NEDAW 2

I follow a few great about EDs and body image issues (some are very personal, others very scientific). As I read other women’s posts relating to National Eating Disorders Awareness Week I realize what an invaluable resource the recovered and recovering are. I am grateful to my fellow bloggers who do not shy away from the touchy subject of mental health, but instead dive into the virtual discussion.
For me it’s difficult to reconcile my “virtual” and face-to-face conversations. How do I engage in a conversation about eating disorders when it is a subject I am so passionate about and simultaneously terrified of? People like me have a wealth of information to share, but right now I am at a loss for how best to share it. It I were brave enough to voice my experiences I could spare another young woman from falling into ED’s open jaws. Yet this openness does not come naturally to me; openness is too closely related to vulnerability for my comfort. (Note: By “discussing” anorexia I don’t mean advertising it or pontificating about eating disorders void of context).
When the subject of eating disorders arises I’m slow to be honest; I worry about what the world will think of me if I share my deepest, darkest secret. What I’m getting at is this: “talking about it” is awkward and revealing, in part, because of the stigma EDs carry, but the only to reduce said stigma is to talk about it. So, here’s to the thousands of people who are willing to start these important conversations through whichever medium is comfortable for them.