'I’m Laura, and I’ve been recovering from anorexia for the past 3 years. Up until 5 and a half years ago I was your typical healthy girl and loving life until I started to suffer with chronic migraines, neck and back pain. My life changed dramatically and it had a huge impact on what I was able to do and I had to give up working full time. I had no control over the pain and it led me to withdraw from many of the things I once used to love, leading me to become very depressed and anxious. At a time when everything felt very out of control, I did have control over one thing...my eating. I began to focus on this and I started to lose weight. I finally felt like I was good at something again but this very soon spiralled out of control and I was diagnosed with anorexia. I am still a long way from where I want to be, but slowly I am getting there. Exercise has been my biggest help. To begin with I used to exercise to lose weight and I saw it as a punishment, but over time I changed the type of exercise I do from cardio to more body strengthening exercises to try and build my body back up. It has also had a positive effect on the chronic pain I suffer with. Although I am still in pain every day I am learning to live with it and I am dealing with it better than I have done previously. For me, anorexia was a way of getting control back in my life, but it did the opposite and I lost all control to this horrible eating disorder. Gradually, though, I am making progress and I will not give up until I have full control of my life once again.'
Author credit: Laura