The recovery process will take time and it will not be easy

The recovery process will take time and it will not be easy. Many people have asked me how long it will take, but I cannot answer such a question nor should anyone else feel that they can. Everyone is different and everyone will recover at their own pace. You cannot put a time limit on recovery. I can tell you that the eating disorder will not disappear overnight like many people wish for. Going to bed at night, hoping and praying it will not be there in the morning, will not help you. You will only feel worse when you awake to find it still present in your life. Acceptance is best. Accept that for now you do have an eating disorder, but remind yourself it is only temporary. The more you move forward in your own personal recovery, the more the eating disorder will be left behind to become part of your past. Recovery is difficult, but then again, so is living with an eating disorder.

I know that I used to want a quick fix and be recovered immediately. I discovered that there were no quick fixes. I hated living daily with an eating disorder and wanted so badly for it to go away so that I could feel good, experience happiness and start living. I came to realize that I had two choices:

1) I could hold on to the eating disorder, stop fighting and give in to it.

2) I could make the decision to let go of the eating disorder, fight it daily, and receive help and treatment.

No matter what choice I made, I knew neither decision would give me instant relief from how badly I was feeling. After facing those choices I knew the best one was the second. By choosing the second choice, I accepted that for a period of time I would continue to feel badly, if not worse, but eventually things would seem brighter, I would feel better and I would recover and have my life back. If I choose the first choice, I would have continued to feel badly and there would have be no chance for recovery and no chance at life. I guess what I am trying to say is that when you decide to recover, accept that it is a process and it does take time. You are not going to feel better immediately. It can take a long time to feel better, especially depending on the underlying issues that you need to deal with, but always know that in time, you will feel better. Recovery is very difficult, but it really is worth it.

I hope the sections below will be helpful to those beginning the recovery process and those who are already on their journey to eating disorder freedom. I wish you all the best and may God be with each one of you as you fight to destroy the eating disorder that has held you a prisoner for far too long.