Minds

No two losses are the same.

It was at this point when my starvation began at age 7 that I wondered: Am I controlling my body or is my body controlling me?

Ah, the holidays. Or, as it’s called in my family, the annual time of year to scrutinize and peer-pressure their darling daughter/niece/cousin/granddaughter over her eating habits.

Ah, the holidays. Or, as it’s called in my family, the annual time of year to scrutinize and peer-pressure their darling daughter/niece/cousin/granddaughter over her eating habits.

Early Monday morning, while waiting to have blood drawn in my doctor’s office, I was scrolling through my Facebook news feed. One friend had posted about feeling heartbroken.

"A common response that folks struggling with eating disorders hear is something along the lines of “Just eat,” “Just stop purging,” or “Just stop overeating.” And that’s akin to telling someone with depression to “Cheer up” or someone with anxiety to “Calm down.” That is: It’s not effective. At all. It’s actually kind of offensive."

"Because diet culture is so ingrained in our society, and therefore our psyches, a common misconception about eating disorders – and particularly those of the restricting and purging varieties – is that they’re choices that people make with the end goal of losing weight."

I wake up hungry, but I also wake up lighter, emptier. Something about it makes me feel purer. This is one feeling that’s positive in a sea of negative.