SEEKING SUPPORT

I want to thank all of you for your support whether it is in person or via social media. I wish I had the time to individually thank and give each of you the biggest hug as well as answer all your questions. Please know that I do read all of your wonderful comments and insightful questions even if I am not able to respond to you personally.

This brings me to one of my first topics to address: Many of you have so bravely reached out to me in various forms asking for advice, counseling or just some form of support. At this time due to many other commitments I have in my life, I am unable to respond to your emails and messages with the thought and attention they deserve. Currently I am going to recommend as a general statement that you seek a support team. For me it was incredibly important in my recovery process to have people around me that I could talk to honestly without any judgment. I recommend finding a therapist and/or dietician and/or doctor and/or psychiatrist. Depending on your current situation an intensive outpatient treatment center (IOP) specific to eating disorders may even be available in your area.

If you aren’t ready to seek professional help then know there are other resources you can try. If you are in school you can always go to a counselor or the student health center where they offer free and confidential support and guidance. There are also free support groups such as overeaters anonymous (OA) and anorexia nervosa and other associated disorders (ANAD) that you can look up online to see if a group is offered near your location. These groups work for some people; others do not find them helpful and that is okay.

If you get along well with your family then please don’t fear reaching out to them for support either. For me personally, my family has been a key pillar in my continuing success. Even if you just have one friend or person you can reach out to that can be enough to start with. When it comes to eating disorders I cannot stress enough that silence and secrecy perpetuates the disease. “We are only as sick as our secrets” is absolutely true. I wish I would have reached out and was honest a decade earlier than I chose to. And once my commitments shift and I am able to offer counseling services of my own I will be sure to let you know as I will offer in person and online support. ~Britt