What does recovery look like to you?
I think one interesting thing about eating disorders is that everyone views recovery a little bit differently, so I wanted to check in with you all and see what recovery looks like to you (if you are recovered) or what you expect from it (if you're not).
For me, I consider myself fully in recovery, but that doesn't mean that I never have the old eating disorder thoughts. What it means instead is that most days I can eat normally without thinking too much about it - trusting my hunger and fullness cues to know when I should eat and when I've had enough, knowing that it's okay if some days I'm a little over my 'normal' because that's life and it all evens out anyway, and not being afraid of any particular foods.
It also means that when I do have those little thoughts creeping in encouraging me to restrict, to binge, or to purge, that I can recognize them as the ED voice, not mine and I can remind myself of why it's not worth it and move on without them impacting my behaviour in the moment or my thoughts for the next few days.
I would love to believe that one day they will be 100% gone, but I'm not sure if they will or not. I am sure that I have learned enough alternate coping mechanisms that I'm not going to slip back, even when things feel overwhelming in the rest of my life and the impulse is there.
What about you? What's your view of recovery?
@Anomalia
I don't struggle with eating disorders myself, and therefore I don't think I'm qualified to answer this question, but here's a free bump for you :) I think this is an amazing discussion question, and thanks for all you do, Anomalia!
@Anomalia
You are right, it does look different from individual to individual. I will say to me it looks like eating "normal". Not obsessing over how many calories you ate, not caring for how the food make you look from the outside but rather how it nourishes you from the inside of your body, and not eating passed the point where you feel uncomfortable and it gets hard to breath, and not beating yourself up just cause you don't have control over your eating habits. This might sound odd but to me, recovery looks like " to be able to eat normally" 
@Anomalia
I dunno how to really describe it but i like this image as a view of my recovery <3
Recovery for me is acceptance that the eating disordered thoughts may from time to time be there, being able to eat heathily without resorting to using behaviours to counteract that, to feel comfortable with my body, with myself and where you have enough resources and enough self worth, self esteem and healthy body image, to not resoirt back to controlling weight and image if other things in your life feel out of control. Recovery is ongoing, it may always be but it gets to a point where its not dominating your day as soon as you wake up, where its there but far away enough where you can start living again :)
For me recovery means going to places where there are food (kitchen, restaurants etc) and not be immediately overwhelmed by thoughts.
It means getting enjoyment out of eating with no guilt. It means I can start and stop eating with full control. And it means I'll feel happy about myself.
