MY STORY SNAPSHOT
For those of you who are new or would like a snapshot of my story…
Growing up I was bullied and teased a lot and never had any close friends. I was a talented athlete and good student, but my self-esteem was nonexistent. When I was 13 I fell victim to anorexia and exercise addiction.
The next 7 years I spent in and out of treatment centers and hospitals only to have doctors and therapists come to the same conclusion. “She’s hopeless. We’ve never seen such a tragic case.” In 2009, I became so sick that the university asked me to leave during my freshman year of college and I wasn’t allowed to return until I achieved certain health requirements. So began my next 6 months in a hospital on the brink of death. I lost all my hair, had to relearn how to walk, couldn’t think or recognize people, faced liver failure and was given almost no chance to survive.
Fast forward only a little over 1 year later and I became obese. After surviving what seemed to be impossible, I began binge eating frantically everyday. I was in shock. I stared at a stranger in the mirror everyday, was embarrassed to leave my house and didn’t want to live anymore. Bulimia later followed.
It took many difficult years of patience, hard work and a little hope, but I have now completely turned my life around. I’m healthy, I’m happy, I have good friends and I’m learning to love who I am, flaws and all. I am back playing tennis, riding horses and learning to enjoy life in a new way. I have written a memoir titled, Safety In Numbers: From 56 to 221 Pounds, My Battle with Eating Disorders, for which I’m currently seeking publication.
Please know you are never alone, there are good people out there and you can build a wonderful life no matter how many odds are stacked against you. ~Britt
Let’s stay connected and inspired on our journeys together!