A poem on the internal batte that is an eating disorder
“I couldn’t”
Tag: Mental health
The long road to freedom: eating disorder recovery, self-identity, and the dangers of complacency
Recovery from an eating disorder is possible, but it's never as straight forward as you might think. Some lessons learned from my own experience
World Mental Health Day: let’s make it last
World Mental Health Day brings mental health to the top of the agenda for once: let's make it last and make real changes to how we live so that we can build a mentally healthier society
Rebuilding Bridges: Eating Disorder Recovery and Trust
Given that deceit is a central element of an eating disorder, it is no surprise that truthfulness and honesty are a crucial pillar of recovery. But honesty can be painful, and it can take a long time to rebuild that trust with the people you love.
Taste the Rainbow? The LGBT Mental Health Crisis and Eating Disorders
There is a mental illness epidemic amongst the LGBT community. Nearly half of all men with eating disorders are gay. Something needs to be done, and for that to happen, we need to understand the reasons and expand the conversation.
Think Perfection is Something to be Proud of? Think again
Perfectionism and the pressures it brings can be a key factor in the development and maintenance of a number of mental illnesses, especially eating disorders. It's time to better understand what it means and to get more realistic. It's a common enough word, a label that most people are proud to own. "I'm a perfectionist, … Continue reading Think Perfection is Something to be Proud of? Think again
Men Get Eating Disorders Too: why the conversation about eating disorders has to be more inclusive
I am a male who was diagnosed with anorexia at the age of 20. At first I was ashamed and embarrassed. But I now realise that I had nothing to be ashamed about. I want you to know that it is ok to feel pain, but you do not need to feel shame and guilt - it is ok to ask for help. If you fear you may have an eating disorder or think you know a guy who might, it's time to speak up and ge the help you need and deserve. I did. It was the hardest process I have ever experienced, but it was worth it.
It’s all in the mind: take control of how you see yourself
How can people with eating disorders begin to challenge their negative body image? And can the wider population learn something from them?
Change how you see, not what you see.
The Elephant in the Room: What the struggle with body image tells us about the psychology of eating disorders, and their real causes
Eating disorders are often reduced to struggles over body image. Those struggles are a symptom of the illness, not the cause, and reveal a lot about the psychology of the illness.
