Wake-Up Call in Eating Disorder Recovery.

The Ferrari With the Handbrake On | Why Nothing Feels Good Enough

Becky Stone is a BACP-registered therapist in Canterbury who specialises in eating disorders, anxiety, and self-worth. In this article, she explains why the feeling of never being good enough isn't always about low confidence, for some people, including Becky herself,...

Is Online Eating Disorder Therapy Effective? Why Recovery Is About More Than Sitting in the Same Room

Online eating disorder therapy can be just as effective as face-to-face counselling for many people. Discover how specialist trauma-informed online therapy supports recovery from anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder

How eating disorders affect friendship; Why we start avoiding the people we love

Why do eating disorders affect friendships? Eating disorders often affect much more than food. They can make friendships feel overwhelming, family gatherings exhausting, and social situations impossible to face. Many people find themselves cancelling plans, avoiding...

Why Eating Disorders Thrive in Isolation – And Why Connection Matters in Recovery

Many people living with an eating disorder find themselves pulling away from friends, avoiding family meals, cancelling plans and spending more time alone. While this can look confusing from the outside, isolation is often a symptom of the eating disorder rather than...

How Childhood Experiences Affect Eating Disorders, Self-Worth & Body Image

Discover how childhood experiences, emotional neglect and difficult parent relationships can affect self-worth, body image, perfectionism and eating disorders and what recovery can look like. As a trauma-informed eating disorder therapist in Canterbury, I often see...

The Pressure To Be Good Enough | People Pleasing, Boundaries & Self-Worth

Do you feel like you’re living by somebody else’s expectations? You may be losing sight of what truly matters to you. What would it be like to stop trying to be who everybody else wants you to be and start understanding who you already are? Finding the strength within...

Why Do I Pull Away From People When I’m Struggling?

Sometimes pulling away isn’t about not caring. Sometimes it’s the only coping strategy we’ve ever known.Sometimes when life feels hard, we don’t move towards people. We pull away. We cancel plans. We ignore messages. We say, “I’m fine,” when we are absolutely not...

When Parents Don’t See the Signs of an Eating Disorder: What Schools Often Notice First

Parents rarely miss the signs because they don’t care. More often, they don’t know what they’re looking for. Here’s what teachers, schools and families need to know about recognising concerns early.I'm Becky Stone, a Canterbury-based therapist specialising in...

Cyberbullying and Eating Disorders: When Words Become Wounds

A trauma-informed look at how online abuse can affect our relationship with food, our bodies, and ourselves.Maybe it started on Snapchat. Or in a WhatsApp group. A random comment on Instagram.Something someone said, maybe even as a ‘joke’,that burrowed deep into your...

Why an ADHD Diagnosis Can Feel Like Grief and Relief

When I received my ADHD diagnosis, I cried. Not because I was upset or scared, but because I finally had an answer. In this article, therapist Becky Stone explores the grief, relief and self-acceptance many adults experience after receiving an ADHD diagnosis later in...

The Turning Point in My Eating Disorder Recovery

Eating disorder recovery often starts with a moment that shakes you to your core. For me, it happened one evening in my kitchen, utterly exhausted, lightheaded, and scared that if I collapsed, my kids would be left alone. That terrifying moment became my wake-up call. It made me realise something had to change.

 

 

 

Suddenly, my head went back.

I could feel myself about to pass out.

The room blurred, my hands felt weak, and one terrifying thought hit me like a train:

If I collapse right now, my kids will be alone in this flat. The gas is on. No one will know.

That moment changed everything.

the realisation that saved my life

For years, I had ignored the warning signs, skipping meals, overexercising, and chasing a number on the scale that I thought would bring me happiness. But standing there, barely able to hold myself up, I realised the harsh truth:

This wasn’t just about me anymore.

I wasn’t just hurting myself; I was hurting the people I loved most. My children needed me, and if I didn’t take action, I risked leaving them to fend for themselves.

That night, I made a decision that would redefine my life:

F*ck this. I want to live.

Eating disorder recovery isn’t just about eating more or exercising less. It’s about finding a reason to live. It’s about reclaiming your purpose and realising that you are worth so much more than your eating disorder.

When I work with clients now, one of the first questions I ask them is:

“What is making you want to get better?”

Because that reason, whether it’s your family, your future, or just the deep, quiet desire to finally be free, will carry you through the hardest days.

How to find your reason

If you’re reading this and feel stuck, I want to help you take the first step. Ask yourself:

1

What's your wakeup call?

Consider what truly matters to you. Is it family, personal growth, or a future free from struggle? Identifying your core values can guide your recovery.

2

What is the life you want beyond this disorder?

Imagine the life you want to lead beyond your current challenges. What does happiness look like for you? This vision can serve as a powerful motivator.

3

Who or what gives you the motivation to heal?

Think about the people who inspire you to heal. Whether it’s friends, family, or a community, having a support network can make all the difference.

For me, it was my children. For you, it could be your family, your dreams, or simply the idea of waking up one day free from the constant battle in your mind.

Your Journey Starts with One Step

I’ll be honest; recovery isn’t easy. But it’s worth it.

I had to rebuild my relationship with food, rediscover how to trust my body, and learn how to prioritise my mental and physical health. Through that process, I discovered something incredible:

Life is so much more than a number on a scale.

Today, I help others find their reasons for recovery, guiding them to reclaim their lives and rewrite their stories. Because if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s this:

Nothing is worth losing yourself for.

Ready to start your journey?

If you’re struggling and don’t know where to start, let’s talk. Recovery doesn’t happen overnight, but every small step you take matters.

 

What’s the one thing holding you back from recovery? Share your thoughts below or reach out. I’d love to help you find your reason to heal.

Struggling with an eating disorder and ready to take the first step? Click the link below to start your recovery with a trusted Eating Disorder Therapist

Helpful Links/Support:

https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/

https://www.mind.org.uk/

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/