We often don’t hear much about eating disorder recovery or relapse or how to deal with the size-obsessed media when you’re trying to recover. And when we do, it can be very misleading.

Recovery is often portrayed as something magical: After spending a few weeks or months at an eating disorder center, you come out completely cured.

We also rarely hear about relapse and how to minimize a relapse. We rarely hear that having a relapse won’t derail your recovery. In fact, it can strengthen it.

So I’m thrilled to feature an interview with eating disorder survivor, advocate and author Kate Le Page, who sheds some light on these topics (and more!). When I first started Weightless, Kate was one of the first people to share her story of recovery, and I’m happy that we’ve kept in touch ever since.

Kate is the author of a beautiful book of poetry — Goodbye Ana — written while she was recovering from anorexia. She also maintains a website dedicated to eating disorders, and has recently become the eating disorder feature writer at Suite 101. No doubt, you’ll find fantastic information there.

1. Many of the women who share their story of recovery from an eating disorder talk about the lack of information on recovery. They wonder what recovery truly likes look. What does recovery mean to you?

Recovery has meant different things at different times in my life. When I first left residential treatment, recovery was totally focused on being in my target weight range and sticking to the menu plan and exercise contract.

In recent years, I’ve come to view recovery as something that primarily involves balance — as living with the eating disorder and exercise addiction is total chaos (even though it makes you think you are in control). This perspective has helped me to focus on areas of life that the illness takes away.

Also, I began to understand through therapy that a sufferer can be at target weight and still be totally controlled by the illness. Through weekly Cognitive Analytic Therapy sessions I learned that for me recovery had to mean more than just being ‘x’ weight. I now know that I’m in recovery because I see friends, I don’t have to exercise every day,  I enjoy writing again, I can go out for a meal and not feel the need to restrict afterward, and I am learning to like myself and not judge myself by what I weigh.

2. We’re constantly bombarded by diet and weight-loss ads and women’s magazines that extol thinness. It’s tough enough for all women and men to ignore something so heavily entrenched in our culture. Though we know that the media doesn’t cause eating disorders, for some, it may complicate their struggles or their recovery. How do you tune out or deal with the thin-is-in-culture? How do you recommend individuals who’re struggling with an eating disorder or are in recovery deal with it?

The way I deal with it is by not watching programs about dieting and avoiding magazines which bang on about who has gained/lost weight and one week celebrity A is praised for losing ‘x’ weight then the next the same person is ridiculed for gaining weight. What has helped me is seeing the Dove real women campaign, where you see a model from no makeup in fast-forward to being completely done up and the images don’t look like the same person.

I think it’s so hard to remember that these images we see in every magazine, newspaper or on TV are so massively doctored that they are completely fake. In some ways, I find it ironic that here in the U.K. the dangers of smoking appear in bold letters on cigarette packs yet countless girls and women are constantly bombarded with messages that make one feel abnormal for not looking like this perfect image that simply isn’t real. It’s also been proven through research that after reading such magazines one’s self-esteem decreases.

I strongly recommend those struggling with eating disorders or in recovery to boycott the magazines which are actively promoting the need to be x weight and to think about the women they come into contact with who they admire who don’t look like skeletal celebrities. The more time I spend with women I admire who are every shape and size the more I’m reminded how fake the whole magazine/TV obsession is and how damaging the industry is to impressionably young girls.

3. Looking back at your own recovery and currently at your advocacy work, what seem to be the most common challenges of recovering from an eating disorder? How do you suggest individuals overcome these challenges?

I think one of the greatest challenges particularly for those in the UK is how much the level of treatment and support people receive depends on your postcode. Many people I know have had fantastic support in private Eating Disorder Units and then been discharged and had virtually no support, which then makes them far more vulnerable to relapse and so the cycle continues.

In areas where support is limited, there are a number of other options I’d recommend including 12-Step groups, mentoring programs such as MentorCONNECT and learning new skills through CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) workbook for example.

4. I recently wrote a blog post on silencing the eating disorder voice, with suggestions from women who’ve recovered and from the fantastic book Beating Ana: How to Outsmart Your Eating Disorder and Take Your Life Back. Do you still hear that ED voice? How were you able to silence it to recover?

The ED voice used to be a constant, relentless and sometimes deafening noise in my head but now it only appears from time to time as a whisper, and whereas before I just listened to it, now I am able to identify the lies and challenge them.

Silencing the voice certainly takes time, and it was only through group therapy, where I saw every day the impact the lies of the illness had on those I’d come to know as friends, that it really dawned on me that the voice was not to be trusted and that most of the time doing the opposite of what it said to do was actually the correct, healthy option.

5. Can you talk about some suggestions for minimizing and managing relapse?

The most helpful means of minimizing and managing relapse is to have a clear plan already in place. For example, if one’s mood drops or weight suddenly changes, it is vital that you already have in place names and numbers of who to call to get support.

I think that as time goes on everyone begins to know their own specific warning signs, such as avoidance or becoming overtired and rundown, and you get better at spotting the triggers, too.

When you have a relapse, it is something that you can always learn from and I’ve found that often it requires really looking at or reviewing the reasons why you want to be well. Never be afraid to ask for help as the illness will lie to you, saying you’re fine or that help is for weak people. Yet, it is crucial to have a strong support system around you to both get well and remain well.

6. What resources (books, websites) helped you in recovery, and which ones would you recommend to readers?

I have found Jenni Schaefer’s recovery books to be the most helpful for really getting passionate about life and learning how to separate from the eating disorder. As depression has been a big part of my illness, I’d also strongly recommend Depressive Illness: The Curse of The Strong, as this book transformed my understanding of depression and made me finally accept that it is not something that happens to weak people.

7. What would you like individuals suffering from eating disorders to know?

I’d like those fighting eating disorders to know above all that there is hope — recovery and being able to enjoy life again is truly possible. Grab every bit of help and support with both arms and legs, as it is only through a strong support system that you will find the strength you need to beat the disorder.

8. What are some of your favorite tips for building a positive body image?

Keep reminding yourself that real, beautiful women are not clones, and skeletal is not an attractive look at all. Wear clothes that make you feel good about yourself — I know it’s so tempting to hide in a tracksuit but this doesn’t help body image. Challenge what you see and hear as today’s culture will constantly bombard you with images of what is hailed as perfection when perfection is just an illusion.

9. Anything else you’d like to add?

Think about getting involved with anti-stigma groups and working to challenge the myths and misunderstandings there are about eating disorders and mental illness in general. Also remember that honesty is key to recovery as that is what makes the eating disorder lose its power over you.

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Thanks so much, Kate, for an informative and inspiring interview!!

What does recovery mean to you? How do you minimize relapse?

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From Psych Central's website:
PsychCentral (March 23, 2010)

    Last reviewed: 23 Mar 2010