If you could send a message, to spread awareness of Eating Disorders and the challenges individuals face, what would it be?
Hello ED Warriors! 
Today I started to think about things that we could spread to raise awareness of eating disorders, and I realised so much could be shared to help raise this awareness of the struggles somebody will face! So I would like to start a thread on the following question:
"If you could send a message to everybody, to spread awareness of Eating Disorders and the challenges individuals face, what would it be?"
What would your message be? I will also be sharing some of the messages I came up with below
I look forward to hearing your messages!
@Ady123 @AidenMilesAsh @allnaturalNight50 @AmicableAcai8850 @aminacoffin @anabellamia1189 @Anomalia @ArianaMay @AshieFlashie @Aubrey2018 @Autismaunt14 @badoinkitydoop @Bloom97 @beautifulkoala49 @beautifulmelody11 @bestPineapple8095 @blissedNblessed @blithesoul64 @brightLight35 @Btsspringday @Busranurr @Butterflygirl1 @butterflypfann @calmZebra @CaringMermaid @carrotcakefan @CatGirl2015 @cathrynmonroe @CharnalDove @CheeseAKAChizu @Chessy @coconoir2013 @comfortingAngel @Coolkidallthetime1998 @CynthiaDawn @c4ss1e @Daisitilusch @Dancingalong @dancingrainbow45 @Daniella7 @Dawn110 @Deathandallhisfriends @DelicateFriend79 @Destina96 @diplomaticOcean9906 @dogsandcats100 @DutchRecoveryGirl @easyMap6620 @Ellie150 @emsworld @Everleigh27 @EvilRegalsReadToo @FaithfulWriter4513 @ForeverKeepRising @fortunatehappenstance @FruitRock @FyerFli @gelidaaer @giorjie @GodsBabyGirl1981 @godsbae @goldenbeach22 @happyduckie @Healandfeel @Henlopeople @HeyItsMish @highlandramtv @honestBranch5854 @Hopeisreal21 @hopefulforest19 @Hplistener @Hysterria @IamOHhhh @Imaginativa2930 @ImmaTakeCareOfYou33 @impartialplane7172 @imsorryitry @ItsMina @IsshunNoShunkan @Iunderstand234 @JellyFoxyn @Jesse181 @justbreathe11 @Just0Annie @kcmunchkin @kinddreamer40 @kindfish11 @KokoBear @LatinNightSky @Lavendertea96 @LeoTheLittleLionCub @lex22 @LittleLotte @livfreckles12 @Lovethehurt @Lynn86 @mangomims @MapleSyyrup @MayBlue @marguerite19 @MimiBliss @Mir @mirni @mjkichb2 @MoonageDaydream13 @myaekingheart @myparalleluniverse @MysterySpirit @Narby @Nasibah @Nethersong @Newtotallovatic @NightOwlNightmare @Nitiyahhh @Nymphalicushollandicus @Nyway @Ocendade @ohboy3am @OnyxA314 @Orangeowl1462 @Peanat @peopleofearth @pepperysalty02 @PinkJackfruit @Popbabe2410 @PostTraumaticStillStressed @ProSupport @PuppyLove13 @QuidditchWitch @rainacqua @RedBlossom @redlunch4107 @resourcefulbear6750 @sadlemon67 @SammyLouise @sam314 @SmileYoureWorthIt @sujaypai @Simonandsally @singingems @Skafa1214 @SoftTea @sophieleigh @Summer8894 @TaylorTheLemonSlayer @taylorjensen @TeaAngel @Teasley4031 @teddybear211 @TheAsh @thedudenamedkai @tophatcrown @TPayne813 @Tumblrgal16 @ViolinistMads @voyagetohavingneweyes @warmheartedCity8277 @WendyBird15 @wonderfulhart1330 @xbritx @1adaptabletiger
Hello, everyone! This is a post for Jigsaw Recovery. Congratulations on finding a thread! The word in this one is 'There'. Have a great rest of week!
[ edited by @windflowers, 9/8, to add in details for forum event; these will be removed when event is over ]
it would be that its a real thing, you dont just say oh i have an eating disorder. its a real struggle. not everyone willl get a diagnosis. that doesnt mean they arent struggling like a person diagnosed with an eating disorders.... actually people were saying how can someone be anorexic or throw up their food? honestly its not like one day you think oh well i dont want to eat anymore and i want to weigh myself everyday and count all of my calories. It isnt like that for many.Struggles are real. eating disorders need to not be romanticized. you can actually die. it is never funny or a trend. to not joke about it. sorry for a long response..
That eating disorders rarely have anything to do with wanting to "be skinny". Yes, they start out that way but it manifests into something so much more controlling and scarier. Wanting to "be skinny" suddenly becomes one of a hundred symptoms of an eating disorder and not the reason. The restricting, the purging, the counting, the obsessing, it all becomes part of compulsions that just HAVE to be done. These horrendous compulsions become something we have to do like how we have to breathe or we have to sleep. They become in grained into our daily lives. This is why recovery can take so long.
Saying "just eat" or "just stop eating" is not nice at all. When we have an eating disorder is not as simply as just stop the disorder in one day, it's a process, it hurts and we're gonna relapse sometimes, that doesn't mean we aren't trying.
It's a serious issue and addiction and you don't have it in order to get attention.
trying to guilt people into recovery isnt a good course of action and can make it worse sometimes.
I think the biggest message I'd send is that you can't tell someone has an ED by looking at them - you can be any shape or size and have an ED.
Eating disorders are more than just anorexia. Eating disorders look different on everyone, and manifest differently for everyone. A lot of the time, eating disorders don't even have a specific name. There's a massive junk drawer of EDNOS (eating disorders not otherwise specificed) that so many people fall under, and it sucks when someone invalidates your experiences because you don't fit the stereotypical understanding of what an eating disorder is, not to mention the personal struggle of fighting with something that doesn't have a name and is hard to explain to people who don't understand.
If I may send a short message.
"It is not fun."
It's not about beauty, it's not about wanting to look like models, it's not about being skinny. It's a mental illness centered around control. It's serious and can be deadly. It's not vanity.
Eating disorders have a physical part that people might see (the restricting, binging, or purging), but also a really big mental and emotional part that they don't. Just because the physical gets better in recovery doesn't mean support isn't still needed for the rest.