"With Anorexia, Total Recovery Can Be Elusive" - NYTimes

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[We've previously discussed in this community the issue of defining "recovery." I dislike that the article only really mentions recovery and EDs in context of AN, but it's interesting to see the topic addressed in a major news publication. Thoughts? What do you guys think of the viewpoints expressed by the individuals in the article? How's the

Comments

[ex_lovedisc]

Like others have said, I, too, have no recollection of a time in my life where I was not depressed and/or eating disordered. It has always been there, for as long as I can remember. So I don't think there is any going back, at least not for me. I often wonder if for someone who is not like me and CAN remember a time like that... if they have a better chance at recovery. But I have no idea.

As far as recovery goes, I'm in it. I haven't purged in over a year and a half. I still binge, on a very regular basis, but it makes sense that I would even with the absence of purging because I started binging and over-eating before the age of 5, even. I've been depressed my entire life, and I've been diagnosed with Dysthymia, which is basically chronic depression, as well as Major Depression with the possibility of Mixed Bipolar. I know I've struggled since before I can remember struggling. But... that doesn't necessarily discourage me from trying to recover, just because I have no memory of a time better than this.

Anyway, I'm currently in recovery from bulimia but I'm still struggling with binge eating disorder and compulsive over-eating. A lot. At this point it's more of an addiction than it is anything else, as well as simply habitual. So habitual that I literally have hardly ANY control over it. But if I were to get control over that... technically, would I be recovered? Probably, yes. But I would never feel recovered... not until the thoughts went away. The thoughts about food. And eating. And my weight, and throwing up, and cupcakes, and not being good enough. And shame. Until those are gone, or at least mostly gone, I don't think I'll be recovered. I cannot function ideally with all of those thoughts in my head. I just can't.

[pumpkinaday]

Kathleen MacDonald has stated before that the fact that you know there was a point where you were not eating disordered means you can get back there. That place DOES exist.

YES there are ups and downs and relapses (which, I think society plays a role in), but I honestly believe that full recovery is possible... and actually so do a LOT of those quoted in the article