Eating Disorder Awareness Week: Closing Remarks

Wow! From the stories shared to the overwhelming support we've received, this week has been amazing!

I hope that Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2016 has been informational and inspirational for you as you've read through the stories and content that were posted. Although the individuals featured this week shared similar disorders, none of the experiences with those disorders were the same. Eating disorders are internalized and individualistic diseases that have varied causes, symptoms, and cures.

Eating disorders don't discriminate. They affect individuals of all shapes, sizes, ages, and genders; however, we often tend to stereotype what a victim looks like or how a victim should act--further perpetuating the epidemic. As a collective whole, society knows that eating disorders are commonplace occurrences, but because not enough (or diverse enough) survivors feel like they can speak out about them and because the public tends to shy away from speaking in detail about disorders, victims are often left feeling isolated, alone, or believing that they don't have a disorder to begin with.

Eating disorder awareness is more than a week in February, it's a necessity.

To anyone who is currently fighting for recovery or fighting just to survive another day: recovery is out there. Self-acceptance is out there. Eating without thinking is out there.

To everyone else: you can make a positive difference in the life of someone with a disorder by simply being understanding of what they're experiencing through awareness and patience.

I want to give a special thanks to the writers of the stories that were shared this week, I'm sure your words impacted and changed lives--your stories impacted others in ways that my story can't. Thank you for having the courage to write about your experiences and to be so open with us about your disorders. I know just how hard that can be.

To everyone else, thanks for taking the time to read what's been shared. Without you, this week wouldn't have been possible :)

With all of this in mind, here's to Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2016! This has been a great experience and I can't wait to see what stories will come our way next year!