Just saying Hello

[HKAngel24]

Hello all --

I was first very reluctant to post on this forum purely because of some of the stickies at the top. I am currently in recovery from anorexia and my last inpatient treatment stay was in the summer of 2003. I have struggled with my eating disorder for many years and it has cost me much lost time of my childhood being in and out of facilities and continued relapses. Two times in my life I was told I would not survive. My ED has taken so much from me that despite the continued, life-long struggle this will be for me, I have REFUSED to give it my entire life. For years I was robbed of things a girl my age would enjoy only to have a life of hospital and inpatient stays, extreme absence from school and the constant psychiatric and medical focus on my weight - the exact thing I was trying to free myself from.
Regardless of the type of eating disorder (I have suffered from bingeing and purging at one point to compulsive eating to stuff my feelings, as well) I truly believe that they trap women into a downward spiral of self-loathing and alienation.
I have seen women in various statesI have seen women in every stage of every ED at every age and have committed to a life of freedom, not one governed by food, weight and calories.

I am not fully over my eating issues- not even remotely, but I have steadily worked on them for the past four years and am in a good place. I have slips back where I feel like I am going to cycle out of control but I am able to remember all that I have learned thus far and all that I want to acomplish and how I am no longer willing to give away personal power to something that will inevitably take my life from me.

I just want to say hello and that I would like to lend support to everyone who wants to believe that there is a better life beyond obsessions over food and weight.
Regardless of what type of eating disorder you struggle from I want to to tell you that you CAN get better.
There is a better way to live and it does not include enslaving and badgering our bodies.
Life with an eating disorder is NOT any sort of life, it is an existence.
You deserve life.

My prayers to all of you!

[symposium]

YOU also deserve life.

It's great you're working so hard to have a real life.

I'm new here, but I must say I'm already getting a lot of support and I hope you do also.

Good luck.

Heather

[Neagrm]

Heather, I appreciate your great note. It felt empowering and encouraging to read it. I hope you'll write more about your journey and I thank you for being here.

Symposium, I also welcome you. I haven't been on the ED forum all that long and I hope more and more people will continue sharing their hope and strength. I find it so helpful to read, but cannot always post, seems to come in spurts.

Keep coming back.
Nea

[Done_With_It]

~Welcome~

[Pony]

HKAngel24,

I want to welcome you to this forum and thank you for sharing that part of your story with us. It would be very beneficial to many here to hear about your journey to recovery in dealing with your ED issues. Sharing experiences, giving support and hope is what we are about here. There are no expert answers within thee pages, just a coming together of those whose struggle daily with the issues and emotional challanges that are a part of having an eating disorder. Support is very important.

I am Pony, the Moderator for this forum. I appologise if the sticky's above were scaring you off, though I am not sure why they would. They are not meant to. I try to have as much helpful info. there, easy to find, as I can. If you have some suggestions, I am always open to hearing them. You can contact me via Private Message. Thanks

Looking forward to getting to know you.

[BigSis]

((Heather))) Welcome!

I know for me, the "fear" I feel is all mine, but I can be triggered just by talking about or thinking about the reality of it. I hope you post more! Glad to see you here.

[Nina Kay]

HKAngel,
I'm also glad to see you posting here on the ED Forum and I want to welcome you also. Thanks so much for sharing your ESH. I hope that you'll continue to come here to share with us.