Thank you so much, all. Everyone here has made me feel so welcome. Lisa (bachnpoets, which is a great name btw!), congrats on only one slip since being out of the program, that is HUGE! This gives me a lot of hope. Get back on the horse. LP0126, you are right that everyone's story is different. I definitely have to look at some stuff from the past, but I also have to figure out what to do now. tuxedomck, I'm a little older than you, but I started around 12, too. I hear you about feeling trapped. That's kind of how I started to feel this year, then I relapsed really badly, and now I'm on a slow upward path. You can do it, too. But you have to want it and I feel like the older we get the more resistance we will face from within. CeeCee4, really glad the last 5 years have been better. What changed?

Hi, I just joined and was glad to see this post. I'm 46 and started with my eating disorders at 11. I've been recovering and struggling on and off since I was 22. In the last 12 years it's been either binge or restrict. Right now I am stuck in restricting,but have no option for therapy or treatment until my insurance kicks in next month.. I'm so tired of this body,mind and soul..I may be old...,but I want a life beyond this. Glad you posted,makes me feel less alone..so thanks.

I'm a bit on the opposite spectrum here, but I am 22, and my eating disorder JUST started for the first time this past year, teen years were fine. It sometimes feels like I suddenly turned into a freak of nature, but I am prepared to deal with it for a long time. So no, of course there is no age limit for this illness. But the plus side I think is that because everyone is such a wise range here, there is a huge range of support and different advice too :)

Annikat, I'm so sorry that you've been struggling with this for a long time, but it sounds like, with your new insurance, you might be able to get into a good treatment center. Maybe go inpatient, but there are also great day programs out there, too if you don't want to stay over. I have a feeling I will be battling this for a while. RosieK, I've met others who have started their eating disorders in college or in early twenties. I hope you caught it early and that you get out of it as soon as possible. But you are right, there is a huge range of support here. Very true!

I think within the last 5 years I started going to the gym and I started training in muay thai. It gave me a reason to treat my body with respect so I can compete. The funny thing is as I had to cut weight to make weight for a fight and I never had an issue with doing so. I feel like going to the gym and working out has been a huge benefit and I can tell my anxiety and my stress into my workouts instead of using food or purging my meals. I have a problem with bulimia and intermittent anorexia because I have an issue with feeling like I do not have control when things start to spiral downhill my husband and I argue anything changes the weight on the scale goes up a tremendous amount I get anxious and I don't know how to handle it so I just flipped out. The last five years have been really good but for some reason it is now more an issue currently. I did stop competing and I am not fighting anymore I don't know if I just replaced my eating disorder with competition or what. But I am at a healthy weight and I still can wear clothes I still get really anxious I can't wear jeans I have a lot of rules in my head but at least I'm healthier