It’s taken over a year for my daughter to be comfortable enough in her skin that I was allowed to talk about a battle she’s been fighting with all of her soul. I promised I would not use her name in this, but it was vital that we put our experience in writing for her healing and for others who might be struggling.
About a year and a half ago, my daughter pretty much stopped eating. She lost so much weight, we were all really concerned and decided to see a doctor. It was no surprise to me that she was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, but none of us knew what that really meant for her or for us. We talked with multiple excellent doctors, and they directed us to an online treatment platform where we would engage as a family and work with our daughter to manage her illness.
It was a challenging task; every day was work. We had to plate and watch every meal, every bite. There were tears of frustration as she struggled with her inner voice telling her she needed to lose weight and that she wasn’t good enough. One thing we kept constant in our lives was attending church, praying, and being together as a family. We stopped talking about food and body image and consciously talked about strength, love, and commitment.
Eating disorders are an invisible illness, and my daughter didn’t want anyone to know. She felt broken as if there was something wrong with her. She was embarrassed that she didn’t have control over an eating disorder that was ruling her mind. This was a harsh feeling to work through and talk about. It still is. She is in recovery, and we are grateful, but these disorders don’t go away. She will have to fight this her whole life and do so with God’s love and the community of support surrounding us. This is just a short synopsis of the year-and-a-half battle we have waged.
How blessed are we to have found this community with belief in God so deep that you can feel the support and unconditional love in the room?
God Bless,
Amanda