I want to make people cry. Sounds harsh, but sometimes I really do. If I am doing a presentation that includes my personal story about my struggle with an eating disorder and depression, then I want to hit people in the feels. I think that is the most powerful way to, 1) bring attention to important topics like mental health, and 2) inspire the audience to act. Following a speech, I am often asked how I can speak of such personal and intimate stories in front of so many people. Not only is public speaking one of the most common fears of people, but add some vulnerability and it is certainly not at the top of most people’s wish list.

Here’s the truth though. Roughly 30 million people in the United States suffer from an eating disorder (Le Grange, Swanson, Crow, Merikangas, 2012). That’s a whole lot of people. If we cannot talk about it in an open and honest way and if we cannot make it more widely understood and no longer a taboo topic, then we don’t succeed. People die from this illness. Whether it is because of suicide or other related complications.

Ask me again why I am so willing to share.

I share because no one deserves to endure the pain, guilt, shame, depression, anxiety, fear, and mix of other emotions that go along with this illness. Because there is hope for recovery for everyone touched by this illness.

Because of this, I will share my story with the details of the eating disorder. I will share the humiliation I felt day after day, even if no one knew what I had done that day. I will share the crazy ways my eating disorder tried to outsmart me, and the many times I failed and gave in to that ugly voice. I will share and share some more if it means that even one person will get help for his or her issues. I will tell my story to anyone who will listen if it means one parent, friend, or sibling, will have a better idea of what is going on with his or her child, friend, sibling, co-worker or relative.

The more we talk about it, the more we can impact the outcome in a positive way. The more healing we can create, and the more help we can give to those who simply don’t know what hope for recovery feels like.

 

  1. Le Grange, D., Swanson, S. A., Crow, S. J., & Merikangas, K. R. (2012). Eating disorder not otherwise specified presentation in the US population. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 45(5), 711-718.