DAY THREE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK | BODY IMAGE Q&A WITH... EATING DISORDER SURVIVOR, GEORGIE

Name: Georgie
Age: 26
Location: Newcastle

Why did you agree to take part in this
Q&A?
Special request by my favourite blogger and of course because it’s important to talk
mental health!

At what age do you think you first began
to take notice of your body image?
Probably about 11/12

What made you take notice?
Being a competitive gymnast it was always encouraged to be
the ‘perfect’ body type to be successful.

Would you say that your thoughts on your
body image began as positive or negative?
Negative, I remember thinking I didn’t ‘fit’

24 HOURS WITH... AWARD-WINNING COMEDIAN; DAVE CHAWNER | Ad

Date: Friday 6th October  

Good morning!

What time did you wake up? 

5am!

Why did you wake up at that time? 

I’ve just got a new job presenting a breakfast show on radio. It’s great, and so much fun...but it’s bloomin’ early!

Did you have a dream? 

Yup, but I can’t remember it

Do you think today will be 'good' or 'bad' day? (use your own definition of these words to answer the question) 

Definitely good - it’s a Friday! Being grumpy on a Friday is a bit scowling at a kitten - it’s impossible

What are the first three things you do after waking up? 

Press snooze on my alarm. Sleep. Press snooze again

Do you eat breakfast? If yes, what did you have? 

Porridge

POST FIVE: #TimeToTalk Day in collaboration with Time To Change | Ad

#TimeToTalk

Hello!

This year, Time to Change (TTC) will be working in partnership, with I’m NOT Disordered on a exclusive series of projects for Time To Talk Day (TTD) on February 2nd. 

Questions completed by Angharad May, Mental Health Blogger, featured in Channel 4 Documentary: On the Edge and Online

Can you tell us about the worst (least helpful, most upsetting, anger-provoking etc) talk you’ve had with another person regarding mental health?

I was talking to a mental health professional who told me that I simply had to 'leave the past in the past' when I was experiencing flashbacks; that I should just 'distract myself'; that I wasn't 'trying hard enough' in my recovery and compared me to someone who had apparently tried and fought much harder than me; that other clients were much worse off than me; that I was 'attention-seeking'; that I was 'messing around' when I couldn't eat; and that I was 'pretending to be psychotic' when I was hallucinating and hearing voices. A lot of other things were said which I cannot talk about. This conversation, or rather several conversations with this person, made me feel frightened of them, of this person who I was supposed to be able to trust to help me get better. I was also frightened that they had turned other people against me too, which made it even more difficult for me to trust. I was in hospital, and pretty vulnerable, when the conversations took place. I disagreed with pretty much everything that was said to me, but didn't have the confidence or assertiveness skills to be able to stand up for myself, and then I began to doubt myself and in turn believed what was said to me, which then sent me into a massive downward spiral. This conversation had a very negative impact on me and my hard work in recovery. However, I have become strong enough to now turn this negative into a positive. I am proving them wrong, and getting myself better in so doing.  

EDAW 2016 with Angharad May from C4 documentary On The Edge and Online | 'Ad'

[TW]

Anorexia has consumed my life for over a decade. I have lost over a decade of my life to this horrific illness. The media glamourises and sensationalises eating disorders, and so I am here to reveal to you the truth this eating disorders awareness week.
Ultimately, eating disorders kill. Your body shuts down, and eventually, you die. I have been on the brink of death with this disorder, and can definitely tell you that it is far from glamorous.
Anorexia has taken me to hospital more times than I care to remember. Anorexia has led me to having tubes thrust up my nose and into my stomach when I could not orally feed myself. Anorexia had me on numerous IV drips to nourish my dying body. This is how out of control diets can get. I started off wanting to lose weight for a prom type event in school. Firstly, breakfast was cut out, and then lunch was thrown in the bin, and dinner was purged.
I loved the euphoria of not eating. I was disappearing, which is what I wanted. I was becoming invisible, which is what I desired. In my head, the smaller I became, the less visible I was to anyone who hurt me. The more hurt I inflicted on myself, the less it hurt when those around me hurt me, and so starving myself made the hurt inflicted by others less painful.
Having food inside me made me feel utterly disgusting, and still does to this very day. When I don't eat, I feel clean, empty and euphoric. My mental health improves and so my Schizophrenia is easier to cope with. When I do eat, I feel dirty, violated and depressed. My mental health deteriorates and I become suicidal.
I am writing this piece to reach out to anyone going through a similar situation. I am here for you. Please reach out and get help before things get too horrendous. You deserve to live freely, without an eating disorder taking over your life. The bravest thing you can do is to reach out. Please don't suffer alone in silence.
Together, we can conquer this!