8 Things Girls With/Recovering From Eating Disorders Are Sick Of Hearing

1. “You don’t look like you have an eating disorder.”

Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t need to be 80lbs and a skeleton to be struggling with an eating disorder. In fact, most people struggling with an ED isn’t all skin and bones.

2. “Why don’t you just eat?”

Don’t you think if it were that easy, eating disorders wouldn’t exist? Food is unavoidable. It’s the center of social gatherings: coffee dates, dinner, meetings at work. It’s not just the food itself that’s scary, but the anxiety it provokes. It’s the constant battle that goes within your mind telling you, “Eat! It’s ok” vs. ED saying, “Skip it. It’ll make you fat.”

3. “People with eating disorders just want attention.”

From my own personal experience, girls with eating disorders are more sneaky than anyone else- because they don’t want people knowing. They’re pros at hiding food, spitting into napkins, and deceiving their friends and family into thinking they’re eating. Trust me, I’ve been there.

4. “Girls with eating disorders can stop whenever they want.”

Honey, if that was true, I would have put and end to this a looooong time ago. While spiraling into the dark tunnel of anorexia, I had no idea I would begin having heart palpitations, lose hair, or that it would be physically painful to start eating again. Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge-Eating are diseases. Someone with cancer, or Alzheimer’s can’t just “stop” when they want. The same goes for Eating Disorders.

5. “Ugh I feel soooooo fat, I’m just going to not eat for 2 days.”

I have heard this so many times: listening to girls talking about fitting into their prom dress, standing in line at the dining hall, etc. Each time, my blood boils. If you think not eating for 2 days will help you lose and KEEP the weight off, you’re an idiot. What you’re losing is water weight, not fat. Yeah, you may think your stomach looks a little flatter, but the second you start eating again, it’s going to come back. So do yourself and your body a favor and just eat.

6. “So, are you like, cured?”

Unfortunately, eating disorders never fully disappear. However, the taunting whispers of “you’re not good enough” and “you better throw that up” go from loud and daily, to a monthly whisper. It does get better.

7. “Ew, I ate so much. *Insert finger going in throat motion*”

That’s not cute. That’s not funny. That’s not original. If you think it’s funny to mock red knees, sore throats, and decaying teeth- you need to find a new sense of humor.

8. “Yom Kippur is an excuse for Jews to be anorexic for the day!”

Actually, Yom Kippur is a day of atonement. The elderly, people on medicine, and those who are sick are not required to fast. AKA people with eating disorders. AKA you’re an idiot.