Welcome

With school starting, it’s common to feel a mix of emotions including excitement, anxiety, and stress. For those in middle and high school, the start of school often means a new schedule, new teachers, and adjusting to new classes and classmates. For those starting or returning to college, school may mean moving, new roommates, challenging courses, and the difficult task of navigating conflicting priorities.

If you’re also struggling with an eating disorder, starting school may trigger or worsen disordered behaviors. If you find yourself relapsing in your recovery or engaging in eating disorder behaviors to cope with the changes school brings, the most important thing you can do is reach out to get professional help. In addition to seeking treatment, there are other ways to stay on track in recovery during school.

by Hilmar Wagner, MPH, RDN, CD

As you progress in your recovery from disordered eating, being able to use internal hunger and fullness cues can be a significant step towards self-regulation of intake. However, there are several important factors to help this important, but tricky, transition go smoothly.

Maggie Meyers, MA, LPCC, is a Site Director at The Emily Program’s Anna Westin House for Adolescents and Young Adults (AWHAYA) in Saint Paul, Minnesota. AWHAYA will be expanding from a 10-bed to 16-bed treatment center in September. 

TEP: Tell us about yourself!

Maggie: I am a Minnesotan through and through. Here at The Emily Program, I have worked as a lead therapist in our Adult Intensive Day Program, done outpatient work, been a Program Coordinator for our Adult Binge Eating Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program, and have been involved in clinical management. I am currently the Site Director of the Adolescent and Young Adult Residential House in Saint Paul. I make sure that things run as smoothly as possible, working directly with providers in the building on a daily basis. I help provide our clients with the best care possible. Outside of The Emily Program, I have a small private practice where I see adults for a variety of mental health issues, and I am currently pursuing my Doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy.

What is Anorexia?

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized most notably by weight loss and nutrient deficiency. Those with anorexia have difficulty maintaining an appropriate weight for their size and shape. They may restrict their calorie intake, exercise compulsively, use laxatives, and/or purge in order to keep their weight low. Anorexia affects people of all genders, ages, or any other demographic categorizations. Anorexia cannot be diagnosed by simply looking at a person, because people can suffer from anorexia without looking like the stereotypical thin image. Those who live in larger bodies can be underweight and suffer from anorexia that is equally serious and severe.

Anorexia nervosa is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents. In addition to being more prevalent than many realize, anorexia is also the most deadly eating disorder (Arcelus, Mitchell, Wales & Nelson, 2011).

This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences on their own path to recovery and beyond. Some stories may mention eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, or symptom use. Please use your own discretion. And speak with your therapist when needed.

Katie Monsewicz is an avid writer and practicing journalist who has been through The Emily Program’s residential treatment program. She wants to help others who have struggled with eating disorders and those who are still struggling through her writing and as an advocate for eating disorder recovery. 

I grew up in a middle-class family with two working parents. My brother and I always had food on the table and the opportunity to go to the grocery store and pick out that Little Debbie we wanted without my mother standing there at the checkout line pinching pennies or laying down piles of coupons.

This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences on their own path to recovery and beyond. Some stories may mention eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, or symptom use. Please use your own discretion. And speak with your therapist when needed.

Ken Capobianco is the author of the novel Call Me Anorexic: The Ballad of a Thin Man. He has written about pop music and the arts for over 30 years. He also taught literature and writing at Northeastern University and journalism at Emerson College in Boston. He lives in Long Beach, California with his wife, Ratanan.

When I shopped my novel about a twenty-something anorexic male to agents, the most common questions I received were, “Did you make this male anorexic aspect up for drama’s sake?” and “Male anorexia is not a thing, is it?” This ignorance or lack of awareness did not surprise me because I’d encountered it throughout my life as a professional journalist and a college professor. You see, I suffered from severe, life-threatening anorexia for 30 years, and if I ever even hinted to people I had anorexia, I always heard, “No you don’t. You’re a guy. Be a man.”

What did I do to deserve this? Why is this happening to me? I don’t understand why I can’t just eat. Why am I like this? These questions may plague those with eating disorders—and, that’s totally normal. When we feel overwhelmed and confused, it’s easy to assign blame as a way to make sense of what’s happening. If something bad happens to us, there must be an explanation. If I lose my job, it might be because I repeatedly showed up late. If one of my friends is mad at me, it’s probably because I’ve done something or because they are having a bad day. It’s natural to need a reason as to why certain things happen. This is a way to protect ourselves from the idea that some things are out of our control. And, that tendency to find an explanation is no different for those with eating disorders. Those suffering from disordered eating often wonder why—what made them develop an eating disorder and what is to blame?

The answer is that no one is to blame for your eating disorder. Not your parents. Not yourself. Not the one kid that poked fun at you in middle school. These may be contributing factors, but they aren’t the reason you developed an eating disorder. Eating disorders aren’t a choice, a fad, a phase or something caused by one specific reason. Current science suggests that eating disorders are caused by a complex combination of genetic, biochemical, psychological, environmental, and social factors.

This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences on their own path to recovery and beyond. Some stories may mention eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, or symptom use. Please use your own discretion. And speak with your therapist when needed.

Shannon Caswell resides in Woodbury, MN with her husband and two boys, Declan and Kellen. Recovering from anorexia 21 years ago, Shannon’s mission is to raise awareness around mental illness, eliminate the stigma and demystify issues that are all too often misunderstood. When Shannon finds time between hockey practices and managing a career, she enjoys writing for her personal blog, Midwestern Mamai, sharing the vulnerabilities and humor of raising a family – and empowering others to do the same. 

Lately, I’ve found myself imagining a world where we all understood mental illness around us. Embraced the mindset to talk about it. Celebrated those who recognized it in themselves. Associated bravery and courage equally as we do for other medical illnesses, like cancer. And extended empathy and grace to those struggling through it.