Co-production - Esther's experience

Expert by experience Esther shares her experience on the Empowering Recovery project.

What is your experience of eating disorders? What motivated you to become an expert by experience?

As a teenager and into my early 20s I really struggled with Anorexia, Bulimia and BED, and am on the road to recovery now. Seven years after my first hospital stay with Anorexia I'm proud to say I'm well on the way to living my full and healthy life. I was motivated to become an expert by experience because I find helping others to be the most important thing in my life. It always has been and I suspect always will be, and any small part I can play in that through this role is an honour.

What does co-production mean to you?

Co-production to me means working together with a like-minded but diverse group of people, to create and explore topics and reach a shared, meaningful end goal. It also means sharing experiences and a sense of understanding among the group.

What do you enjoy about being an expert by experience?

I enjoy the collaborative aspect of being an expert by experience - being able to work with other people who have experienced the same illness to you but in diverse ways is so important. It reminds us that eating disorders are not a monolith and should never be treated as such. I also love feeling like I have a positive impact on a wider group of people!

Could you tell us about your experience on the Empowering Recovery project?

The project was to help create digital resources for those wanting to share things on social media around eating disorders, and for those wanting to consume eating disorder content. It was interesting to hear so many different perspectives on things I'd considered for a long time, and take different opinions on board. Working together with other experts by experience was truly an amazing experience, and I enjoyed being able to contribute using my experience of running a recovery account during my early recovery journey - the should and should nots, the safe boundaries etc. - it was really great to hear so many different perspectives from those with different eating disorder experiences too.

What advice would you give someone who wants to become an expert by experience?

I would say, if you're nervous about opening up, there is absolutely no pressure to. The environment is so relaxed, you can share as much or as little as you like, and you will be supported through every step. Take it easy when sharing, don't share more than you're completely comfortable with - there's no problem with it! Everyone is there to support you.