Take time out for yourself as often as needed, and try and educate yourself as much as possible. 

This is my advice to other parents and carers on the eating disorder recovery journey. Don’t get me wrong – I wasn’t able to do this in the beginning. You need to be mentally ready to research and give yourself the freedom to focus on yourself a bit. 

Our journey started in September 2022 when my daughter was hospitalised for three weeks after presenting to the Emergency Department. This was followed by Family Based Therapy (FBT) at home, but since turning 18, my daughter has wanted to be more “independent”, so we’re now transitioning to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) with a psychologist. So far, this has not been as effective as FBT. 

My daughter is on my mind constantly and I am always thinking about her next meal or snack. I am consumed with making sure she’s eating enough. The worry is relentless and never ends. 

When we embarked on this journey, I had no concept of how long this could take. I realise now that I had no comprehension of what the “long-term” journey would be like. I understand more now and at least, I can help others to understand that there are no short-term fixes for this horrible condition.