Role Models
Finding positive and inspiring role models can be a key to recovering from an eating disorder
Finding support through people who inspire you
A number of girls and women contact me every month through either my website or after reading my book for advice and support. And what a lot of these messages have in common is the question about recovery – and if it is possible for them.
Some people – and this does not only include individuals with eating disorders, it sadly also includes some therapists, nutritionists and other health professionals – believe that full recovery does not exist; that one has to learn to live with their eating disorder for the rest of their life, that one just has to learn to control it but will never be totally free.
It makes me sad when I hear statements like this, because I know very well that full recovery IS possible! While I struggled with eating disorders, I also read and heard these statements. And it is so frustrating to hear something like this when you are in the middle of your own eating disorder battle.
I felt so discouraged, hopeless and helpless. And I had times where I thought to myself, “Why even bother fighting when I am not going to succeed anyways?” But I did not want to live like that for the rest of my life. I refused to believe that full recovery was not possible. I did not want to live with my eating disorder forever; I wanted to recover.
I wanted to be free. I wanted to be happy and healthy again. And I made a choice. I chose to challenge this opinion that I had heard and read so many times. And once I opened up my mind to the thought that recovery was indeed possible, something changed.
Now that my mind was open to this possibility, I discovered that there was a whole community of women who managed to fully recover and share their stories on their websites and in their autobiographies. Reading stories from other women who managed to recover gave me hope, and inspired me.
I read quite a lot of eating disorder autobiographies while I was struggling, and the main message that I got out of them was – if they can recover, I can too!! These women were my heroes. I looked up to them and admired them for their achievement and also for their courage to openly and honestly talk about their eating disorder struggles and recovery.
They were my role models, and one day, I wanted to be like them – I wanted to share my eating disorder success story and inspire and help others with eating disorders. And today, I am recovered. I am happy with my life and love myself and my body. And now that I am recovered, I see it as my mission to share my experience with others who struggle with eating disorders to provide hope, help, comfort, and much needed support.
Andrea Roe has published a compilation book titled, You Are Not Alone, and hosts a website with information on eating disorders.
