CHAT SESSION 22 with Zoe
Topic- ‘REHABILITATION’ and the reality of living with an eating disorder
Monday 25th September 2023 Live 1pm https://rppfm.com.au
Catch up and listen to our chat session https://megaphone.link/LCRUI2094426285
Life with an eating disorder is becoming the tough reality for more and more individuals every day. For Zoe, this took her by surprise and shook up her entire life. The reality of living with an eating disorder can be life threatening and cruel for many, and the statistics are forever rising.
Zoe first experienced symptoms around the age of 15. An age where beauty standards and high expectations are at the forefront of young adults’ lives. The social pressures rise and the likely hood of these illness’ increase. For Zoe it wasn’t about being ‘skinny’ or ‘fitting a look’. It was about controlling something in a world she felt completely out of control in. This is the reality for a large portion of individuals living with these conditions. We are often programmed to think eating disorders are superficial and about a look or desire, but often this is not the case.
When Zoe turned 19, she started training to become a professional dancer. A dream she had dreamt about from the moment she was born. This quickly took a crumbling turn as her illness became more and more severe. Leaving Zoe, no choice but to leave her dance training and be hospitalised for her condition. At this point Zoe was unaware of the seriousness or severity of her condition and was blissfully unaware of what the next few years would hold for her.
A common belief held with individuals with eating disorders is that they are ‘not sick enough’. To someone without an eating disorder this sounds absurd and completely ridiculous. Why would you want to be worse? It is the desire to be good at something. A desire to have control when you feel you do not. A desire to feel pain or emotions you may have been numb to. This is not the case for everyone, but it was a very real reality for Zoe.
Over the next 4 years Zoe spent more time in hospital than she did at home. She spent endless weeks in medical hospitals where she was stabilised to keep her alive, rehabilitation hospitals where she would learn to eat again, day programs, outreach programs and many never-ending appointments with doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and dietitians. This is not only the reality for Zoe but thousands of individuals across Australia. Zoe was not only unable to work due to the endless time in and out of hospital, but she also lost who she was in herself.
Zoe said, ‘the hardest part of having an eating disorder is coming to terms with the fact you have an eating disorder and wanting to change’. ‘For years I was convinced there was nothing wrong with me or that I wasn’t ‘sick enough’’.
But it’s not all bad news. Recovery is very much possible. For Zoe it took a very traumatic hospital admission for her to come to the realisation something needed to change. The realisation that she was missing years out of a very precious and fleeting life and that she wanted better for herself. She decided to make a change. She committed herself to a better life and began her rehabilitation. Zoe is on a mission to be happy and healthy and began attending regular therapy and support groups. She never gave up on herself no matter how hard it got. She found her ‘why’ and reminded herself of this EVERY SINGLE DAY. She reminds herself of the pain and suffering she went through and how strong that has made her. She never hides away from telling her story and wears her struggles as a badge of honour. Zoes advice for anyone playing with the idea of recovery is to ‘give it a go. An eating disorder is always going to be there. If you don’t like recovery, you can always go back. But I can promise you with every single part inside of me, you won’t want to. Because the saying recovery is worth it, is so well known for a reason. Because it truly is.’
Zoe is now working a full-time job, enjoying food freedom, and creating the life she has always dreamed of. She is learning every day to love her recovered body more and more and recognises that size does not equal beauty. Zoe is a huge advocate for more education on eating disorders. She is always trying to start conversations around this topic and share her story.
Below are some facts you may not know about eating disorders that Zoe would like to share with you.
- Less than 6% of people with an eating disorder are under weight. It is a mental disorder not a weight disorder.
- Eating disorders do not discriminate and effect all ages, genders, races, and cultures.
- The number of people in Australia with an eating disorder at any given time is estimated to be around 1 million, or approximately 4% of the population and increasing.
If you are feeling triggered or upset by the content in this conversation, or are worried about yourself or a loved one, below are some useful resources to lean on.
Eating Disorders Victoria
Phone: 1300 550 236
Email: hub@eatingdisorders.org.au
Web Address: https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au
Butterfly Foundation
Phone: 1800 334 673
Email: support@butterfly.org.au
Web Address: https://butterfly.org.au
My hope is that when you’re looking at yourself in the
‘The Daily Mirror’
YOU SMILE
EMBRACE BEING YOU
AND FIND 10 MINUTES IN YOUR DAY TO NOURISH YOUR SOUL!
To get in touch with Cathy email smileinthedailymirror@gmail.com
'The Daily Mirror' acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.
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