Anorexia survivor Gina Susanna created a viral Instagram hashtag called #embracethesquish, in the hopes of helping others feel comfortable about their bodies, including their belly rolls, stretch marks, and cellulite. But just as important, she’s also using her platform to discuss some of the issues associated with recovering from disordered eating, which she mentioned in a recent Instagram post.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
“Why do so many people’s recovery always come with a BUT … ” she wrote. “Why do we think it’s OK to recover — but only up to a certain point? We tell ourselves, Everything is fine — as long as you’re thin. Eat as much as you want, as long as you don’t gain weight. Cut out exercise — as long as you don’t get fat.'"
Susanna raises an important point: Discourse surrounding recovery often has its own harmful messaging. “We tell ourselves that recovery is great as long as we're thin, because according to social media, you fail at recovery if you're not still thin by the end of it,” she said.
Instead, she said it's important to remember that part of recovery is accepting that every recovering body looks different. “True recovery means letting go of all the things we think we are still bound by,” she continued. “It means not allowing our prejudice to get in the way. It means analyzing and recognizing fat phobia in ourselves on new levels ... Recovering FULLY, and past our comfort levels.”
Susanna's words are important, especially because according to the National Eating Disorders Association, approximately 20 million women and 10 million men in the U.S. suffer from eating disorders at some point. Moreover, while more research on eating disorders is needed, it’s estimated that 60 percent of people recover from eating disorders if they receive treatment, 20 percent make “partial recoveries” with treatment, and 20 percent don’t recover, even with treatment. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders also reports that someone dies from an eating disorder roughly every hour, and it has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
More on bodies:
- Here’s How the Internet Is Celebrating Big Thighs
- Actress Chrissy Metz On Being A Role Model In The Body-Positivity Movement: "I'm So Grateful"
- Body Positive Hashtag #DontHateTheShake Is Going Viral For the Best Reason
Rapper and Singer Lizzo Talks Bodysuits and Body Image:
