#1- You Can’t Always See The Pain
A client in recovery wishes you knew:
I wish that people knew that even though you are eating and smiling again and look better on the outside, you can still be suffering on the inside.
Rebecca Scritchfield wishes you knew:
You can’t always see the suffering.
Most people assume that “harmless” occasional body bashing, or other negative food, fitness, or health talk even directed at themselves, won’t have an impact on someone in recovery, especially if you think they are doing good and getting better. There’s a lot of internal work trying to make sense of what is “eating disorder” and what is not. What you think feel and do matters. Your version of “being healthy” may not really be truly flexible. While it may not trigger an eating disorder in you, that doesn’t mean it’s the best thing for you or the person you care about. It’s not shameful to be open to explore your own biases and challenges with taking good, reasonable care of yourself. You could help yourself and help support your loved one.
Rebecca Scritchfield MA RDN ACSM HFS
Creator and Host of Body Kindness a podcast, where health is about being good to yourself.