There is an answer
supporting those who are locked into compulsive activity around food, and those who seek to help them

Recovery IS possible!

One common fear for those struggling with an eating disorder is the question of whether it is really possible to recover from an eating disorder.  Lots of people have tried to recovery on their own before – perhaps using willpower to control their eating, or trying to add foods into their diet.  However, often they go about it the wrong way, or focus too much on food and do not look at the underlying issues.  Sometimes the challenge of changing their eating can seem too much, and this leads people to fear that they will never be able to recover.  Some people worry that they are not strong enough, or that their eating disorder is somehow a sign that they are mad.  This really isn’t the case however.  An eating disorder is a coping strategy that someone has become trapped within – a strategy that unfortunately causes more problems than it solves.  It really is possible to recover – and as many of our staff are recovered sufferers we really can vouch for this.

Recovering from an eating disorder ...

Whether you are struggling against an eating disorder yourself, or supporting someone else in their fight, recovery is something that you will no doubt spend a lot of time thinking about.  Maybe this is because it is your hope – the thing you are hoping to see happen.  More often though, especially for sufferers, it is something that the people around them are talking about – the professionals working with them, or the friends and family caring for them.  From the outside of an eating disorder it tends to seem obvious that recovery is the ‘ideal outcome’, the thing that everyone needs to be working towards.  But for sufferers recovery is something that is less certain, and may even seem very frightening. 

Real life stories of recovery

Everyone's experience of recovery is different - but to read a few people talking about what recovery meant for them, click here

The path to recovery ...

ABC's Director, Kate Middleton, has written a book all about recovery from eating disorders - what it is and how to start working on recovery.  The book is called 'Eating Disorders, The Path to Recovery' and is available from ABC or all good bookshops.  For more info click here or contact the office to order copies.
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