A QUESTION OF CHOICE

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🌿If only eating disorders were as simple as a choice … because they are far from it. The misconception that they result from choices is one of the most harmful myths that sustain the stigma surrounding eating disorders. But they are not a choice; rather they are complex medical and psychiatric illnesses influenced by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and social factors.
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An eating disorder was never my choice, but I nevertheless felt obligated to remain loyal and hold onto it. Initially, my eating disorder helped me cope, and I relied on a multitude of strange behaviors that I believed kept me safe. I understood that my actions were harmful, and I was aware that recovery was the right decision. But I was angry! It seemed absurdly unfair. Why should I have to go through the work of recovery for something I didn’t even want? That I didn’t even choose?
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The conundrum is this: Even though an eating disorder is not your choice, you are still responsible for how you choose to deal with it.
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Ultimately, the decision is up to you. Will you choose to surrender and resign to ED? Or will you decide to fight and recover from ED? An eating disorder is a challenge in your life, but it is also an opportunity to find out just how strong and capable you are. Recovery happens in the small, mundane, and often counterintuitive choices you’re faced with each day. You are the artist of your recovery, and you get to create and sculpt it any way you like.
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Eating disorders manifest as a way to cope with a myriad of underlying issues. It wasn’t your fault or choice, but this doesn’t exempt you from the recovery process. You can take back your power. You don’t have to hold on to your eating disorder. You are capable of choosing to let it go.
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So how do you let go? How do you give up the behaviors that you believe hold you together? You trust. You ask for support. You face your fears. You sit with the pain. You stay patient. You focus on yourself. You take small steps. You celebrate every victory. You fight. You choose. You change. You heal. Don’t be afraid to start over … because it is in that leap to the unknown where you will find your wings. ~Britt💜