Along the path of recovery there are going to be some unnecessary, but expected comments that you will have to experience. They may trigger you, they may leave you feeling angry, frustrated and misunderstood by the world. But part of you may also know, a lot of these comments come from a place of society simply being unaware and/or uneducated on the issue of eating disorders and the complexity of their nature. The following are some of the comments I have heard along the way in my own recovery from anorexia and orthorexia . I am sure there are more, and feel free to add what you may have heard in the comments:
- How sick were you? - Did you just not eat? - I wish I could have that discipline? - Wow but you look so healthy now? - What caused your ED, I ask because I think my friend has one? (caveat - I am not a therapist) - What ED did you have? (rarely do they exist in isolation - it is a cycle) - When did you recover? - Need some meat on your bones - Did you just want to be thin? - Looks like you are fine now though. -Think I could do with an eating disorder to loose some weight. -Oh but most people are obsessed with their bodies anyway. - It is not a bad thing that you want to eat healthily and exercise everyday though - But you eat so much now, and still stay so slim - But you have a body people would kill for now I appreciate most of these comments were driven from a place of innocence, with a lack of understanding and awareness of eating disorders. So here is to more writing, talking and sharing to break down the stigma and to provide greater insights in to the complex nuances of these illnesses. Always with love Jen x
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When poring through old photographs I stumbled across some pictures of my childhood. In one picture, I am walking along the beach with my nan. I’m holding a doughnut, and am enjoying the yumminess of the sweet dough as I take bite after bite.
This image got me thinking about my relationship with food as a child. While privileged to have access to plentiful food, a range of foods, and a healthy relationship with food during childhood, I think it is interesting to be curious about our connection with food during our early years. At age six, food was delicious, it was fun, and I loved most foods. At school I got excited for breaktime when I could follow the smell of a freshly baked cookie to the dining hall, then quickly devouring the cookie before rushing to the playground to expend my built-up energy from the classroom. I went home from school to be treated to a custard cream biscuit and orange squash before going to sports clubs or ballet lessons. My sister sat with the biscuit tin next to her (she was named the biscuit queen) dunking biscuits in her tea. I felt jealous, as I didn’t like tea and I wanted to try this biscuit dunking experience, so tried to dunk mine into my orange squash (not recommended). I came home from sports clubs to be fed a yummy home-cooked meal by Mummy. A favorite meal was salmon, rice, and peas (with ketchup on my rice). |
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December 2023
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