The difficult road that leads to a beautiful destination

Nobody can live a full and happy life with Anorexia Nervosa due to the simple fact that spending your life with an eating disorder is not living. Days spent counting calories or planning your next meal: that is not a life.

I used to think that I would never be happy, never see my body for what it truly is, have a normal relationship with food, and function in normal society. I suffered from Anorexia Nervosa in my adolescence and I never realised how sick I really was. Nothing would make me see the damage I was doing to my body. Little did I realise that it was the absolute opposite. I was so out of control that I had lost touch with reality. The more I starved the more paranoid and deluded I became.

All of the memories of my eating disorder seem a horrible nightmare. Today, I am recovered. I could have never imagined that this would be possible. It is important to note that recovery is individual for everyone. There is no one ‘light bulb’ moment or specific time for recovery. However, I have come to realise that for those struggling that you need to separate your eating disorder from yourself as it does not define who you are or your worth, find something that inspires, comforts or encourages you that is not related to your eating disorder, and do not compare yourself to anyone else as we are each unique and have our own path to follow.

Without an eating disorder, it is possible to achieve anything that you do set your mind to. Recovery is not easy and not always fun but there are always opportunities and successes along the journey. Every day you can take a step away from the eating disorder and towards your new life and your full potential. Take the support and love offered to you. There is hope.