experiences with eating disorders

eat that much during the day, but then I’d get hungry and upset with myself and binge at night. It was just this process of having hope and just disappointing myself every day.”

Over the course of seven months, this senior gained 40 pounds due to this binge eat ing. Suddenly, she didn’t rec ognize herself, leading to a decline in mental health, es pecially once she was back

“I was just always uncomfortable, like I would catch a glimpse of myself

She be gan to feel ostracized, spe cifically within her

“I felt like the odd man out. They would always just ask, ‘Are you really hungry? Do you really want seconds?’ It wasn’t them that I hated, but it was the idea that I knew people were noticing and watching and that people had judgments around that,” the senior said. “They would go get ice cream and be like, ‘No, you don’t need any,’ things like that. It was just kinda hard, and they just didn’t really know what to do.”

However, the senior doesn’t blame them for making her feel ashamed. Instead, she offers advice.

“I can imagine how hard it is to be in my family’s position where they just don’t know what to do. How are they supposed to know what I want them to do if I don’t tell them? Communi cation is really important between the people around you and yourself,” she said.

With an increase in communication, the senior was able to ask for help. Her family helped her find a nutritionist who helped her plan meals and restore her relationship with food and eating. While the road to recovery was not easy nor linear for this senior, the results were astounding.

“Now after recovery, I am really proud of myself, and I feel really powerful,” the anonymous senior said. “I feel empowered because I know I have the willpower. I know I can do really

The aforementioned student who suffered from bulimia was also hesitant to ask for help, but once they told their parents about their disorder, they regretted not doing so sooner.

“I decided to tell them once I already had dealt with the worst of it. I wish I had told them sooner because they were very understanding and more than happy to offer their support. I know when you are dealing with a bad episode, or a day where you just feel horrible about your body, it’s hard to stop yourself from these bad habits. It’s okay to have bad days. Recovery is not an overnight process. To this day, I am still recovering. There are even times when I will relapse and repeat old habits,” the stu-

“But what I’ve learned, and what I hope anyone else struggling will take away from this too, is that you should never give up on recovery through good days and bad,” the student said.

They added, “[Don’t be] too harsh on yourself or too embarrassed to tell your loved ones. Someone you know will offer support, and don’t stop reaching out until someone does.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, contact the National Eating Disorder Association Helpline: 1-800-931-2237.

Art by Tania Perez-Landerio