New Chapter

A young woman charts her ongoing recovery from eating disorders.

Adia Colar is a publicist for New Harbinger Publications and a freelance writer. See full bio

October 19, 2009

Letter to My Body

Last weekend, I found a letter that I'd written to my body. The letter, which I crafted during a body image class and typed later, was written a few weeks into my stay at an eating disorder treatment facility. Some of the particulars are different, but I still found the letter to be applicable to today. Here it is:

September 20, 2009

Lessons from Sophomore Year

Apparently, it's my sophomore year in college because I've been experiencing plenty of déjà vu. It's manifested itself in various ways. If I'm going to continue experiencing sophomore déjà vu, let me take the lessons from that year and make the most of them.

August 27, 2009

The Courage to Ask For Help

What four-letter word can be the most difficult to say?

Help.

Living in a society that prides itself on self-sufficiency, the idea of asking for help can often be daunting. You mean admit that I can't handle everything that comes my way? Not a chance! The ability, though, to ask for help can sometimes be life saving and the inability to do so can lead to many unnecessary consequences.

August 13, 2009

Color Preferences, Michael Jackson, and the Love of Self

A couple weeks ago, after watching an MSNBC segment on Harvard's Implicit Aptitude Test, I jumped at the opportunity to try it. After sifting through the different options, I decided to take the light skin vs. dark skin sample test. Once I finished it, my result was: Your data suggest a strong automatic preference for Dark Skin compared to Light Skin. I was absolutely stunned. I didn't know what the result would be, but I certainly wasn't expecting that.

July 28, 2009

Work With What You've Got

Tools are there to be used. It doesn't matter if they're conventional or unconventional. If something works for me, I'll use it. Likewise, if something works for you, use it. Read More

July 6, 2009

“It’s Gotta Come Out Some Way”

Recently, an acquaintance was sharing some problems she was experiencing when she stopped and said, "Sorry that I'm laying all this on you." I replied, "Don't be sorry - you need to vent. I have to remind myself that this stuff has to come out some way, whether through talking or throwing up." We both laughed, and while it was amusing, I was completely serious - things are going to come out one way or another.

June 22, 2009

What's the Story?

This chapter is both far from new while also one that's new everyday. Every morning I have the privilege of beginning another day in recovery.

My name is Adia and I am recovering from bulimia, bulimarexia, overeating, overexercising - in essence, a dysfunctional relationship with food and my weight. Here are the cliff notes and a few questions I've been asked before: Read More

Eating Disorders Basics

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that is prevalent especially among young women and, increasingly, among young men. Marked by a distorted sense of body image and extreme voluntary starvation, and closely associated with perfectionism and depression, it is the most deadly psychiatric disorder.

Go to the Anorexia Nervosa Basics page for more on Anorexia Nervosa including:

Disordered eating is widespread in the American population, but frank eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, which is also called bing

Go to the Eating Disorders Basics page for more on Eating Disorders including:

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