I am here to share my story of experiencing a crisis, the journey of recovery and my future aspirations of becoming an Occupational Therapist.
How did we find Beat?
Like many others, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic left me feeling lost with little sense of purpose. Every day was the same, from watching the coronavirus updates to completing an ‘hour of outdoor exercise’. Life became so consuming and unmanageable, losing control of reality, and I turned to exercise and eating as a coping mechanism. Ever so slowly, my obsession with exercise and eating became an unhealthy hyper-fixation, my parents slowly started to see my ‘glow’ disappear. Meal times became challenging; most nights, I dictated what we could eat as a family. My low mood and anxiety grew, leading me to distance myself from friends and family. It got to the point where everyone was walking on eggshells, having to be mindful of every action or comment they made - my mental health was destroying our family unit. This is when my mum contacted Beat.
Mum called the Helpline and spoke to Beat, who advised her to book me a GP appointment. I will never forget overhearing my mum say to Beat that she “is losing” me. This was when I realised what began as a ‘fitness plan’ had turned into an unhealthy obsession around excessive exercise and disordered eating. Following Beat's advice, we booked a GP and slowly went through the process of being referred to Eating Disorder services. Due to service demands, my referral took 6 months; by this point, my health had severely deteriorated, and I was in the depths of an ED crisis. From May 2021 to July 2021, life went by in a flash – one moment I was meeting my ED practitioner for the first time and being diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa… then I blinked, and I was an informal patient at a specialist eating disorder hospital in London.
Committing to recovery
To this day, I believe that receiving inpatient care was the best thing for me to engage in recovery. I found that being in the community, I was stuck in an uncontrollable cycle of denial, but although life in the unit was tough, I knew it was the only way I was going to get better. I slowly adjusted to life on the ward, attending groups, making friends and embracing living in London. Groups were what kept me going, especially Occupational Therapy (OT). Weekly journaling and ‘community snack’ groups gave me a sense of purpose. I began to regain my independence through attending groups, enabling me to think about my future goals, asking myself ‘What do I like?’ and embracing recovery. It got to the point where I felt so inspired by the Occupational Therapists around me that I thought this could be the job for me, a new goal, a career, something to recover for.
Knowing that I was keen on going to university to study OT, my OT sessions became oriented around applying to university. During my weekend leave, I would go to university open days; one weekend I went to Oxford on Saturday and Canterbury on Sunday, then straight back to the hospital that evening! Applying to university became my sole purpose. After 5 ½ months in hospital, I was discharged on the 17th of November 2021. Although I was weight restored and somewhat better, I had a lot to work on, as recovery had only just begun.
Focusing on my future & life right now…
In September 2022, I started training at the University of Southampton to become an Occupational Therapist. During my time at university, I have actively been recovering from my eating disorder. Living away from home, being responsible for my meals and the amount of activity I do has been a learning curve. Recovery isn’t linear, and university has taught me that. In April 2024, I began running, I felt like I was at the point in my recovery where I could be active again and for my mindfulness and wellness. It started as a few runs, a cheeky 5k or something, and then I decided to enter myself in a half marathon. I completed my first half marathon in Nottingham in September 2024 and have just completed the Southampton Half Marathon!!! I managed to run the half in 02:22:02 (lucky time if you ask me), and more importantly, raised £1,214 for Beat. Running and fundraising for Beat felt right for me; it feels pretty full-circle. Although I don’t like to admit it, I am proud of myself. To see how I have grown over the past 5 years is something special for my family and I. Without that initial phone call my mum made to Beat in 2020, who knows where I would be today.
Right now, I feel content. I am on my final OT placement working in Children’s Therapies, months away from qualifying and then onto solo travelling Europe.** I am engaging in the occupations I love, surrounded by the right people, and always continuing to heal my relationship with food. My recovery journey hasn’t been easy, but it has changed me for the better. I am happy and focusing on becoming the best version of myself and fulfilling my dreams of being an Occupational Therapist, travelling and enjoying exercise – next up Brighton Half Marathon 2026! Without the guidance and support from Beat, my journey may have been a lot different, but for anyone reading, please know that things do get better! Listen to your heart and believe that you can! Just remember to be kind to your body and mind, and things will get better.
“If you can be anything, be kind.”
**Congratulations to Amber, who has got a band 5 Occupational Therapy job and has graduated with a 2:1 this month! We are so proud of you - thank you for sharing your story with us.
Remember, if you need support for an eating disorder for yourself or someone you love, contact our Helpline today.
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Since I started recovery, I have found joy again in baking and making food I once had.
This September, I cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats - more than 1,000 miles - for Beat
It is okay if you need a boulder to lean on, to help you through like I have with Harvey. I am determined to keep fighting.