Finding Joy

I was diagnosed with Anorexia at the sweet age of 17 years old. I feel my eating disorder began around 13 years old as I was obviously withdrawing from family and over these teenage years began cutting out food groups at a steady pace. By 17 my Mum and Dad turned looking for help on every avenue and I went to a number of psychiatrists and psychologist before being admitted to the Melbourne Clinic for treatment. My recovery has been one step forward and 2 steps backwards for many years. I found myself well enough to stay out of hospital but have been completely consumed by food thoughts for over a decade. I went to university upon discharging from hospital but again over time I began to relapse. I lived on predominately on my own from my early twenties and some days did not what to even show my face to the world due to the shame, guilt and anger that had built up inside my body and mind. At 28 after a bad breakup and at a continuing low weight, I decided to quit my job in Melbourne, move to the Blue Mountains and take a random job out in the Bush, in nature and began living a a big property with people who were into Yoga, Meditation and the study of the mind.

During the last 3 years of my life while being here, I have fully weight restored, become a full time yoga teacher and practitioner, am now studying Iyengar Yoga and training to be a teacher, recieve Acupunture every week and have beautiful friends surrounding me and my recovery. I meditate every morning and although still have Amorrehea- I have great holistic herbal practitioners by my side to now help my brain and body recovery fully from the last impactful years of my life.

I want to share my story to empower others to do more of what they love as the healing effects are soothing and abundant. I would like to share my story to a wider communication to that the association of shame, hiding and judgement can lessen around the topic of all eating disorders and associated behaviours