National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is happening now! Supporting people in recovery is part of Union Yoga's mission. Let's talk about it.
How yoga helps
Yoga won't cure an eating disorder. To say otherwise isn't fair to yoga, and it's well outside my scope of practice as an RYT-200. I won't be dispensing medical advice today. I'll stay in my lane.
Surviving an eating disorder involves nothing short of going to hell and back. It is not glamorous, nor is recovery like flipping a switch. Misconceptions I had about eating disorders delayed my diagnosis, led to feelings of shame, and made it difficult for others to help. With assistance from medical professionals and a support system, I was able to find a place of wellness.
Even as I joyfully celebrate 10 years of recovery this year, there are still moments when the eating disorder attempts to derail the recovery. The power of yoga in my recovery is that it has reconnected me with my body and my mind. My limbs feel like they are attached to the rest of me, which wasn't always the case. I have cultivated my capacity to notice my thoughts well enough that I am able to spot an anorexic thought right away. When a lot of those thoughts come to visit, I let someone know. This illness thrives in secrecy, and I can take away its best weapon with my awareness.
Yoga also gives our nervous systems some much-needed respite. My therapist used to tell me, "When you stress, you regress." We can't prevent stressful things from happening, but yoga can help us handle our stress.
Things to know about eating disorders
Eating disorders are shrouded in misconceptions. Whether or not you yourself are in recovery, there's a good chance you know someone who is. This knowledge makes us all stronger.
Here are some facts:
You can’t always tell that someone has an eating disorder by looking at them.
People of any socio-economic status can be impacted by eating disorders.
Men and women are affected by eating disorders.
POC experience eating disorders at similar rates as white people, but POC are less likely to receive help for eating disorders.
Eating disorders have the second-highest mortality rate (behind opioid addiction) among all mental health disorders.
Eating disorders often co-occur alongside trauma, substance abuse disorders, and a myriad of mental health disorders.
To learn more about eating disorders or more about how eating disorders impact specific demographics, check out the NEDA website. They've got the research and statistics summarized, and they cite their sources!
To the loved ones of people with eating disorders
In the depths of my illness, many people made comments about my body. They said things like, “ I wish I looked like you,” “This is the first time I have ever seen you eat,” or “You need to just eat more.” None of these words helped me. Instead, they aggravated the monster inside of me. I was angry for a long time because of the way people around me behaved… even after I became well.
I don’t want to scare you from speaking up, and I don’t want you to feel bad if you’ve said something like this to your loved one in the past. Those people in my life didn’t have the tools to know what to say. My appearance and behavior made them uncomfortable, but at the time there wasn’t enough accessible education around how we can help people with eating disorders.
Please review this page to learn more about the steps you can take to help. Remember to practice mindfulness when approaching a discussion with your beloved one about this sensitive topic. Pause. Take some time to get centered. Your clarity can be a beacon in the darkness.
I can see that you are suffering. I think of you with great compassion. I hope you and your loved ones will find peace.
To people struggling with eating disorders and in recovery
Dear ones, this is hard, but it is also possible to feel well. I understand that eating disorders are physically and emotionally painful. It can be so frustrating to feel that you’re battling with your own mind.
Do you remember how we’ve talked about the "inner-roommate" that chatters constantly when you’re trying to settle your mind? An eating disorder is like the worst kind of inner roommate. As soon as you try to settle yourself or as soon as you experience a small victory in the doctor’s office, that eating disorder will nag you. It’ll try to make your victories into defeats. I hope you’ll see it for what it is. I hope you’ll practice noticing when the disorder is doing that. It’s still tough, but I’ve found it much easier to stand up to the bully when I can see it. Having a team of people (medically trained professionals and people who care about you) helps a lot.
Your journey may not look like mine since we may not have the same disorder and our lived experiences vary. There's a lot of relearning how to care for ourselves in any recovery though. To be frank, some of it is going to suck. Keep going. Do not give up. It is worth it to be well.
Here are some resources to know:
Connect with a trained volunteer 24/7 at the NEDA Crisis Text Line by texting “NEDA” to 741741.
You can also chat/ call/text the helpline. Please see this page for numbers and hours of availability. They'll connect you and your loved ones with resources to get you on the path to recovery.
Since I've been in recovery, I have experienced so much happiness that I didn’t even think was possible back then. There’s a world waiting for you. And if you’ve relapsed and feel yourself going down a path of unwellness again, know that you can turn it around. You might need some help, but you can. Do not give up. It is worth it to be well again.
I can see that you are suffering. I think of you with great compassion. I hope you and your loved ones will find peace.
To those who have lost someone to an eating disorder
If I could sit beside you right now, I would. I wouldn’t say much. Talk is cheap sometimes. I’d sit beside you so you’d know someone is there.
You can do all the things doctors and the National Eating Disorders Association tell you to do to support a loved one with an eating disorder, and your beloved one can still pass away. This is not your fault.
There is no deficiency of character here within you or your beloved one. In much the same way that people do not elect to have terminal illnesses, people do not elect to have eating disorders. My friend, you will have to grieve, and that can look a lot of ways. I can’t tell you how to do it.
One thing I hope you’ll realize is that you are your beloved one’s continuation. He or she can no longer be here in the physical form. When you breathe, you can take a breath for them. When you walk, you can walk in their honor. When you practice compassion, you can practice for them. Because you have known the pain of losing someone in this way, you have more compassion for those who have suffered and who are suffering. Your beloved has imbued you with an understanding. You have to grieve first, but in time you may see ways that you can be your loved one’s continuation.
I can see that you are suffering. I think of you with great compassion. I hope you and your loved ones will find peace.
Unless we are all well...
Rex has said that none of us are well unless we are ALL well. I believe it.
Through practice, all the shame I had from this illness has been transformed into compassion for those who suffer. I wish I could wave a wand and fix things for everyone. I know a lot of you kind souls on the other side of this message wish for the same thing. Life doesn't work like that. We can't snap our fingers. We can extend a hand, though. We can keep walking beside one another. With each step, we're a little stronger. With each breath, we can help each other along the path.