When I was initially diagnosed with an eating disorder, I immediately wrote myself off as “not sick enough” to actively pursue treatment. I was convinced that because my physical symptoms were not as severe as others’, I did not deserve treatment or attention. What I failed to realize at the time was that eating disorders are mental health problems worth addressing regardless of physical symptoms.

I went almost a year post-diagnosis without pursuing active recovery because I kept telling myself I needed my eating disorder in order to have value in my personal and professional life. I finally started taking it seriously when the world shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through Telehealth appointments with my Registered Dietician and ED Recovery Therapist, I powered through recovery. I am grateful to be in a stable place in my recovery.
One of the most invalidating experiences I had as a man in recovery was the lack of resources for men.

I could not find any male influencers sharing their recovery stories, and I could not even find non-profits or websites with resources for men. I turned to my RD and therapist for help finding resources for men, and they also came up short. If I did not have the two of them to continually validate my experience, I might have just given up.

In December 2020, I decided to become the male eating disorder recovery advocate I needed, using TikTok and, later, Instagram as my mediums. My platform grew very large very quickly because there was and is an immense need for male recovery representation.
Please join me in my mission to normalize and de-stigmatize the male eating disorder recovery experience!