Skip to main content

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week

 

                                                                                        

by: channing smith
                                                                       artwork completed by : channing smith

A week that just means more to me, to millions of people across the world that unite in their struggles. 

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is just a small window of time where the outside world can see through the eyes of those who struggle with an eating disorder. It's a way for us that struggle to raise awareness to a mental illness that has affected us to the point of near death for many, and a life with no hope for the rest of us. National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is more than just awareness. It is a chance for those struggling with an eating disorder to be heard, to be understood, and to be seen as more than our illness.

To help you understand a little more, here are some facts:

★ No one chooses to have an eating disorder. Eating disorders are a bio-psycho-social illness which means that they are influenced by genetics and biological, environmental, and social elements.

★ You can't tell someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them. Eating disorders do not discriminate based on your body, your success, or your past.

★ Someone dies every 52 minutes as a result of an eating disorder.

★ If it were as simple as "just eat" eating disorders wouldn't have the second highest mortality rate among all mental illnesses. 

★ Over 70% of those struggling with an eating disorder never receive the care they need. Treatment is a privilege not a punishment.

Eating disorders truly affect every aspect of your life. I am speaking from personal experience when I say this... ED's take the life out of you to the point you have nothing left to give and then you lose everything because you are so stuck in a cycle of destructive behaviors. Eating disorders are not something to glamorize or brag about. They are real life disorders that have the ability to kill a person. 

I am one of the lucky ones. I had people in my corner that pushed me to get the help I needed. I wouldn't be here today without those wonderful humans. Treatment not only provided me with the tools to be in recovery, but it also gave me my best friends. While I can say that treatment was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, I can also say it was the most rewarding. Especially being alongside other incredible humans and bearing witness to their journey and successes. Treatment saved my life, but there are too many people who don't have access to the space to recovery. And that is part of what this week is about. To recognize all those who unite in their struggle yet manage to keep living despite the pain it takes to live with an eating disorder. 

Too many don't understand.

Too many continue to remain unaware.

And too many continue to suffer in silence.

I encourage you to check in on your people this week. And if you or anyone you know is struggling, please seek support. There are so many resources that can help you get the help you so greatly deserve.

Reach out, your life is worth more than this mental illness.

If you need someone to talk to, know you have a friend in me. I have been through it, and I continue to fight for recovery every single day. 

I am a NEDA warrior. I hope you choose to be one too.

xoxo kasey


988- National Suicide and Crisis Hotline

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Goodbye ED

  To a place I called home for 9 1/2 weeks... where I finally learned the detrimental effects of my eating disorder. CH saved my life, gave me some of my best friends and showed me who was truly in my corner all along, and finally showed me what a life without ED could look like.  My time at CH was difficult, one could say, especially if you've ever been through any type of mental health treatment. Day after day was hours of excruciatingly painful work. But then came the days that no longer felt like I wouldn't make it through another day. I was lucky to be surrounded by incredible people that pushed me and showed me my true potential, that I do have a purpose.  My faith guided me through this difficult circumstance, and I truly believe with my whole heart that I wouldn't be where I am today without the guidance of Him every step of the way. He had a plan, a reason, and when I finally trusted him fully, I started to find healing, strength. God put it on my heart to share ...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Year of Reflection

      "Year's end in neither an end nor beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."          Hal Borland A year of pain and disappointment also meant a year for learning, change, and growth. A year that started with confusion and a downward spiral, finished with ever-growing optimism and an understanding of what peace could look like. This year, while definitely not what I hoped for, ended up being exactly what I needed. This year provided the opportunity for me to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of my whole self. It brought me people and connections that ultimately helped me realize that I am never truly alone. This year gave me a chance to see how strong I truly am. And even in the hardest moments and on the darkest days, this year constantly reminded me of the goodness, love, and peace of Jesus. In February, while leaving from a weekend in Lynchburg, Virginia, I was given a card ...
Post a Comment
Read more