Recovery Q and A's

beat has been looking at other ways of expanding upon and improving our recovery resources.  Over 74% of the 514 beat service users who responded to our ‘Recovery Resources’ questionnaire wanted to see a Recovery ‘Question and Answers’ page.  We have taken some of the questions posed by people who responded to this survey and put them to healthcare professionals, young people in recovery and members of the beat team. 

Many people who responded to the questionnaire wanted to know why eating disorders were such a taboo subject and why they happen , why other people felt they had an eating disorder and why it had affected them.  A big step for lots of sufferers was how to overcome the fear of disappointing other people.   Other issues that were raised were when would there be more help available for people affected by an eating disorder and when would eating disorders be discussed more openly in schools and universities.  

There were also many questions more specific to the recovery process, such as what someone should do if they are not receiving adequate support, and whether it is possible for a sufferer to recover on their own.  People also wanted to know what self-help techniques a sufferer can employ and how do other people cope with recovery and with physical changes such as coming to terms with weight gain. 

Some questions also addressed the psychological side of an eating disorder such as how does a sufferer separate their own thoughts from the disordered thoughts of the illness and ways in which someone can challenge the eating disorder ‘voice’.

People also wanted to know what strategies they could put in place when their therapist or counsellor was on holiday and why some healthcare professionals only focus on the weight of a sufferer.

Young ambassadors, healthcare professionals and members of the beat team have also provided answers to questions people had about life after recovery, such as is it possible to get a normal life back and to fully recover from an eating disorder, how does someone know if they have recovered, how long it takes for the physical effects of an eating disorder to be reversed and for weight to redistribute .

A big thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the questionnaire and to all of those who helped to contribute to the answers.