Ryan's Story

My story as a man with an eating disorder

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I was always a very overweight kid for as long as I can remember. I got bullied for my weight from a very young age. Around about 15 I started losing weight and receiving praise and people saying oh you look so healthy and you’re doing well for the first time ever I felt like I was achieving. It was a very secretive and isolating battle to think of a few words. People started telling me oh you’re looking skinny oh you’re starting to look sick you’re not eating properly etc. I just thought whatever I’m fine. I’ve had all this praise bestowed upon me and it felt like the greatest thing ever. Grief really perpetuated my disorder and gradually looking back I started to notice it more and more in my life. Looking back food is really just the tip of the ice berg with eating disorders, there’s so much more at the root of the issue. I guess that’s what I’d like people to know.