If you have recovered from an eating disorder as an adult, how?

[glitteringfishy]

Posting here for traffic, and also as I imagine people who have recovered may not frequent the ED forum!

If you have had, and recovered fully from, an eating disorder as an adult, and particularly as a parent, then how? I need some hope. I know everyone is different and there is no magic answer. Just some positive stories would be comforting right now.

Bump for you op

A lot of therapy. I was in outpatient treatment at our local hospital for two stints. One of 9 months and a further 6 months a year or so later. I did a treatment called MANTRA which is the Maudsley method for adults, which was very helpful. It wasn’t easy but the hardest thing was asking for help. I also saw a dietitian and stuck to meal plans.

I still struggle though, if I’m honest. I’m weight restored and more functional on a day to day basis than I was but if I’m stressed the first thing that goes is food - either restriction or purging.

I don’t aim for recovery though, I aim for remission. I’ve had issues with food for over 30 years so I think that I’ll always have to be vigilant and make sure I don’t slip back into bad behaviour. I try to recognise the warning signs before things get too bad and adjust life accordingly.

Sorry this isn’t a story of being recovered - more of ongoing fighting and succeeding at the moment - but it means life is manageable.

Yes I did... but it wasn't anorexia. Anorexia is more of a life long thing to manage. Lots of people have chronic diseases to manage their whole lives.