Virtual Support Group/Recovery Buddies

Though it affects the lives of everyone who loves us, ultimately, an eating disorder is a very personal disease. And though no one can make you recover but yourself, having people who understand what you're going through (even if it's only one person) can certainly help. I know that many of us have been in some sort or recovery or treatment facility, talked to therapists, doctors, dietitians, nutritionists, or experienced a recovery support group. But I also know that many haven't. Recovery can be terribly expensive and not everyone (myself included) can financially afford to get the care they need. That's why I've been thinking of creating a virtual recovery support group. I am not a therapist or a doctor or medical professional of any kind, but I have a feeling that many of us could benefit from having a place (aside from our blogs) where we could vent, tell honestly how we are feeling, what we are struggling with, what we need to overcome, etc. I know I could certainly use a little extra encouragement and support and motivation from time to time.

So, I am curious to see if any of you feel the same way. I have created a group via google for eating disorder recovery support. If you are interested in joining this virtual recovery group, please e-mail me here and tell me your name, your e-mail address and your desire to join the group. Or, if you wish, you can just leave that information as a comment at the bottom of this post. Whatever works for you.

I hope that those of you who do join will post to the group frequently and engage in virtual conversations about your recovery journey. However, it's okay to join and become a silent participant, too. Most importantly, this will be a safe and encouraging environment to help us all defeat our eating disorders (not just anorexia. Anyone recovering from any type of eating disorder is welcome). If anyone aims to criticize or condemn, please do not join! Also, don't feel obligated to join if this isn't something that interests you.

For those of you who may not feel comfortable posting and participating in a group environment, I encourage you to at least find one person who you can talk to openly and honestly about your recovery. If you already have that person in your life, that's wonderful. But if you don't and you're interested in finding a recovery buddy, feel free to e-mail me. We all need a little support and motivation and strength from time to time. I would be more than happy to speak privately to any of you about the obstacles you're facing. Again, I'm not a therapist or a doctor of any sort, but I'm a recovering anorexic who also happens to be a good listener.

If you don't feel like talking to me that's okay. Please talk to someone. Help is out there! You just have to ask for it.