Eating Disorder Social Media Can Help Your Recovery

Eating disorder social media can definitely have its pros and cons. I'm here to focus on the positive that social media as related to eating disorders can bring to our lives. If we stay away from the dark side of social media, there are many ways to find inspiration each day to aid in our eating disorder recovery journey. Eating disorder social media can be good for you.

The Dark Side of Eating Disorder Social Media

In many cases, the Internet and eating disorder social media tend to be pro-eating disorder-oriented. Sites are plastered with before and after weight loss pictures, tips and tricks for hiding an eating disorder, and "thinspiration" images which are intended to keep an individual striving for the body they long for. 

Many of us fall victim into looking at this sort of thing. We start curiously, to see what these sites are all about but end up becoming immersed in the content and inevitably feeling poor about ourselves and our bodies. 

As enticing as looking at this type of site may seem, no matter what the intentions, I warn you to simply stay away. Every time I have strayed onto social media accounts that glamorize eating disorders, I have regretted it. My thoughts always turn negative and I become dissatisfied with my body as well as my self. 

Use Eating Disorder Social Media as a Recovery Tool

I'll admit, I went through a time when I used eating disorder social media and the Internet to fuel the fire of my eating disorder. When looking back, I realize how detrimental to my mental health this was, I've worked to stay away from the things on the web that have a tendency to lower the feelings I have towards myself. 

I took a break from social media for a time, but after a while, reappeared for the purpose of being a positive presence on the Internet. I only post positive things or things to bring awareness towards eating disorders and other mental issues. 

Once I started doing this, I soon realized that there is a huge community of individuals who were doing the same thing. There is a massive community for eating disorder recovery on the Internet. I have found some truly inspiring people on social media whose positivity and stories have helped to keep me going each day. Though I do not know these people personally, I feel a connection to them because we are all fighting the same fight. This is where social media can be a truly positive force. 

I challenge you to keep tabs on what or who you choose to look at on both eating disorder social media and the Internet. Start reading the stories of others or posting things that would help another out. It seems minuscule but these things can really be a mood booster. 

Keep up the good work. I believe in you.