Eating disorders can be extremely isolating. Those who struggle often feel alone, part of a select and sad minority. Society’s tendency to shy away from the subject often exacerbates the situation, causing those who are suffering to retreat deeper into the shadows.
If you, or someone you know, is suffering from an eating disorder, it’s important to understand that you are not alone. The journey to recovery begins with just one step, and knowledge is power when it comes to dealing with the issue.
We talked to six different women of different ages and stages to gain a broad scope of perspective:
1. Former Miss Pennsylvania Uses Her Platform to Spread Awareness
Carolina West has decided to use her platform as former Miss Pennsylvania to spread awareness about eating disorders. “I had an eating disorder a few years back, and it really consumed my daily life,” says West. Her idea of a “perfect” body took shape when she joined the equestrian community and began entering show-jumping competitions. “I considered my ideal weight to be 118, and I focused like a laser on it,” she says. A good friend eventually recognized the problem and intervened, reaching out to West and opening her eyes to the issue. This inspired West to open up to others and, in turn, to help herself. “I wanted to encourage girls to love themselves and know they are not alone,” she says.
2. Embracing Plus-Size Positivity
While you might suspect someone who is a size two of having an eating disorder, it’s not likely you’d look at someone who is plus-size and think of him or her as potentially anorexic. But this was the case for plus-size fashion blogger Abby Hoy. Hoy echoes the sentiment of others in explaining that many eating disorders revolve around issues of control. The 25-year-old Camp Hill resident recently wrote about a struggle she had with an eating disorder after a breakup with a boyfriend. “I was trying to punish him. I knew he couldn’t control how much I ate,” she says. By telling her story, she hopes that others will seek help if they feel the need. In the meantime, she is enjoying being a model for positivity. Part of that plan is providing helpful hints and tips for plus-size women to put their best foot forward and step out in style through her blog, “Penny Darling” (pennydarlingtheblog.com). “Fashion retailers have been very supportive, and women in particular are quick to give you positive feedback and tell you that you look great in something,” she says. Hoy was thankful that she was able to overcome her issues and be happy and confident in her own skin. “People often think that your weight and size are relevant to your happiness, but your happiness should come first, no matter what size you are. I think that all the challenges that led up to this have been worthwhile because I came out on the other side,” she adds.
3. Triggers, Treatment, and Teamwork
Leah Wypych works as a clinical outreach and staff recruitment representative for the Center for Discovery in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Center manages 50 programs in 11 states to help those with eating disorders. Wypych herself struggled with bulimia, binging, and purging, and it wasn’t until she reached her early 30s that she decided to seek help. “It’s a very private thing,” she says. Today, at age 39, she helps others with an empathy born of experience. Wypych believes it takes a team to lead others on the path to recovery. She advises those seeking help to be aware that there is a special certification through the International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals.
Johanna Kandel also works in the field. The West Palm Beach, Florida, resident struggled with anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders for more than a decade. “Eating disorders run in my family—both of my parents have struggled with it,” she says, explaining how her father is a Holocaust survivor and how her mother came from a poor family. “Genetics loads the gun; environment pulls the trigger,” she says. She, too, struggled with anxiety and was hard on herself; perfectionism became part of her persona.
Early on, she developed a passion for ballet. Her “trigger” was rejection. When she failed to make the cut at an important audition, she began implementing caloric restrictions on herself. “They said I didn’t get the part because I looked so young,” Kandel said. Rather than accept the explanation, Kandel blamed it on her weight. After graduating high school, Kandel danced professionally, but her eating disorders eventually landed her in the cardiac care unit of the local hospital. “And yet no one on staff mentioned anything about an eating disorder,” marvels Kandel, adding that to this day less than 20 percent of physicians are being educated about eating disorders.
Her eating disorders eventually landed her in the cardiac care unit of the local hospital. “And yet no one on staff mentioned anything about an eating disorder.”
Eventually enough was enough and Kandel, at age 20, decided to seek therapy. “My recovery took a long time; it’s not abstinence-based, so you take one step forward and three steps back. You don’t recover to Utopia. You recover to life,” she says.
Today, at age 39, she helps others as the CEO of the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness, advocating for legislation to help those who struggle and traveling across the country to spread awareness about the plight that affects so many lives.
4. A Path towards Helping Others
Melainie Rogers, founder of Balance eating disorder treatment center in New York City, explains how she went from coping with an eating disorder that began in her early 20s to helping others on the road to recovery decades later. An emotional trigger set off the initial chain of events.
“I broke up with my boyfriend, and my grandfather passed away in the same week,” says Rogers, whose strategy was to embrace that which she could control using calorie restriction, over-exercising, and marathon running as coping mechanisms.
Like so many others, Rogers was also dealing with anxiety. “Despite there being a number of suicides in my family, no one talked about mental health. There’s no shame in it, but society doesn’t view it that way,” she says. According to Rogers, anxiety is common in eating disorders, so some clients need medication, but talk therapy is considered the “gold standard” for treatment.
Rogers eventually embarked upon a career in sports nutrition and realized that many of her clients had “the underpinnings of disordered eating.” She recognized the potential for those clients to go down that slippery slope towards a full-blown eating disorder and decided to do something about it. Today, at age 48, she oversees a successful outpatient treatment center that offers clients help through a multidisciplinary approach that includes the assistance of doctors, psychologists, nutritionists, and psychiatrists.
5. Group Therapy
There’s a reason why Rogers refers to talk therapy as the “gold standard.” Many individuals find it helpful to discuss their issues within the safety of a group. Melody Alicea learned about Eating Disorders Anonymous through a colleague and has been attending meetings since last April. The 40-year-old Lancaster resident said she would turn to food as a crutch to cope with emotional setbacks. “This turned into binge eating, then feeling shame and guilt and allowing that to spiral out of control,” she says. When Alicea finally admitted she had a problem and began attending the meetings, she noticed a positive difference in her relationship with food. “It’s almost like a 12-step program, and I use it as one of the tools in my toolbox. I recognize the emotion and move on.” Alicea says she uses meditation and journaling as well. “It helps to know that there are others who struggle with the same things so that they don’t feel alone. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
What Defines an Eating Disorder?
According to the National Easting Disorders Association (NEDA), eating disorders are treatable mental illnesses that can affect anyone, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status. National surveys estimate that 20 million women and 10 million men will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
Some of the more commonly known disorders include bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating disorder, but this is far from a complete list. For a list of other disorders, visit the NEDA website at nationaleatingdisorders.org.
If you, or someone you know needs help, you can visit the Eating Disorders Anonymous website at eatingdisordersanonymous.org to find a meeting near you.
