Happy Monday, friends!
Today is a special day — it’s the first second day of National Eating Disorders Awareness week…
If you’re not familiar with NEDA, they’re a nonprofit organization that supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders. They campaign for prevention, improved access to treatment, and increased research funding to better understand and treat eating disorders. They’re basically an invaluable source of information and support for those whose lives have been touched by an ED.
NEDA week is an annual campaign that aims at increasing the awareness of eating disorders and body image issues — a crucial undertaking given our current culture. We live in a society of diets and gyms, where under-eating and over-exercising seem to have become the norm. This results in many undiagnosed and silent sufferers who may not even realize that something might be wrong with their “healthy” habits…
I had no idea … that you can be too thin … that over-exercising can lead to an eating disorder … that 35% of “normal” dieters progress to pathological dieting …that an eating disorder can kill you or lead to permanent physical damage … that [I, my daughter, son, sister, brother, friend] had a problem.
If you’ve read my story, you know that I lost a good handful of years to anorexia, and one of the scariest aspects of it was how it took hold of me without me even realizing… It all started with a innocent desire to get healthier by cleaning up my diet and getting more exercise, and it quickly escalated into a serious psychiatric disease that almost claimed my life… and one that I would spend years battling to free myself from.
I don’t spend a lot of time talking about my eating disorder or recovery here on Spoons, and it’s not because I don’t want to or because it’s too painful, but because it honestly feels like a past life… one that’s often difficult to recall and put into words. I find it easier to simply live recovery than I do to write about it, but I do realize the importance of raising awareness. Heck, I probably would have never realized I had a problem had I not randomly stumbled across a recovery blog and read thoughts and struggles that so closely resembled my own…
It’s heartbreaking to think that so many of the signs associated with an eating disorder are considered normal these days. That our culture is so obsessed with numbers and aesthetics that people are literally killing themselves to fit an ideal that’s largely unattainable because it isn’t real… at least not without a team of professional trainers, chefs, makeup artists, stylists, photographers, lighting, AND computers. I mean… photoshopping a woman who’s already absolutely gorgeous?!? Come on now…
[source]
That being said, I’m going to use NEDA week as an opportunity to talk about some of my own experiences with body image issues, anorexia, and recovery by tying these topics in to each of my posts this week, and I’d love it if you joined me by sharing your own thoughts or experiences on any of these issues in this week’s Thinking Out Loud linkup. I know those posts are usually meant to be random and lighthearted, and you’re more than welcome to leave them that way, but I also know that most people have experienced their fair share of struggles with body image at the very least, and I wanted to try and get a little more discussion and awareness raised because stats like these just shouldn’t exist…
No questions today — just your thoughts.
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Thank you for your post. Eating disorders have always been a topic I an drawn to as many in my family have struggled with eating disorders and I just recently lost a friend to an eating disorder. It is sad that our culture is part to blame. I hate how an eating disorder makes a beautiful women feel and how young girls are beginning to develop eating disorders.
This post was amazing to read, I love the whole idea of NEDA awareness week (although of course, it is an important issue to address year round), and the amount of posts surrounding it each year is mind blowing in such a good way. So much love for you.
Thank you for sharing this information and bringing light to a very important topic, Amanda! I was surprised that many other health-related blogs I follow did NOT discuss this issue. I admire your bravery and strength to discuss your own story. Thank you again for your time and perspective!
Coming from several eating disorders myself, I definitely hold this week near and dear to my heart. I didn’t realize I had an eating disorder for a good chunk of years. I guess most people don’t. I had a goal in my mind, but was never satisfied. I will be focusing on this for the link-up. I love NEDA. Recovery saved my life.
I’m looking forward to reading what you have to say, Natalie 🙂 Thank God for recovery <3
Add me to the ‘I Had No Idea’ list.
I mean, as someone who graduated college at 375lbs and then lost more than 175 of it in a year back in 1989, I learned a lot about myself and food, and that the way I looked at things wasn’t like everyone else – but I attributed that to living my whole life as a fat person. I also learned that I had a warped body image … but again I attributed that to having been fat for so long.
It wasn’t until after my thyroid died in 2007 and for nearly 5 years my attempts to restart running sputtered as my weight increased, and then in 2012 I became a ‘real’ runner and trained for races (too embarrassed to run in public for 23 years before that!). I wrote about it in my post today, but through training and running a half- then full marathon in 2012 I learned about my disordered thinking, my body dysmorphic disorder … and that I am so lucky to have the most supportive and loving wife 🙂
Great post!
I just adore you for bringing this to attention and having this week’s TOL centered around the awareness of eating disorders. I cannot wait until Thursday now. It’ll be nice to read other’s views and stories of recovery 🙂
Looking forward to your posts this week love 🙂 and I will definitely participating in you link up
xo
I think it’s awesome that you’re going to be doing some ED focused posts this week! I honestly had no idea I had a problem either for the longest time. I thought I was just losing weight in a normal healthy way. And when I got too thin, I didn’t even realize it was considered too thin because I was surrounded by photos of girls just as skinny as me in magazines, advertisements, movies, etc. I thought it was normal! It was only when my health deteriorated when I finally realized I had a problem. I honestly wouldn’t wish my experiences on anyone, which is why I think prevention and awareness are so important!
To be honest it’s only really been in this last year that I can look back and say I had an eating disorder. I think because I thought you had to be an under weight BMI (which I never was) then I couldn’t have that much of a problem, which of course is not true. It’s so important that as many of us raise awareness of these things as possible, no one should have to go through an ED x
I think the idea that you have to “look the part” is one of the most dangerous things about eating disorders… It prevents people from getting help because they don’t feel like they’re sick enough, or that they have a problem at all. It’s the same when someone becomes weight restored — just because they look healthy doesn’t mean their mind is in the right place yet.
Amen to both of you. I was in this camp for at least 6 months before I started to properly look sick. People knew I was going the wrong way before I did in retrospect. Before I got to the point where my clothes wouldn’t stay on, others had recognised that I was losing weight at a worrying rate. I look back on it now and feel so bad about how I reacted, about the lying, about the complete disregarding of the concern people showed. I also lived in the latter camp afterwards. I looked fine but I was far, far from fine mentally. You are so right Amanda!
So good of you to raise the awareness for such a great cause! Some of the warning signs and facts I had not even heard of before.
That photo with the photoshopped difference, saddens me but doesn’t surprise me. I think it is horrible that so many of these images are presented as real when they have been photoshopped or the person in them to achieve such a level of thinness has an ED.
I think it is a great topic idea too for this weeks Thinking Out Loud post.
Truth be told, with my educational background I had a very clear idea what I was doing but I simply couldn’t stop. Eating disorders should be stopped before they erase any sense of logic and replace everything we love doing with planning meals and exercise.
Poor Doutzen. I understand they edit the lighting to make the face more visible and the skin tone warmer and more natural but airbrushing every sign of imperfection from her is pointless. She’s already gorgeous! This reminded me of the VS show in 2012 when Adriana walked the runway just 8 weeks after giving birth. Yeah, she was bigger than all other models but she looked amazing for a woman who had just had a baby. The number of nasty comments online was ridiculous. No wonder almost everybody these days has low self-esteem if we are ready to tear a person apart for something like this.
I love that you’re highlighting this this week, with so much influence in the blog world, I am pretty sure you are influencing a bunch of girls/guys in a very positive way! 🙂
I really look forward to your Thursday post – as I am sure I can, along with tons of others, relate to your struggles. I remember during my struggles, everyone boycotted me – which is 100% the WRONG approach! 🙁
I know you don’t talk about this much, and I honestly love you for that. You acknowledge that it was there, but you’ve grown into someone so beautiful and positive that if you were to constantly talk about this, I would worry you weren’t moving forward as much. This will always be apart of you, and will continue to make you stronger each day you get further away from the past!! I always admire and you commend you when you share these posts! I hope this comment made sense.
It made perfect sense and made me smile. Thanks, girl <3
Excellent post and information (now I sound like a spam bot, but it’s still true nonetheless!). Thank you for sharing all of this. I’m looking forward to other NEDA posts next week from some bloggers. They are always so enlightening, and while sometimes scary, great reminders and life lessons.
I really don’t have too much to say besides – I am so proud of you for all you’ve been able to accomplish since your ED. Every post you write, whether it’s about your personal life or just random ramblings – it truly does show just how extradordinary and special of a person you are. A post like this will open someones eyes & give them a sigh of relief. Let them know they aren’t alone, but they CAN recover!
You write about this so well. It is a hard topic to begin; especially with those struggling with it. It is amazing how prevalent this is – I know in my group of friends, almost every.single.one has some sort of ED. It is sad, but it is so a result of our culture’s twisted view of beauty (aka photoshop!) Thank you for sharing, Amanda, you did a fantastic job!
Information like this is so alarming but needs to be shared. No, shouted, to anyone that will listen. I’m the mom of a 15 year old daughter and I just pray that she is making note of the example I try to lead with fitness and nutrition.
Oh wowww I had no idea about NEDA! Thank you for spreading the word about it, and for always touching so many lives through your blog, Amanda!
I just can’t believe those statistics…and #2, 3, and the last one are so so sad but kind of surprising too! I know that for me, a smalllllll foothold of ED began to take place when I was only 5-6 years old, and since then it sloooooooowllllyyy built itself upon itself through unpleasant words, comments, experiences, etc.
It really is heartbreaking to hear that it’s starting so young these days 🙁 I was blessedly free from those thoughts in my childhood years, but I guess that didn’t stop me from falling victim to an ED in the end anyways :S
When I was in college I was in a peer internship that focused on eating disorders and body image and every year we celebrated NEDAW. We did such positive awareness. Once I was a professional I was able to teach the course for several semesters and it was a great feeling to be able to do that. Keep up the great work.
When I was in college I was in a peer internship that focused on eating disorders and body image and every year we celebrated NEDAW. We did such positive awareness. Once I was a professional I was able to teach the course for several semesters and it was a great feeling to be able to do that.
It’s so wonderful seeing such a great organization working to help with eating disorders. Unfortunately they are so prevalent and go so much beyond anorexia and bulimia now. It hits very close to home and I appreciate you spreading the word and posting this.
Thank you for posting this. Like many, I was suffering silently. Partly because I felt alone, but partly because I thought my habits were accepted as the norm. Reading your blog for the first time is actually how I discovered I had taken on serious disordered habits around eating and exercise. Now, several months later, I am working hard to recover and this is a reminder that I am not alone.
Wow, that is such an awesome testimony, Lindsay! It’s such a beautiful thing to read that a fellow blogging friend has touched someone’s life, like yours. 🙂 Keep up the good work and don’t give up~it IS possible to overcome!
Thank you for sharing, Lindsay 🙂 You’re definitely not alone, and it’s definitely possible to heal — never give up fighting for that freedom, because it feels pretty darn amazing.
♥ I just want to say how awesome you are for bringing awareness to this. My eating disorder started exactly as yours did— innocently trying to be healthier and exercise more. My perception of self, along with the media, made those endeavors into a monster that I never saw myself. Thank God for a loving family and bloggers like you!
These statistics are staggering and saddening. While I’ve never suffered from an ED, I feel similarly and strongly about obesity related illness. It’s the number one cause of death in the US (and it touches too many people I love). It’s amazing to me that so many needless deaths come from food issues, whether it’s over eating or under eating. You’d think somewhere at some point, we’d learn to have a balance. I appreciate your openness and honesty about your past struggles, and I applaud you for writing and promoting this extremely important topic. I think it’s really great of you. If there’s something I can do, let me know.
ED need more awareness! Society needs to draw attention to it. Why? Because (as high blood pressure) this is a silent killer. You can look so normal, and still be battling an ed. I’ve being dealing with ed for more than 6 years. And although, I consider that I’ve recovered from it, and that it is my past, I can help but think that this might come back, as it has previously. Thanks for sharing such an amazing post, and for the tol idea. This is such a worth topic!
Amanda, you are so incredibly brave for sharing your story. i sometimes wish that i could do the same…but like the title of this post says, i had no idea i had a problem..either.
Great post Amanda–really wonderful of you to dedicate a week’s worth of posts to a topic that hits home for so many people.
Funny you brought this up…with exams going on NEDA week totally slipped my mind. Seriously I had no idea it was that time of year again, certainly fitting for the 2014 theme.
What a beautiful post Amanda! You are such an inspiration to so many people who are struggling!
I’m running a body image workshop for NEDA week and one thing I really want to get people to understand is that eating disorders exist on a spectrum, and there’s a whole range of symptoms someone can have and still be sick. I think there’s this idea that only anorexia is serious and I can’t stand it when bloggers write about their lowest weights or how many calories they ate–it just promotes comparisons. I can relate though because I didn’t believe I was sick either and it wasn’t until my boyfriend at the time told me to get help that I did. Can’t wait to read your post Thursday!
So true… The amount of comparison among ED sufferers is just insane. I think lots of people don’t bother getting help if they don’t feel like they “look the part,” which is heartbreaking because it just let’s the diseases dig its roots in even deeper.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Amanda! I love the “I had no idea” week because it’s encouraging so many people to share their own experiences and talk out loud about it – hopefully reducing the stigma for others to get treatment. I love the graphics with statistics, too!
I never had a full on eating disorder, but I have had some disordered eating habits. I can’t wait to read about your experiences and admire your bravery for sharing such vulnerable information on your blog. Thank you for building awareness about this!
Your ED is the past, you are whole new NOURISHED being now. And GOD is using you. Like this. to share the good, to heal, to support. Why i love you!
Your comment made me smile so big. Thank you, friend <3 <3
Thank you for sharing Amanda. I myself have never had an issue with an eating disorder but I have helped many friends through their issues. This is a very serious problem, and I know with my lifestyle that developing an eating disorder is very common. Being educated is half of the battle so thank you!
My favourite form of human cutlery-
Thank you for bringing this issue to light (not just today, but consistently on this blog). The number of readers, bloggers, day to day people you have been an immense help to- you have no idea.
Continue to raise awareness and being an advocate that there truly is hope out there for those suffering- and there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I’m in. It was around this time 6 years ago my own ed was in full swing, so it seems appropriate to chat about it this week
You’re too wonderful for an ED <3 I'm glad that you're in a better place now.