Andrea Roe has herself recovered from both bulimia and anorexia and now shares her passion for helping others through her recovery book You Are Not Alone.
Suite101: How do you define recovery?
Andrea Roe: Recovery to me means learning to love myself for who I am. It's knowing that I don't have to use food as a tool to compensate for some underlying emotional issue. It's learning to enjoy food instead of seeing it as something evil or disgusting.
Essentially, what it means to me to be recovered.... freedom!
Suite101: What led you to write You Are Not Alone?
Andrea Roe: During my own recovery from eating disorders, I loved reading about other people's recovery journeys in books and online in recovery forums. These stories gave me hope and inspired me to keep fighting and not to give up, no matter what. In addition, I was also in touch with others who were either also in recovery or already recovered -- these conversations were SO powerful for me. These women understood and didn't judge me. I got that I was I really not alone and that recovery really was possible. If they could recover, I COULD TOO!
Self-Help Books Aid Eating Disorder Recovery
Because I got so much out of hearing and reading other people’s recovery experiences, I decided to connect with recovered/in-recovery individuals and create a book of inspiring stories, poems and artwork. The effort became You Are Not Alone: The Book of Companionship for Women with Eating Disorders (Volume 1) in 2006 and You Are Not Alone - Volume 2 (which includes Companion CD filled with songs by eating disorder survivors, produced by Shannon Cutts) in 2009. For more information, visit you are not alone book.
Profits of both You Are Not Alone books are donated to eating disorder organizations, to raise awareness and help and support others in their recovery.
Suite101: If you could give one piece of advice to those in recovery what would it be?
Andrea Roe: If you are struggling with an eating disorder, please reach out and get help. You deserve to get help. You deserve to be happy and healthy. You deserve to live your life without the eating disorder. And in order for someone to successfully recover, help and support from others is crucial.
Support Is Vital For Recovery From Eating Disorders
If it wasn’t for my support team, I would not be where I am today. I would have given up somewhere on the way. It’s important to have others in our lives who believe in us and help us get back up again when we fall. Recovery is not easy…but it is well worth it. As long as we keep on fighting, work on our recovery and don’t give up, we can reach our goals and one day be free of this disorder. This is a battle that can be won.
Suite101: What are your plans for the future?
Andrea Roe: To continue to live my passion, which is raising eating disorder awareness, support others in their healing journey and spreading the message of HOPE - that recovery really is possible. I love travelling and visiting schools and treatment centres to talk about eating disorders and body image, share my personal recovery story and what helped me get healthy to inspire others to stay strong and keep fighting. There is so much negativity out there and it is important to let people know that there is HOPE and eating disorders can be beaten I am proof of this.
For more information about my recovery and work, visit www.youarenotalonebook.com
Thanks so much Andrea for kindly sharing with us about eating disorder recovery and your book - best wishes for the future.
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
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