Quotes For Support When Coping With An Eating Disorder
It can be difficult to understand the challenges of an eating disorder unless you have experienced them yourself. Whether you're living with anorexia, bulimia, or another condition, eating disorders are a personal subject. However, acknowledging that you have an eating disorder can be a significant step toward recovery. If you suspect or know you have an eating disorder, consider reaching out for support. In the meantime, you can check out the below quotes for support and solidarity.
About eating disorders and why reading quotes may help
According to a recent study, more than 28 million people in the US have an eating disorder. In addition, 10 million of those people are men. Eating disorders can affect anyone across all genders, ages, and racial identities.
Living with an eating disorder can feel isolating. Regardless of your background, reading quotes from others about the challenges you're experiencing may be helpful. It could help you feel less alone to know that someone else has gone through the same. The following are quotes on eating disorders that you or someone you know might be able to relate to.
Advice from celebrities
"Eating disorders are life-threatening illnesses that can affect anyone. It doesn't matter your age, your sex, or your ethnicity. Eating disorders don't discriminate." — Kesha
It can be beneficial not to assume that someone does or doesn't have an eating disorder because you can't always tell from the outside. Everyone has a unique body shape and size, and no set weight or size defines disordered eating. Remember that eating disorders can affect anyone anytime, so practice compassion for yourself and others.
"Complimenting someone on their weight loss can be as harmful as complimenting someone on their weight gain in regard to talking to someone in recovery from an eating disorder." — Demi Lovato
Lovato's quote can show that you may not know what someone is going through, so choosing your words wisely can be valuable. Even well-intentioned compliments can hurt a person with an eating disorder.
"I went through depression, anxiety, an eating disorder, and a lot of confusion because I didn't know what was going on. I felt very alone and weird. It wasn't until I got older that I realized that I was one of many, and so many people had overcome what I was going through." — Brittany Snow
Eating disorders can make you feel like you're all alone, but you're not. Snow's quote shows that many people are living with similar symptoms. As you start to tell people about your symptoms and reach out for support, you might find others who have gone through (or are still going through) an eating disorder. For example, you can contact an eating disorder support group in your area to make friends and find connections.
"The most important thing we can do is not only admit it to ourselves but then to reach out for that help. The first step is exposing that secret and that struggle, and you have to take that first step before you can find freedom." — Candace Cameron Bure
Eating disorders can worsen when left untreated. Some people may fear admitting their eating disorder to themselves or others. Communicating such personal details with others can be complicated if you worry about invalidation, hospitalization, or emotional reactions. However, talking about your symptoms is one way to show others you want to find support. Asking for help is brave.
"I now view food as energy for my mind and body rather than something to be scared of. It's fuel, not punishment. Because without it, I can't grow stronger, emotionally, mentally, and physically." — Lily Collins
A shift in your mindset may help you cope with recovery. When you have an unhealthy relationship with food and see it more as an enemy than a friend, your eating disorder habits may worsen. A therapist can help you address these thoughts, and you might try practices like cognitive restructuring to find more positive ways to think about your daily experiences like Lily Collins mentioned.
Sayings to inspire you
"In any given moment, we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety." — Abraham Maslow
You might face uncomfortable decisions when breaking cycles of maladaptive thoughts and behaviors. Recovering from an eating disorder may be difficult; some people take longer than others to commit to the process. However, don't give up on yourself; remind yourself that what you're experiencing is not your fault. You can make a change by choosing your future.
"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." — Buddha
You deserve to feel proud of yourself and have a deep sense of fulfillment for who you are. If you're willing to seek help, you may already have proof that you're dedicated to self-compassion. Often, eating disorders are prompted by underlying causes like maladaptive thoughts, childhood trauma, and other concerns. Once you commit to doing the work, you may feel more confident in your recovery process.
If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.
"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live." — Flora Whittemore
Every morning when you wake up, try to decide to care for your mental health consciously. Your life is made up of choices and actions. Even if you make an unhealthy choice one day, you may be able to make healthier choices the next. Each day is a new, clean slate, and you may have some control over its events.
"Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'" — Mary Anne Radmacher
You might expect applause and celebration when you accomplish a remarkable feat. However, others might not necessarily notice when you make strides in your eating disorder. Regardless, the way you celebrate your actions can make a difference. Try again when you make a mistake, reward yourself when you make an effort, and remind yourself you're doing your best.
You can also ask those you love to support you and show pride. However, try not to allow the opinions of others to impact your self-esteem. If someone else invalidates your experience with your eating disorder, you can remain firm in knowing that their opinion doesn't speak about who you are and what you've accomplished.
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face . . . Do the thing you think you cannot do." — Eleanor Roosevelt
It may be therapeutic to push yourself out of your comfort zone to show yourself that fear is often a liar. This concept is behind popular therapeutic modalities like exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, which teaches clients to face their fear head-on to reduce the impact it may have. ERP has also been proven effective for eating disorders.
"Though no one can go back and make a new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new end." --- Carl Bard
Although you cannot return to the past, you can change the future. If you have goals you'd like to accomplish, consider writing them on a piece of paper, whiteboard, or notes app on your phone to remind yourself of what you want to complete. Look at it each time you start feeling discouraged about the past. You may find that it offers the motivation to continue.
"Progress grows out of motion." --- Richard E. Byrd
If you are living with an eating disorder and want to live a healthier life, choose to make an improvement each day. Taking action may not look the same as it looks for someone else. Find a few ways to start caring for your body and mind today, and start taking them step by step.
How to find help and support
Eating disorders can be challenging to talk about. A licensed therapist can guide you as you open up about your symptoms and make treatment goals. For many, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the first recommended line of treatment. CBT is one of the most effective methods for recovering from an eating disorder. In one study, after five months of CBT treatment, 42% of participants had stopped binging and purging. After treatment, about 70% of participants were in remission from their eating disorder.
If you face barriers to face-to-face treatment, such as cost, distance, or comfort, you can also try CBT online. Online CBT has many benefits for people with eating disorders. For example, you can get matched with a therapist quickly without being put on a waitlist or waiting in a waiting room. Through online platforms like BetterHelp, you can talk to your therapist 24/7 over messages and choose between phone, video, or live chat sessions weekly.
Research also backs up the effectiveness of online therapy for eating disorders. One study concluded that online therapy effectively delivered family-based treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Another study demonstrated that online CBT could be effective for those with binge eating disorder; participants reported satisfaction with the treatment.
Counselor reviews
“She's helped me in so many ways. Specifically, she's helped me adopt healthy coping mechanisms, and self-love practices by giving me the tools to understand myself even more. She's been a wonderful counselor and made me so comfortable right away. She's also allowed me to take my time talking about things but has also asked me hard-hitting questions that needed to be answered. I would recommend her amazing counseling and BetterHelp to absolutely anyone.”
“Erin is without a doubt an amazing counselor, she's engaging, empathetic, and helps me explore my self-image and goals in a safe, encouraging space. I feel so much better having her support me through rough times and having her celebrate with me during times of success.”
Takeaway
What are some short quotes about eating disorders?
Eating disorder quotes may offer insight and inspiration to those who are in disorder recovery or know someone who is. Eating disorders, like any mental illness, are complex, and eating disorder recovery can be a challenging process. A selection of short quotes relevant to eating disorders and body image is listed below:
“Living with an eating disorder takes extraordinary fortitude. And when that energy can be circumvented in a different way, incredible things happen.”
-Unknown
"There is no magic cure, no making it all go away forever. There are only small steps upward; an easier day, an unexpected laugh, a mirror that doesn't matter anymore."
-Laurie Halse Anderson
“Do I want to die from the inside out or the outside in?”
-Laurie Halse Anderson
“And I said to my body, softy: I want to be your friend”. It took a long breath, and replied: I have been waiting my whole life for this.”
-Unknown
"If only our eyes saw souls instead of bodies, how very different our ideas of beauty would be."
-Unknown
"The beauty myth is always actually prescribing behavior and not appearance."
-Naomi Wolf
"Even the models we see in magazines wish they could look like their own images."
-Cheri K. Erdman
“If all girls were taught how to love each other fiercely instead of how to compete with each other and hate their own bodies, what a different and beautiful world we would live in.”
-Nikita Gill
What is a famous quote about eating?
"I am forever engaged in a silent battle in my head over whether or not to lift the fork to my mouth..."
The above quote was written by Jena Morrow in her book Hollow, which chronicles her journey to recover from an eating disorder. In addition to being an author, Ms. Morrow is an activist and speaker known for promoting education of body image issues and eating disorders.
What is a nice quote about eating?
Food has long been associated with togetherness, happiness, and joy. Julia Child famously quipped, “People who love to eat are always the best people,” and Irina Shayk is known to have said, “Nothing is better than going home to family and eating good food and relaxing.”
What is an inspirational quote about eating together?
Food may be a basic human need, but so is companionship, togetherness, and friendship. For most of human history, eating together - breaking bread - has been a path to forming strong bonds with others. Cesar Chavez summarized the concept well, saying: “If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him. The people who give you their food give you their heart.”
What is the “great hunger” quote?
The “great hunger” quote likely refers to a passage by Laurens van der Post, a 20th-century South African author, war hero, political advisor, educator, humanitarian, and philosopher. His words are reprinted below:
“The Bushmen in the Kalahari Desert talk about the two "hungers". There is the Great Hunger, and there is the Little Hunger. The Little Hunger wants food for the belly; but the Great Hunger, the greatest hunger of all, is the hunger for meaning…
There is ultimately only one thing that makes human beings deeply and profoundly bitter, and that is to have thrust upon them a life without meaning.
There is nothing wrong in searching for happiness. But of far more comfort to the soul is something greater than happiness or unhappiness, and that is meaning. Because meaning transfigures all. Once what you are doing has for you meaning, it is irrelevant whether you're happy or unhappy. You are content - you are not alone in your Spirit - you belong.”
What is a famous quote about starving?
One famous quote about starving comes from Mahatma Gandhi, who spoke of the food disparity between rich and poor: “There’s enough on this planet for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed.”
What is food insecurity?
Food is one of several basic human needs, and food insecurity occurs when a person has limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Food insecurity does not mean starvation, but it is nonetheless an important public health problem to address. Unstable access to food can have numerous health consequences, especially for children, who are twice as likely to report poor health as food-secure children.
In the United States, programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - formerly known as food stamps - provide aid to those facing food insecurity. Despite public resources being available to stave off food insecurity, many people struggle to obtain an adequate amount of healthy, nutritious food. One of the problems is the continued existence of food deserts, areas of the country where there are no stores that sell healthy and affordable food.
Who said poverty is hunger?
The phrase “poverty is hunger” is commonly attributed to the World Bank, an international development organization owned by 187 countries. Its primary role is to reduce poverty by lending money to the governments of low-income countries to improve their economies. The entire “poverty is hunger” quote is reprinted below:
“Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom.”
What is a quote about eating slowly?
One famous quote about eating slowly comes from Ben Frank in his book One Meal a Day: A Breakthrough Diet with Health, Energy, and Focus:
“Enjoy food as slowly as possible. One thing that you have to adapt to eventually is the slow eating habit, which is excellent in many ways. First, we get to fully chew and digest what we eat, not to mention that we fully savor the flavors. We also don’t need to hurry as we are going to eat only one meal a day. Therefore, we can sit down, relax and enjoy. I mean you have to enjoy that one meal you get to eat in a day. You will wait and anticipate, meaning your body will be better prepared for a delightful meal and its full digestion.”
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