My story. We all have one. And by sharing, we can extend hope and encouragement to one another. I would love to hear yours!

…By the 8th grade, I was in the depths of anorexia nervosa. While my parents knew I had lost weight and were beginning to worry, I was able to hide the severity of it until the summer before 8th grade. It was while on vacation in Myrtle Beach that my parents saw me in a bathing suit and gasped. They were stunned by how I looked and had no idea what to do. Knowing we were away from home for the week, they tried to talk to me. We took a long walk on the beach and my dad, hoping to fix it, said, “Just eat a piece of toast.” I couldn’t. He said, “Just eat a banana. It’s healthy.” I still couldn’t. I didn’t understand why. I knew the banana was healthy. I was scared because it didn’t make sense. I just knew I could not eat it.

Many years later, with the help of many doctors and the support of my loving family, I reached a healthy weight. I looked healthy on the outside (as seen in this picture), but I had not changed on the inside. No one had a remedy for the thoughts and beliefs that still plagued me of not being good enough and not measuring up.

I was convinced that I would continue living in the prison of my mind for the rest of my life. I literally saw prison bars in my mind’s eyes; I was trapped. I could not get out. I had no answer. I had gained the required weight, everyone was happy. But I was miserable and hopeless…

{To continue reading, see Eating Disorder Testimony by clicking here. There you will see what finally brought full and lasting change and healing.}