Rarely do people grasp the entirety of an individual’s struggle with addiction. Those living with and recovering from eating disorders often fight unseen battles marked by burdensome emotions such as shame, guilt, and misplaced blame.   In this episode, Deena debunks the myth that eating disorders are a choice and illustrates them as the creeping shadows that they are, and shares why the path to recovery requires a supportive and informed approach from family, friends, and society.   In this episode, you also hear:  Understanding eating disorders as an illness  Addressing misconceptions about eating disorders  Searching for acceptance and help in recovery      Must-listen moments:   [00:01:05] It's an illness and it comes on without you even recognizing it, sometimes because it's so quiet and it just starts so small and it just takes over.   [00:07:45] Eating disorders don't have anything to do with food. They have to do with some type of trauma, and so you use food or alcohol or drugs or whatever you're using at that time as a coping mechanism.  [00:17:35] You're not weak, you're not damaged. You just need people with you that know what they're doing and there is life after an eating disorder.     Resource Mentioned:  Los Angeles Outpatient Rehab.   WWW.createrecoverycenter.com  Clinical Director: Lisa Lipton   Admission line is 310 -686 -1124.  Thank you for listening. Whether you’re suffering from an eating disorder or you’re a caring friend or family member, we’d love to hear from you via email at eatthatfat@gmail.com  Contribute a few bucks to the “Are You Going To Eat Your Fat?” Patreon to help cover production costs and the coordination and provision of resources.   Whether you’re in recovery or currently in your eating disorder, you’re invited to join our FREE Facebook Group, “Are You Going to Eat Your Fat?” where you’ll find helpful recovery guidance, quotes, and support multiple times a week. There are already 33 members! Will you be next?    Podcast audio editing and show notes by  http://www.podcastabundance.com/services.