Over the past week or so, I have posted messages of hope from others to help provide additional support during the holidays. Now that January 3rd has arrived, I guess I should stop talking about the holidays and move on with 2012! Here are some final recovery thoughts from Sarah and Caroline. Thanks to all of you (Meg, Kyla, Vic, Caroline, and Sarah) who shared your amazing stories.
I would love to hear from more of you! Please feel free to post words of inspiration on this page as a comment or on my Facebook page.
I look forward to hearing from you!
All the best,
Jenni
Words from Sarah Blumenthal:
I was anorexic; I had anorexia; I was over it, or at least as over it as one can be. Believe it or not, that happens. Anorexia is a way of thinking that I know I’ll never be entirely done with, but look where I am now. I’m happy, healthy, and active. I’m engaged, social, willing to speak my experiences. I’m open, alert and finally, full.
Words from Caroline Perris:
I was thirteen when I purged for the first time. I cannot say for certain what was running through my mind at that time, only that I had been depressed and suicidal for years and had begun to believe that changing my body might magically make all my problems disappear. I was wrong. Bulimia and later anorexia took over my life. After nearly a year of starving and purging I decided enough was enough. I found the courage to reach out to one of my teachers for help, and less than a week later, I was in an intensive outpatient program for eating disorders.
I did not understand how long or difficult a process recovery was going to be. I hated missing out on school and life in general, but I still could not find the motivation to move forward in recovery. I spent the next five years of my life in and out of hospitals, residential, inpatient, and intensive outpatient treatment. The treatment helped to keep me alive, but the motivation for recovery is something I believe I found within myself after realizing that a life with an eating disorder is not a real life or the kind of life I want to live. And now, five years later, I can finally say that I am moving in a positive direction, toward recovery.
I am finally able to recognize all that my eating disorder has taken away from me. Although I was angry at my parents for initially sending me to treatment, I am now grateful for the actions they took which most certainly kept me alive. I still struggle, but I am able to persevere through my worst days with the hope that someday I will be ED free. I find inspiration through the many role models in my life, especially the ones who have successfully recovered from an eating disorder. At many times in my life, I have felt hopeless, but by reading Life Without Ed and listening to those who have recovered, I have come to believe that recovery is possible
At the moment, I am in my senior year of high school, out of treatment and looking toward to the future—ED free! There are so many goals I have for myself and I am determined to let nothing, especially my eating disorder, get in the way.
Good for you for finding the strength to go into treatment. Recovery isn't easy by all means but it is possible and you can overcome and beat Ed. There will be bumps in the road but don't lose faith or hope. Keep moving foreword and let your healthy recovery voice be your guide. I've been struggling with anorexia for many years and am still recovering, but with the help of family, friends and professionals I feel that one day I will live a life without Ed. I like the books life without Ed by Jenni Scheafer and Telling Ed no by Cheryl Kerrigan. I found their books to be inspirational and motivational. During the recovery process, think of the people and the goals that you have set as your motivators. Good luck to you and keep fighting! You can do it! Thank you for sharing your story. :)
Posted by: Wiesia "Viv" | September 22, 2012 at 03:30 PM