My Eating Disorder Story (+ encouragement)

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Hello and welcome to Storytime Friday!

This is a series I will be doing on my YouTube Channel. Every Friday I will share a story with you guys. Sometimes it may be something funny or embarrassing; other times it will be something I’ve learned or experienced. Some of them will be lighthearted and fun, and others will be more serious.

This week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDAW) and it seemed only fitting that for this week’s storytime, I share my experience with an eating disorder and recovery.

Some facts about Eating Disorders:

  • National surveys estimate that 20 million women and 10 million men in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
    0.9% of women and 0.3% of men had anorexia during their life
    1.5% of women and 0.5% of men had bulimia during their life
    3.5% of women and 2.0% of men had binge eating disorder during their life
  • When another group of researchers followed a group of adolescent girls for eight years, beginning at age 12, they found even higher rates of eating disorders:
    5.2% of the girls met criteria for DSM5 anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder.
    When the researchers included nonspecific eating disorder symptoms, a total of 13.2% of the girls had suffered from a DSM-5 eating disorder by age 20.

(source)

I developed an eating disorder when I was a teenager. I struggled for years in secrecy with a combination of anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia, and exercise addiction. It wasn’t until 2010 when I finally came out about my struggles, reached out for help, and entered into recovery.

There are three messages I want to share:

  1. If you struggle with an eating disorder, you are not alone and you don’t need to be ashamed.
  2. You can access help and it can work for you.
  3. Recovery is worth it and it’s for everyone. 

Hear my story and learn more about eating disorders by watching my video:

link: https://youtu.be/jVz62-HE2-U

Looking for resources?

💋LaurenB

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