In Oct 2023 my daughter was suspected of having anorexia, and we were referred to a specialist CAMHS service. Fear, the unknown and helplessness faced me – as a mother I wanted to ‘fix it’ but anorexia doesn’t follow any rules to be fixed quickly. My daughters crying and sadness was the worst for me, she […]

I have cared for my daughter for over 10 years now. It has taken a huge toll on my mental and physical health. When I started out on this journey, my daughter was 13. I heard the words ‘self-care’ spoken everywhere. But there was no one there to show me how to take care of […]

I did Pilar, the New Maudsley skills workshops, read three books and consulted an ED specialist. This gave me a cerebral understanding of the disorder and the road to recovery and avoided me taking on the “Rhino” mantle. However, despite this, it took six months seeing my daughter going through the horrors of this disorder […]

My daughter’s  diagnosis of anorexia caused mixed emotions. There was relief in having the distress named followed by fear for her future and what lay ahead. Since then there have been conflicts, contradictions and a steep learning curve. On an emotional level, shock and guilt make you rake over the past looking for missed cues […]

We have a daughter who developed anorexia when she was 16 years old. It changed our lives individually and as a family in a profound way. Someone said to us in the early days that it’s as if an unwelcome, uninvited stranger comes to live in your home and wreaks havoc. Initially, there was a […]

As a carer for someone with SEED – Severe and Enduring Eating Disorder – I have somehow managed to hang on to HOPE.  Hope that tomorrow, or even later today, something or someone will manage to break into her thinking.  Am I as crazy as the ED is?  Close on 20 years of this, but […]

The start of my eldest daughter’s anorexia took me completely by surprise. At 12, she collapsed after swimming, and I discovered she had been hiding food in her bedroom. My initial reaction was anger and shouting—a response I deeply regret. If you’re reading this, know it’s not your fault. Blaming yourself won’t help anyone, least […]

My daughter has a binge-eating disorder. This showed up when she was 7 years old. It has been very difficult to get support. I believe it’s the most common eaten disorder, but the least recognised as a ‘disorder’. Most forums that support eating disorders seem populated with those caring for anorexia or bulimia. Sharing the […]

My daughter was diagnosed firstly with disordered eating and then anorexia in June 2024. It was a very swift decline – almost like she woke up on a Monday and decided, this is the day I’m going to become anorexic. She started walking for miles and drastically reducing what she ate. Cue an appointment with CAMHS […]

I remember that  new-born baby, that warm chubby cheeked bundle lying on my chest,  taking her breaths with mine, and I felt I could protect her from anything. Now fifteen years on, emaciated, refusing food, facing death. Food is her medicine but her brain tells her it’s her enemy. The eating disorder takes everything away […]