Not wanting to settle into a 9-5, Meg decided to move to Thailand for a year and further her eating disorder recovery abroad.

Whatever this Christmas season is like for you, I want to give you hope for the Christmas future. I can't tell you that recovery is linear, or that five years on I don't still have wobbles and moments of doubt. But I can say that all of my efforts, all of the hard work and fear that has gone into my recovery has been worth it.

In the run-up to Christmas, there is a lot to juggle. The gifts we need to buy, the plans we have to make to see loved ones, how we might manage disruptions to our routine - all of these things can be difficult to handle at once.

We might not be able to change the prevalence of eating disorders overnight, but we can improve the system that treats them.

Take on The Big Jump together to help end the pain and suffering caused by eating disorders.

I imagine my journey as a Beat volunteer started similarly to many of my colleagues – having the difficult and unfortunate experience of encountering an eating disorder up close, in my case from a carer's perspective.

I have been a digital volunteer for Beat for just over six months now and I can honestly say it is one of the most amazing things that I have ever done.

We talked to our Helpline Manager, Sam, about some of the common questions her team gets around this time of year, and her insights and tips for dealing with the challenges of Christmas.

In the past I’ve wanted to hide the eating disorders that are part of my history, but I want to shout from the rooftops: I'm proud of how far I had come!

University – a time full of new experiences, new friends, new skills and also new challenges. My first year at university ended up being the most challenging and unpredictable year of my life.

Growing up, Christmas was my absolute favourite time of year and now that I am rid of my eating disorder, I am free to enjoy the festivities once again. However, I spent two awful Christmastimes, the first with bulimia and the second with binge eating disorder.

Recovery is like a swimming pool with no shallow end. You can’t just dip your toe into the water or walk in until it’s up to your knees for it to work.

I’ll be celebrating the little things and being kind to myself. I’ll be patting my own back every time I can see something’s got slightly easier for me,

A better future for eating disorders depends on understanding the stigmas that exist today.

We need to challenge the perception that anorexia is purely about body image, or that we are ‘choosing’ not to eat.

Recovery takes time and it isn’t a race – as long as I’m on the right track it doesn’t matter how long it takes me to reach the finish line. I'’ll get there eventually, and next Christmas perhaps anorexia won’t be invited at all.

Isabella discusses navigating Christmas with an eating disorder and Beat's support services over Christmas.

I felt a sense of duty not just to myself, my recovery + my beliefs, but the thousands upon thousands of other people.