Dust in the Wind

There is something that has been on my mind that has made me feel sightly guilty lately about sharing my story.You see, by doing so, I am growing the majority. I am shirking the minority. I am aware that I am another teenage, cis-gendered, white female who developed an eating disorder while attending a four-year university. I am someone who is lucky and privileged enough to be able to have access to the proper treatment and support I need during this trial in my life. I, in a sense, am contributing to the myth and stereotype that girls like me are the only one's that eating disorders effect. I want to acknowledge that.

I read a post a while back I really admired from a eating disorder Dietitian. She talked about how she often gets asked if she had struggled with an eating disorder in the past and is encouraged by others to share about it. However, she made and is sticking to the choice to refrain from sharing because her story in her own words, while important, is not unique. I felt this choice was really powerful and inspiring and I debating using this tactic myself. I felt guilty when I decided to share because I knew it had the potential to be another reason someone who doesn't look like the stereotypical sick girl doesn't feel worthy of help. 

I did not let this guilt turn into shame. I am not a bad person because of the choice I made to share. I am at a different place in my recovery. I still have a long way to go, and gradually sharing about my experiences is helping me overcome them.

This isn't a very long post but I felt the need to be transparent with my actions, intentions, and their possible consequences.

Glo