Please note that this is an Archived article and may contain content that is out of date. The use of she/her/hers pronouns in some articles is not intended to be exclusionary. Eating disorders can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights.

By: Erin Marcoe

Being in the Center for Change has changed my life forever! I now know who I really am and I have realized that who I am is wonderful, a sweet little girl that I no longer need to starve, put down or be cruel to. I also want to ask you all to not be cruel to your little girls either; please remember to love yourself for who you are ’cause who we are is acceptable and doesn’t need to be changed. But, we have to love and accept ourselves before we want others to do the same.

At the Center, I have learned to be true to myself, to ask for help, to express my emotions, to trust, to be honest and to think in all colors–not just black and white. I can now respect others but mostly myself! I have learned the healthy coping skills that I need to survive and thrive in this world and this has shown me how unhealthy an eating disorder is to use as a coping skill!

I have learned that I am loved and I will always be loved, and that I can love myself and be loved while still expressing my emotions, my opinions, and my soul.

I want to give everyone here hope and remind you that you can love yourself, be loved, and live without your eating disorder. But most of all, remember that it’s a battle, but you can win it. It will get better but, it will not get better if you hang onto parts of your eating disorder. So let go of your old behaviors. Remember how miserable you were when you were using your eating disorder to survive. And take a leap of faith. You are leaping for love, truth, and your inner child. And we can all be loved and happy. To live without our eating disorders is our goal. Recovery is a long road, but keep on learning, growing, and be true to your heart. I love you all. I’ll remember you all forever. Thank you for your love, support, kindness and friendship. It has helped me beyond measure.