By Kaijing //Breaking Mirrors – You Are More Than What You See
When I was struggling with anorexia, I never felt more alone in my life. Even as I desperately wished for someone to save me from drowning in my own thoughts, I couldn’t find the courage to start recovery. Hence for more than a year, this demon of my mind consumed my life and threatened my relationships with my friends and family.
Fast forward to making the choice for recovery: it was the scariest decision I ever made but the most worthwhile in so many ways.
The journey was definitely not linear and there were times when I wanted to slip back to the days when I was sick.
I felt so lost as I walked the journey of recovery alone and I remember how, even for the simplest act of eating a meal, my hands would shake and turn ice cold, my mind filled with fear and anxious thoughts. Therefore when I recovered, I wanted to use my experience to contribute positively to the mental health community such that others’ journey of recovery will not be as daunting and scary as mine had been for me.
I started TAILOR(ED), a social enterprise grounded in a peer-support model driven by individuals with lived experiences to help those who are struggling. We also aim to raise awareness of and encourage self-care and body positivity. In the first two months of this year, we launched Reflections 2018, a series of co-creation arts workshops where individuals with lived experiences can create an artwork together with the public to raise awareness and reduce stereotyping about Eating Disorders.
I strongly believe and hope that people can see how the mental health community is made up of individuals who are strong, courageous and some of the most inspirational people you’ll ever meet. We all have the magic in us to achieve greater things than we can imagine. 🙂
This story was contributed by Breaking Mirrors – You Are More Than What You See, a health campaign that aims to prevent the development of anorexia and bulimia among young women in Singapore. Kaijing’s post on Breaking Mirrors can be found here: (https://www.facebook.com/breakingmirrorsSG/videos/546892299021787/) along with her recovery story https://www.facebook.com/breakingmirrorsSG/videos/548242015553482/. To know more about TAILOR(ED), do check out their Facebook page and website!(Photo credit: Kaijing)