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I don’t even know if I actually have an ED or if I’m just being dramatic because some days I eat fine and other days I eat too much and other days I won’t let myself eat anything at all and I just can't really tell what it is.
Hi, thank you for sharing this. It sounds really confusing and overwhelming to have such different experiences with eating on different days. What you’re feeling is valid, and you’re not being dramatic. Eating struggles can show up in many ways, and it’s okay to feel uncertain about what’s going on. Remember to be gentle with yourself; you don’t have to have all the answers right now.
My friends keep saying I look healthier lately but that just makes me want to skip meals. I just don’t know how to want to recover without feeling like I’m giving up control I guess? Like I know I should want to be healthy but I just have this weird mindset where looking healthy triggers something in me that makes me want to keep up my disordered eating habits
Hi, friend.
Thank you for reaching out to us at The EmpowerED Initiative. First, I would like you to know how much I admire your courage in sharing your inner thoughts and feelings. Opening up about something so personal takes a lot of strength. From what you described, I can tell that you are going through something heavy and mentally challenging. Even if the outside world can’t see it, what you're going through is real, and it matters.
I want you to know that your worth is not something that can be measured or seen from the outside. You are a whole person—your thoughts, emotions, dreams, and the bravery you show in facing something incredibly hard. You deserve compassion, care, and space to heal at your own pace.
You are not alone in this. You don’t have to go through this without understanding and care. I recommend checking out our Recovery Library, a collection of real stories from people going through similar struggles.
Please remember: I’m not a professional, but I’m here to listen, reflect and offer warmth and kind words. I hope you can feel supported and understood. I'm grateful you felt safe enough to share this.
With love, Detti.
TEI Hotline Volunteer.
I was doing okay for a while, but I looked through old pictures of when I was sick and I miss it which is literally insane to say. But I miss how small I looked and I hate that part of me still wants that back.
Hello,
Looking at old pictures and wishing for the past is more common than you might think. Many of us desire a time when we thought something about us was more ideal. We think back and try to remember what we thought was good in the past and filter out the bad parts. It can help us to cope at times, but it is not a place we can stay forever.
Everyone deserves to feel good about themselves as they are at the moment. By realizing that you matter and deserve respect from others and yourself, you can work on the you inside. When you see your own value as the person you are now, it will serve to make you a unique person worth knowing, The outward appearance can change, but who you are in the inside can be forever.
Being a loving and caring person who sees the value of yourself and others can help us to think less of our outward appearance and concentrate on the more important things in life. Give yourself a break and see your own value as more than how you look.
Take care of yourself,
Michael