Recovery is worth it for so many reasons! You can regain health; life; a future; freedom; control; respect for yourself for making the responsible choice; and the ability to do things that you couldn’t when you were ill (including eating all the yummy foods you were daydreaming about when you were sick!), to name a few! It’s so good to live a real life again, to not feel restricted, and to not be obsessed by the food you’ve taken away from yourself.

If you’re using the illness as a way to deal with other issues, try to harness the determination, self-control, and focus that you’ve used in the ED and rechannel them. Get help in addressing your problems in a direct, constructive, and positive way. This way, you can work on more useful and long-term solutions, and can avoid the many complications and disadvantages of the ED (such as harming your body, upsetting those who care about you, medical appointments and costs, losing control, and not being able to do things that you would normally enjoy).

You don’t need to be perfect – no-one you know is and you love them anyway. No-one knows everything – just because you might not be able to imagine that something can happen, it doesn’t mean it won’t happen. People’s lives are filled with great things that we once thought were impossible. So never give up hope! A healthy life really is worth it, and even if you can’t see it right now, that doesn’t make it any less true. You’re alive for a reason – the world needs you! Love and respect yourself because you’re worth it, and always will be.

Hugs & Kisses – S. Hastings