I thought I had it all figured out. Growing up, I had learned that thin was beautiful and that meant I needed to be as thin as possible. So I became obsessed with my body, counting calories and pushing myself to exercise for hours at a time. Eventually, this obsession led me down the path of anorexia nervosa.
It wasn’t until I witnessed Portia de Rossi speak so openly about her own struggles with anorexia that I began to see how destructive it can be. Her story reminded me of how tough living with an eating disorder can be when you don’t have the words or understanding to articulate how you feel. She put a face on the sickness and suffering that those of us who live with eating disorders go through in our day-to-day lives. It gave me hope and courage to speak my truth and look for help in dealing with my anorexia head on.
Thanks to seeking professional help and finding support, I have been able to reduce the negative patterns of my behaviors associated with my fight against anorexia. But seeing someone like Portia de Rossi speaking publicly about her own journey is huge in gaining empathy and understanding on how difficult the process can be - talking it out is definitely one key element towards healing from anorexia. To anyone out there struggling, please just know there IS hope!