You Might Not Know

Eating disorders are not weight disorders. The way someone's body looks is not at all an indicator of whether or not someone is struggling with disordered eating. The notion that someone needs to be deathly underweight for them to be sick prevents a lot of people from feeling validated and receiving the help they need. Anyone can struggle with an eating disorder regardless of gender, race, age, or any other factor. We have to remove our own biases about who this disorder affects in order for everyone to get the help they need and be recognized.

Red Flags

As previously stated, weight loss is not the only red flag to look for in someone who may have an eating disorder. Skipping meals, a big preoccupation with food/calories/weight, suddenly isolating, a loss of interest in things that would normally excite someone, restricting and or overeating, lying, and keeping secrets about eating habits are all red flags to look for in a friend or loved one.

Reconsider Your Recovery Story

It is so important to have the opportunity to share your recovery experience if you feel comfortable and are interested in doing so. When we talk openly about our experiences, those in the midst of their eating disorder can feel less alone. However, eating disorders are by far the most competitive mental illness. This means that when we share details of our past sicknesses, others may compare their own eating disorders to the one they are hearing about which can be very triggering. I believe the best way to go about this is to focus your story around what helped you in recovery and inspiring others, rather than going into the depths of how sick you are. Recovery stories should never include numbers - weights, calories, etc. Some details end up doing more harm than good for people listening so asking yourself how this information could impact a person listening is a great way to decide what to share.

Relapse Prevention

When I first started recovery, one of the things that helped me the most was journaling about relapse prevention. With the help of my therapist, I made a list of things that were helping me that I should continue doing and signs that I should look out for when I may be slipping back into old habits. I review these lists often and they have helped me hold myself accountable and stay in touch with my own recovery. Everyone is different so what worked for me may not work for others. But some of the things I found to be most helpful are deleting any triggering diet culture apps, planning my meals in advance, socializing more, opening up about how I was feeling, and surrounding myself with only people who would support my recovery, not hurt it.

Helpful Numbers

National Eating Disorder Association Helpline : 1-800-931-2237

Text NEDA : 741741

National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline (NAMI) : 1-800-950-NAMI

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Eating Disorders: 1-630-577-1330