This post is personal. I’m aware that many of you follow me for the Covid reporting… if that’s you, I’ve got one coming for you in the next day or two!
This month marks 15 years since I entered recovery for an eating disorder that was ruining my life, and was negatively impacting my friends and family.
It’s often said that ED never really goes away completely, and that’s true for me. It’s no understatement to say that getting into recovery saved my life, but it’s something I need to cultivate every day.
I was happy to share my recovery journey with my friend Clive with his podcast partner Amie on their podcast, Straight Edge, this week, and to now share it with you.
It took me years of searching in the wilderness to find out what on earth was ‘wrong’ with me and how to get better. I hope that in speaking publicly about my own journey, as I do from time to time, people suffering similarly will have more touch points to help them make sense of their experience.
Our main takeaway - it’s so not about the food (or body, or exercise). These are just the things we do to cope with being alive. Which sounds super weird to people who don’t find being alive really, really painful, I know.
Teaser (55 sec):
Breakdown:
00:00 Clive and Amie intro
5:00 Rebekah intro
8:00 Rebekah’s ED history - starting at 8 years old
13:00 The restriction/binge cycle
14:00 The addiction model for ED treatment
17:00 Body obsession and dysmorphia
22:20 Aimie’s story - she can relate
25:50 The body as a site for locating distress
32:00 Clive on sugar addiction
34:40 Overcoming the shame and guilt of having a ‘first world problem’
38:00 Similarities and differences in recovering from substance addictions vs. processing addictions (ED often involves both)
43:00 Switching substances
50:30 Growing up in the body-conscious age of the ‘thigh gap’
52:00 Life without ‘using’
55:00 Clive’s reverse body dysmorphia! “I’m in shape, if in shape is a sack of potatoes”
1:04:00 END
This is an issue that I’m super passionate about. I encourage anyone who might be struggling, or who knows someone struggling with ED, to get in touch with me. Just send me a DM request on the Substack app or via Instagram (link in footer) with the word ‘Recovery’ at the top and I will make sure to respond.
Apologies for the rubbish sound at my end. Those of you who tune into my various podcast/media appearances may be gratified to know I finally purchased a mic this week.
To support my work, make a one-off contribution to DDU via my Kofi account and/or subscribe. Thanks!
Aussie blokes have a similar kraken to wrestle against, D.D. We ALL know, all Australians, that the answer to any problems, always, is The Drink. 🤷 I hadxxx HAVE a Drinking Disorder, it's called... ummm oh yeah, Alcoholism! As my own, personal demon, one I've fought all my life, I respect your battlefield 👏
All my mates are injured or dead from the foe, very few have managed to defeat the Enemy in Detail. Nearly 8 years sober and I now view the war against Australians, by the Liquor & Gaming Crime Syndicates in New South Wales as a War of Plunder & Profit & as deliberate Addiction Business model of those Powers.
By Powers I mean the filthy gangs that run NSW, the NSW Parliament, own the chains of gambling casino pubs and bribe the oh so honourable FILTH in Power.
Check out FriendlyJordys on YouTube for how corrupted the cesspool of NSW State politics has become.