Helpful Numbers

National Eating Disorder Association Helpline : 1-800-931-2237

Text NEDA : 741741

National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline (NAMI) : 1-800-950-NAMI

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Eating Disorders: 1-630-577-1330

You Might Not Know

Eating disorders are not weight disorders. The way someone's body looks is not at all an indicator of whether or not someone is struggling with disordered eating. The notion that someone needs to be very underweight for them to be sick prevents a lot of people from feeling validated and receiving the help they need. Anyone can struggle with an eating disorder regardless of gender, race, age, or any other factor. Removing inner biases about who this disorder affects is essential in helping people get the help they need and be recognized.

Reconsider Your Recovery Story

It is so important to have the opportunity to share your recovery experience if you feel comfortable and are interested in doing so. When we talk openly about our experiences, those in the midst of their eating disorder can feel less alone. However, eating disorders are by far the most competitive mental illness. This means that when people share details of their past sicknesses, others may compare their own eating disorders to the one they are hearing about which can be very harmful. The best way to avoid this is to focus your story around what helped you in recovery and inspiring others, rather than going into the depths of your illness. Recovery stories should never include numbers - weights, calories, etc. Some details end up doing more harm than good for people listening so asking yourself how this information could impact a person listening is a great way to decide what to share.