Each day, walking past people, we have no clue what the world has wired their brain into thinking. We live in a world where images, are plastered within our minds, of what we should become, how we should act, and the way we should look. As my psychiatrist says, "don't should on yourself."
The images we view, distort much of what we used to see when we looked into the mirror. Our minds now see some other person staring back at us when we look in the mirror. Not only do we experience things that dilute our image, but we encounter many other things that add to the demons in our head. These demons can grow and become stronger, eventually developing into things that make you believe there is no turning back.
Eating disorders, consume almost every thought, of every day, making it nearly impossible for someone to focus on the things other people enjoy. Before this continues let's break down a few of the major eating disorders, of which are severe mental illnesses, that many people face, in silence.
Anorexia Nervosa, is an illness that starts with the person liking the idea of "having" control which quickly results in the disorder controlling the person, or as I like to call it, "ED," (Eating Disorder). Another disorder people struggle with is also Bulimia Nervosa which has a binge-purge type pattern, is another cry for control, which also results in ED itself controlling them. The last illness I will touch on is Binge Eating Disorder, many times characterized by the person losing control to eat mindfully, due to the disorders intense emotional constraint.
All of these illnesses are very real. They can kill you and they can no longer be silenced because that's when they only grow larger and louder.
Like many other illnesses, they are usually accompanied by things like depression and anxiety. These two demons many people carry attach themselves to ED and build him stronger than the gravitational force that keeps your feet on the ground.
We may think the people that struggle with eating disorders should be able turn the switch on and off. If only it was that simple it wouldn't be something that contains stigma, or even sitting in a book at a psychologists office. It is real, people do not choose to have this, at one point yes they made the choice, but then sooner or later their mind took over.
Their illness developed like a raging river after the dam has broken, the water rushes faster than it is able to be stopped. Sooner or later the river empties and that's when you can build the damn back up, or leave it to dry out, many of these people gain the ability to build it back up. Their muscles may be fatigued but they still do it, and that shows a strength stronger than the world will ever come to know.
The people that struggle experience the weight of worlds on their shoulders each day, where the struggle persists rather than diminishing. Although they struggle, they can find glimmers of hope in the littlest of things like eating a proper breakfast in the morning.
It may be a small step in the day for you, but it is a giant leap for them. Their light may be dim, and their eyes may not shine like they used to, but I can tell you that they are some of the strongest people you may meet. They are even more caring, loving, and accepting of others than your average person. Give them credit for the battle they fight each day, even in recovery, these are the people that are going to change the world some day.
Look to your left, to your right, look all around, how many people around you do you think are struggling and you'd never know. Mental illness is real and deserves to be known, because the longer we silence it, the further away each person struggling becomes and the more the illness grows.
If you or someone you know is struggling, feel free to leave a comment below, you could help so many people just by doing one little thing, remember that.
