Posted this on Instagram the other day, but thought it’d be a good Tuesday post here.
Just gonna say it: I am sick of the social media #TransformationTuesday “before and after” pics of eating disorders.
You want one? Here, you got it. It’s not that different.
Had an interview with a magazine last week about exercise addiction – they followed up wanting my drastic, shock-infused before and after pics for click-bait.
I don’t have it. Like I’ll write again and again, my weight was never that different in my eating disorder. At times, it was a bit more physically apparent. But, that’s not the definition of eating disorders – it is not the definition that invokes shock and awe.
Eating disorders are a mentality. They are a maniacal obsession. They are not really about weight, but more about the weight of the feeling that you must abide by this and that – and that you are not able to combat it alone.
I am tired of the cultural stereotypes of eating disorders which end up hindering others from seeking help. Those of us with eating disorders often live in shrouded shame that we are not “sick enough” because of what we see eating disorders depicted as in society.
I went on for 8 years with my eating disorder before my family intervened and begged me to get help. 8 years of missing my life because I was under this bullsh*t impression that we have to be a certain weight to qualify as an eating disorder patient.
We have to change the conversation on weight and the correlation with eating disorders. We just have to because eating disorders are the number one most fatal mental illness – SURPASSING depression.
These before and after pics of me – these are not indicative of my eating disorder. You know what is? Looking at that little girl on the left and knowing she’s looking down because she’s terrified that a camera went off and she’s not in all black, baggy clothes. Knowing that I starved myself the rest of that day out of shame.
That girl to her right – with the computer – and the grin – that’s me. That’s what I am. It’s not about weight – it’s about living flexibly okay – secure, confident, and okay with what is now
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This is a beautiful post, I have just started my blog and my first post is of a very similar context about my eating disorder journey. Be proud of your journey xx
Thank you for posting, I am currently in recovery and could not agree more that anorexia is not all about weight.. mind sets are so important! Good luck ! Xx
i love this and relate to this more than i could ever say. ahhhhhh. you are a miracle. a freaking badass WARRIOR worthy of so much damn light and freedom and hope. AHHHHHH. ALL THE LOVE FOR YOU, DEAR. ALL THE LOVE. 💙💙💙💙
THANK YOU 🙌🏻
Agree. I’m getting so tired of the countless articles and instagrams of before and afters. I think when people post them (this may be in controversial statement), it’s really their eating disorder seeking validation. I think most of us with eating disorders know that those kind of posts and pictures aren’t really helping anyone else with a disorder. It’s the part of the disorder that is desperate to be validated for being “sick enough” that wants to post those things (in my opinion). It doesn’t help anyone actively struggling, and it doesn’t help the public, either, since it’s reinforcing that you must be a skeleton to truly be struggling.
OMG! I have a post about this. and it is my most popular post which means people are starting to get onboard with this! thanks for sharing this!
So very true…..and we love you for who you are….always honest.