Happy National Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2021! It seems like with every passing year, the engagement in this event grows. I’ve loved logging onto Instagram and Twitter and seeing so many positive quotes and recovery stories on my feed. This type of openness and support has been monumental in chipping away at the stigma surrounding mental illness and truly is the best way to normalize talking about mental health and keep making forward progress.
Speaking of progress, this is the first year I’m celebrating Eating Disorder Awareness Week when I’m in a solid place in my recovery. There was a time not too long ago when I wondered whether I even had the right to promote recovery if I wasn’t quite there myself. Thankfully, those thoughts—those doubts—are in the past, and I plan to keep them there. I’ve realized that getting to this better place really boiled down to time, patience, and exposure. Time to heal. Patience to forgive myself. And exposure to challenge my disorder again and again. None of it was easy, nor was it fun. But I have no doubt that it was completely worth it.
Eating Disorder Awareness Week is an overwhelmingly positive event that promotes hope and education and provides support and resources. However, it’s not without its share of controversy. With the increased outpouring of support comes an increased outcry against one fairly common occurrence: before and after photos. While this is usually done with the best intentions, for people who have or are still struggling with an eating disorder, before photos where weight loss is often evident can be very triggering. I know that when I was in the worst of anorexia, I’d only focus on the before photos, comparing myself to the emaciated individual and wondering if I’d ever be thin enough or sick enough to please my disorder (spoiler alert: I never was).
While these photos no longer bother me, I know they continue to hurt many brave people who are battling this brutal illness. So if you’re going to post on social media in support of ED Awareness, please be cognizant of this. Just as words have actions, so do pictures.
To everyone celebrating recovery this week, I offer my utmost support and congratulations. To everyone wanting to celebrate but not quite ready yet, you will get there. As I said, so much of the goodness and beauty in recovery comes with time. If there are two things to take out of Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2021, they are that you’re not alone and that recovery is very possible.
– Julia
Nourish 
I had anorexia as a teenager – and thank goodness got over it. Still an important topic!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for sharing! I’m so glad to hear you survived anorexia; I know that’s no easy feat. And yes, it’s super important to talk about, now more than ever.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad the worries of “whether I even had the right to promote recovery if I wasn’t quite there myself” are in the past. Sharing your thoughts and your experiences or campaigning for compassion are wonderful things to be able to do, whether you’re ‘recovered’, in the midst of your journey or continually working towards an ED-free life. Overcoming an eating disorder has been one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done, and I still find the thoughts a daily challenge. Fabulous post! xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I too am so glad those worries have faded! It truly is a brutal disorder, and I commend you for your strength to overcome it. The thoughts are still there for me as well but they’re so much quieter and weaker than they used to be, something I never thought was possible but is thanks to recovery.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such an important topic, thank you for raising awareness! 💕
LikeLiked by 3 people
You’re very welcome! It certainly is an important topic!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations love! That’s such a huge accomplishment! You should be beyond proud of yourself❤️
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much!
LikeLike
I think that if those who have recovered from an eating disorder want to post before and after pictures, then this is up to them, but I think the picture should be covered up, so that people can only see it if they choose to. Because many feel they are celebrating how far they have come, but at the same time it can be rather triggering to some.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree. As amazing as it is that they were able to recover, there should at least be some sort of cover up or trigger warning for those who just aren’t there yet.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Agreed, coming from someone who has “recovered”, I am sometimes tempted to post transformations. But then I don’t really see how a picture can really help others that much at all.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yep, me too. Plus I don’t see how it’ll help me or benefit my recovery either by sharing a picture from an upsetting time in my life.
LikeLiked by 2 people
❤️❤️❤️ thank you for sharing this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Recovery suits you!
LikeLiked by 2 people
A subject that everyone should think about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I couldn’t agree more!
LikeLiked by 1 person