A celebration of independence from ED! 

Here are ten tips to make sure the Fourth of July is a step forward in your recovery. 

CHOOSE A BUDDY.

This Mother’s Day, we want to thank all the wonderful mothers (and mother figures) for their unconditional love and support when caring for a loved one with an eating disorder.

If you could go back and talk to yourself at the beginning of your recovery journey, what would your wiser self say to your younger self?

Looking back, I have so much compassion for the young woman who was brave enough to seek out recovery from bulimia and binge eating almost 14 years ago. She was sad, and felt so alone despite the beautiful life and friends surrounding her that she was trying to take herself out, numb the hurt, escape the fear...with food.

When I was in the midst of my eating disorder I was terrified of the dark. I did anything I could to escape from darkness--those uncomfortable feelings of anxiety, deep depression and loneliness. I know what it feels like to live in darkness and feel the hopelessness that comes with feeling lost.

For years, my body didn’t belong to me. It was my disorder’s. Signed and paid for with my own self-hatred; countless hours at the gym on almost zero food; a scrap of paper I kept in my calendar to proudly mark the number of calories I’d burned, far greater than what I’d consumed. My anorexia had had her brittle hands on me for years, and I didn’t want to admit it. She was with me when I tried on wedding dresses, forcing me to choose the one I felt least fat in. She would whisper in my ear every time I bought groceries.

Treatment works best when delivered early. 

When I think about what it takes to recover from an eating disorder, it is really many things working together … it is not just getting treatment, being motivated, or having a good support system. Recovery is a recipe, and community support can be a big part of that recipe. Events like the Twin Cities NEDA Walk provide those in any stage of recovery (and their families and support systems) a chance to get together and cheer each other on with hope and inspiration.

While volunteering at a Los Angeles animal shelter, I met a brindle, ten-month-old pit bull named Sunny. She was very undernourished, and her tail looked like it had been chopped in half and then stomped on in three places. Yet despite her dire circumstances, a joyful energy moved through her. Every time I slipped inside her kennel, she came barreling into my arms and sprawled across my lap—her whole body wagging along with her stub tail.

Taking time to care for yourself is an important part of recovery from an eating disorder. As Audre Lorde said, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation....” With that in mind, we've compiled a master list of ideas, inspiration, tips and tidbits to help you find the kind of self-care that works for you! Take a look and feel free to experiment!

Look at inspiring messages and images online