
For self care I go on walks and that has proved very helpful to me. Just to get outside, listen to music and take in my surroundings has been beyond helpful.
My favorite part of my recovery is honestly just being able to be more present in what I am doing instead of my ED being at the very forefront of my thoughts
The people who keep me inspired are my friends and peers, many of whom struggle with the same thing. Instead of feeling alone, I felt seen and understood.
Though I did not have anorexia, when I was at the worst with my ED I became very clearly distant and irritable.
I used to try to suffocate myself with distractions. Whether it be going to a party or hanging out with friends etc. but I realized in time that that was just prolonging the problem. Instead i now just stop what I’m doing and breathe. I don’t pretend to be okay when I’m not and I have learned to be okay with the discomfort and frustration that I feel in those moments
I think it’s difficult. I think it’s a problem that needs to be fixed from the inside. Society paints beauty in such an impossibly specific light and it is so harmful. Not only to those who do not fit the image, but puts incredible pressure on those that do. When I was at my worst, comments like “you’re beautiful” and “you look amazing” really upset me. But, I think if we make our community a place where it is more normalized to show love and appreciation for others it would make such a difference. Obviously, this is not a solution to the problem, but I think it’s a good first step.
I find dialogues about food, specifically whether or not people eat certain meals, very triggering. It is a fact that so many people have complicated relationships with food, so to speak about it so casually was very difficult for me to hear. It was much worse when I was going through the hardest patches, but it still is unsettling now.