GUELPH – Eating disorders are debilitating and they can take a lifetime to overcome.
But it’s worth the effort, said members of a panel who shared their experiences with anorexia and bulimia at an event called Faces of Recovery.
The panel was hosted by the Waterloo Wellington Eating Disorders Coalition on FEB. 7 to cap off National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
The panelists, who went by their first names only, came from all walks of life, and while their experiences were different, their recovery stories were very similar.
“My recovery is in a funny place,” said Mike, a man in his 30s who said he was on death’s door, approaching organ failure, when he finally sought help seven years ago. “It waxes and wanes. It’s not a linear thing.”
“It’s not easy,” agreed Ginny. “If I can recommend one thing it’s to do the work. Go to therapy, face the challenges, and feel the pain. There’s a great life beyond your eating disorder.”
Val is the mother of a young woman going through recovery. She said she’s grateful her daughter included her parents in a family therapy recovery model, and they have taken a crucial role in offering meal support along with emotional support.
“The biggest thing she did was tell people about her illness,” Val told the audience. “It was scary for her but ultimately a relief not to have to keep the secret.”
Terese is a PhD student who studies the recovery path and said she’s interviewed many people in recovery whose stories mirror her own.
“Hearing all the stories has kept me on my path,” she said. “Helping others is helpful to me too.”
Meghan said she was diagnosed with anorexia in her teens and entered a few different treatment programs. But she was in denial about her eating disorder and how psychological it was, and the treatment never stuck.
“And then I found alcohol in university and that cured everything,” she said wryly. “Alcohol gave me ease and comfort and I was able to manage for a while. But then it caught up with me.”
Meghan said she had to quit drinking before she could address her eating disorder, and she had to take her eating disorder – and the treatment plan – seriously before she saw positive results.
“I had to recognize my old thinking patterns and stop them,” she said, adding that throughout her life she felt a pressure to be the best at whatever she did.
“I’m okay with the middle ground today. Life is so interesting. I pay attention to the things that give me joy.”
April Gates, an eating disorder therapist and a founding member of the local Eating Disorders Coalition, said eating disorders are on the rise, they affect women and men, and they are starting with younger and younger individuals.
“There’s a lot of social pressure to look a certain way and social media just adds to that,” Gates said after the event. “Eating disorders are complicated and almost impossible to conquer alone. The sooner people get help, the sooner they can begin to really enjoy life again.”
For more information about eating disorders, treatment and local resources visit www.eatingdisorderscoalition.ca.
