You will recover.

[sliverofsilver]

Hey, you. Yes, you.

You’re on your recovery road but you keep taking two steps and then one step back? Sometimes you just take several steps back, and sometimes a hurricane puts you all the way back at the start. Well, that’s going to happen.

I can’t say that- there’s a chance that your recovery is going to be quick and snappy, with no setbacks. But let’s face it- the chance of that is tiny, minuscule, like bacteria. And I know that’s unfair, but such is the nature of recovery.

Perhaps you wish that you could give up, that you could just stop fighting, because I do too. It’s exhausting, isn’t it? I know. Perhaps you wish you had never told anyone if you have, but it’s worth it. Alone, it’s hard. But with other people, it’s easier. I totally get that it might seem a hell of a lot harder with other people ‘helping’ you, but in the end, it will benefit you.

Perhaps you relapsed recently, or you’re trying to get better but you’re not. I know how frustrating it can be. How angry you can feel at yourself, how regretful, how guilty. It’s a tug of war. You want to give in, but you don’t. You want to get better, but you don’t. I know it’s hard.

But don’t beat yourself up. In the end it’ll work out. There will be obstacles, it might be two steps forward, one step back the whole entire way. But the experience will wisen you and make you mature and stronger. You will make it. You can do it.

I know it might seem impossible right now, but nothing’s impossible except for the fact that everything is impossible. I had to think that out carefully, haha. But seriously.

I know, I know. You might think I’m just being too optimistic. But I’m not. I’m speaking the truth.

It’s hard, and that‘s just how it is. If everything in life was easy, we, as humans, would be really bored, and we’d never grow and improve. Every step of the way might be the most difficult thing you’ve ever done, but when you get there, you have done something that some other people would never dream of doing. You conquered your own Mount Everest.

Getting back up again is hard too. People may judge you for your failures, but instead, if they really insist on judging, it should be about how many times you fell and got back up again. It’s okay to have an off-day. It’s okay to relapse. No, it’s not a good thing, but it’s not your fault and it’s not a failure. It’s an inevitable hiccup. I know it’s exhausting, trying to get better, and if you don’t even want to get better, it’s even harder because you’re doing something you don’t know why you’re doing. You’re doing it for you. You’re doing it to get your life back. Your life of happiness and freedom. Freedom from whatever you have- anorexia, anxiety, depression, SAD, OCD, whatever.

Why should you keep fighting? Because you don’t deserve to be stuck in the hell you’re in now. You deserve to be happy. The thoughts in your head putting you down, bullying you, are wrong. You do deserve happiness and hope.

It’s okay to take a break. Not that it’s okay to stop fighting- I mean just to take a day off from your packed schedule. Call in sick at work or school, sit down and watch a movie, sleep all day. Relax. But don’t stop fighting. If you have anorexia, don’t stop eating. If you have OCD, don’t give in to the compulsions. If you have depression, don’t beat yourself up. Keep fighting, just relax.

You. Can. Ducking 🦆. Do. It.

[Stilltrying_]

Lovely post and I'm sure many will have read and it will help them. It is most important to remind people that recovery is possible. I am someone who has recovered so I am living proof that it is possible. Gemma xx

[art62grammie]

Hey, read your post. I don't know that you have read mine. I want to encourage you to keep up the fight. I have had Anorexia since 14 yrs of age. Now, at 56 and recovered to the fullest I can. I know how hard it is. It can be done. It is no way easy. What have you got to lose? Anorexia is a horrible illness and the most deadly of all mental illness. I never sought treatment until six yrs. ago come Jan. of 2019. Do you know how terrified I was? For forty years that was the only life I knew. How will I function without my illness? Who will I become without it? I thought Anorexia was my only friend. That is one of its lies. It is your worse enemy. Relapse is ok. Don't feel guilty. You are human. YOU GET YOUR BOTTOM BACK UP AND FIGHT. I had been ill so long. I knew if I had relapsed I would not make it. Almost six yrs now. I have not relapsed. I will say stress is a big factor for a relapse. The more stress, the more chance for a relapse. Enjoy something just for you. Mine Is art. It is great therapy. You need to listen to everything your doctor tells you. Believe in them. Don't believe the lies from your illness. Anorexics ultimate goal is to destroy you. Your mind and body. I know been there for yrs. Do you want to know how hard I had to fight to recover? Two weeks after I began my treatment my 26- year- old son robbed a bank. OMG! He never learned that from mama. I wondered how will I get through this. New to treatment from my lifelong illness. A son going to a federal prison. I had never even been to a prison or jail. Not knowing how I will ever go visit. Would I have the nerve? People told me when their son went to prison the parent lost forty pounds. I was 5ft. and 4in. tall. I was at 97 pounds. I would have weighed 57 pounds if I lost that much weight. OMG! What was I going to do? It was very hard. The mental doctors helped me to continue my journey to recover. They also helped me with my son's crisis. WOW! I made it to my destiny with lots of support. I am now recovered. Do I still have stress? YOU BET I DO. Just like everyone. How do I keep from relapsing? I talk to my mental doctors when I need to. I take my 75mg of Zoloft daily. I put on my shield of armor each and every day. I talk to those old Anorexic voices just as they were standing next to me. I tell that old voice I have conquered you and I will not ever listen to your lies again. Forty yrs. of hell. I AM DONE WITH YOU. TAKE A LONG HIKE. I WON. BE STRONG YOU CAN MAKE IT JUST LIKE ME. I went through a very year long divorce recently. I lost my 15- year- old son. He took dad's side. Is the painful? You bet it is. I haven't seen my son for 14 months now. It hurts like heck. I am remembering everything about my childhood rape that made me ill at 14. I have had many serious stress issues. I never relapsed. I can't afford to. What doesn't kill us will make us stronger. That is very true. No matter what crisis or stress you can find strength from loved ones, friends, family, and mental doctors to make it through.I grant you for sure. Winning the war against Anorexia is FREEDOM. THE JOURNEY IS ROUGH. THE RESULTS IS WORTH MILLIONS. WHEN THE ROAD GETS ROUGH KEEP ON DRIVING. If you stop in the road and wait for a smoother surface. You may not continue your journey. DON'T STOP. YOU MAY REMAIN ILL FOREVER. DO NOT STOP TREATMENT. YOU CAN NOT RECOVER WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL HELP. I TRIED. IMPOSSIBLE. LOVE YOU KEEP ON FIGHTING.