• “MYTH 1: Overcoming addiction is a simply a matter of willpower. You can stop using drugs if you really want to. Prolonged exposure to drugs alters the brain in ways that result in powerful cravings and a compulsion to use. These brain changes make it extremely difficult to quit by sheer force of will.”
Prolonged eating disordered behavior causes changes within the brain. These changes are physical, psychological and chemical. The anorexic will suffer from a physically shrunken brain. All sufferers can have chemical imbalances that lead to depression and other psychological disorders. The anorexic cannot just decide to eat one day and be fine. The bulimic cannot just stop purging (many times they physically cannot control the purge). The overeater cannot just stop using food as a coping mechanism.
• “MYTH 2: Addiction is a disease; there’s nothing you can do about it. Most experts agree that addiction is a brain disease, but that doesn’t mean you’re a helpless victim. The brain changes associated with addiction can be treated and reversed through therapy, medication, exercise, and other treatments.”
Eating disorders were once not considered as illnesses. They were considered phases of life for young girls wanting attention. It is now a treatable disease. This disorder/disease can be treated using antidepressants (especially bulimia), anti-anxiety drugs, and therapy.

“MYTH 3: Addicts have to hit rock bottom before they can get better. Recovery can begin at any point in the addiction process—and the earlier, the better. The longer drug abuse continues, the stronger the addiction becomes and the harder it is to treat. Don’t wait to intervene until the addict has lost it all.”
The person with an eating disorder does not have to hit record low weights and be hospitalized in order to want treatment and in order to seek treatment. The earlier treatment is found and administered the less physical damage there is to the body and the greater the chances of full lifetime recovery (or sobriety).
• “MYTH 4: You can’t force someone into treatment; they have to want help. Treatment doesn’t have to be voluntary to be successful. People who are pressured into treatment by their family, employer, or the legal system are just as likely to benefit as those who choose to enter treatment on their own. As they sober up and their thinking clears, many formerly resistant addicts decide they want to change.”
Young men and women are forced into treatment all the time, sometimes by parents and loved ones and sometimes by a court order. They are often forced into treatment due to a health problem or an attempted suicide.
• “MYTH 5: Treatment didn’t work before, so there’s no point trying again. Recovery from drug addiction is a long process that often involves setbacks. Relapse doesn’t mean that treatment has failed or that you’re a lost cause. Rather, it’s a signal to get back on track, either by going back to treatment or adjusting the treatment approach.”
Recovery from an eating disorder is a life-long process. As living creatures we cannot escape food. We need it to survive. There are many thoughts that can start in the mind of someone with an eating disordered history. It is important to seek help when these thoughts begin to over-run the mind. It is all too easy to get back into some patterns of helplessness when it comes to any type of addictions. The key is recognizing the signs.

The road to recovery for any addiction is never easy and the path has many ruts. We have all often sprained our ankle on this path and hobbled our way forward. These trips and falls can occur at any time and we must be ever vigilant to watch our step and know when to take a hand to help us on our journey. Sometimes we need a “crutch” to steady our gait. However, do not let that “crutch” be your eating disorder, drug, alcohol, food, or other vise of choice. Remember it is a choice to stand and it is a choice to fall. I know when I stumble I do not always find the hand of loved one or therapist to help me, but I sure do try. Sometimes I have to swallow my pride and remember that I am not alone on this journey. The time I was alone was when I was “sick”, which is when we can ironically feel as if we are the most popular.