Living with an eating disorder – Sacha’s recovery journey

Sacha has been supported by our community eating disorders team for four months.

As part of Eating Disorders Awareness Week (1 – 7 March), Sacha has shared her recovery journey and the advice she would give to anyone else who is struggling.

Our community eating disorders service provides support for 8 -18 year olds with an eating disorder. The North team covers Bury, Oldham and Rochdale, and the South team covers Stockport, Tameside and Glossop and Trafford.

About the journey so far

“I had been putting off seeking help for a long time until a handful of events opened my eyes about how serious things had become.

I got myself to a point where I could no longer do simple tasks like walking around school without passing out and in summer, I had a seizure. This made me realise that I had pushed my body too far and couldn't carry on.

I have been meeting with Lisa [from the community eating disorders service] once a week and receiving support from her.

Lisa gave me a meal plan to stabilise my body and explained the science behind what we were doing. She has also encouraged me to open up about my feelings and experiences, at my own pace.

Having somewhere that I can just let everything go and learn healthier coping mechanisms has been really valuable for me.

What’s the most memorable advice they’ve given you?

“It sounds silly, but the phrase 'be a tennis ball, not an egg' really stuck with me.

It's a nice reminder that even when things don't go as planned, I can bounce back and not let it set me back.”

What advice would you give to someone else with an eating disorder?

“You deserve to recover from this. It can be terrifying asking for help, but it is worth it to enjoy life again.

I want to remind people that there is no perfect way to recover, it is going to look different for everyone and that's okay.”

What could friends or family members do or say to support someone?

I think the most important thing is just to be available for them and let them know you want to support them.

Give your time to listen and be patient. Be open to understanding what is going on and be willing to educate yourself.

I think it's also important to remind them that you will love and support them through anything, and that they won't be burdening you.

Would you recommend the service to anyone who had similar problems?

“I would, 10,000 percent. It made the thought of recovering less scary, as I learnt new ways of dealing with my feelings and let go of a lot of negativity.”