5 things girls with anorexia or eating Disoders are tired of hearing

Do you know someone who's struggling with anorexia/ED? Do you live with someone who's struggling every day? Are you someone struggling everyday? Anorexia/ED can be very heartbreaking for those going through it and those around someone going through it. It's not only scary to live, but extremely scary to watch someone go through. My heart goes out to all those struggling with it, and to all those trying to help someone struggling with it and to all those people who feel helpless watching someone go through it. I know it's not easy, so here's a few little tips that might help recovery in your own life, home or support groups a little bit easier.

These are a few little things that really get to me, I also see it frustrate a lot of people I know with anorexia.

1. "Just Eat"
This is probably the worst thing you can say to someone with an eating disorder. Telling someone with anorexia or ED to "just eat" doesn't make them want to eat.. It makes them not want to even more than they already don't want to.

2. "So to get better you just need to eat"
Actually, not quite. Yes eating is a huge part of anorexia recovery. It's also about reprogramming your brain, it's about getting your stomach back to the size it should be, it's about overcoming all of the health issues that you've gotten because of anorexia/ED. It's about being able to have a daily routine without feeling guilty about it. It is about eating, to a degree, it's also about your mental state and how you see yourself.

3. "Stop being so picky"
This one really gets to me. I am not trying to be picky, I don't want to be picky.. I just have issues with food right now and struggle ridiculously to even eat the foods I absolutely love, please cut us some slack during the first long while of our recovery.

4. "You need to eat more"
Actually, I need to eat consistently. Your not my doctor, your not my nurse, your not my dietician and your not my counsellor. So how about instead of telling someone they need to eat more, encourage them. Instead of "you need to eat more" maybe try something like "great job keep up the great work, bigger meals will come with time"
Nothing happens over night, and I know a lot of people with anorexia/ED that feel really terrible about themselves when their told to "eat more". During anorexia recovery we are trying really really hard. Please encourage, don't discourage!

5. "Your so skinny"
Most women with anorexia don't realize how skinny they actually look. Telling them their skinny is only going to make that worse, because they don't see skinny in the mirror. They see thighs and tummy and fat, they see someone else completely. Telling someone with ED their skinny can be very very bad for their recovery and their body image.

I hope that maybe even just these few little things can help someone's recovery, even if it's in the smallest ways!