Is there such a thing as recovery from an eating disorder?

If I binge but don't purge, do I have an eating disorder?

Do eating disorders affect mostly teenagers?

Is there such a thing as recovery from an eating disorder?
I am always asked this question. I think people get confused by the term recovery. Recovery doesn't mean that you will never have another food issue in your life. Recovery doesn't mean you'll be able to eat whatever you want and feel comfortable. Recovery doesn't mean you stop needing support.
Recovery means that your symptom isn't in charge of you but you are in charge of it. For ex: when you are bulemic, your bulemia controls you. You plan things around your bulemia; you miss work because of your bulemia; relationships don't always work because of your bulemia. When you are in "recovery", you are in charge. If you are symptom free and you begin to have a binge urge or eat too much and want to purge, you put your healthier coping strategies in place and you work it through. Recovery is feeling better about yourself and your body - acknowledging that there will be down days but you can tolerate them. Recovery is about always needing support whether it be books, family, therapy, etc. - not being afraid to reach out.

If I binge but don't purge, do I have an eating disorder?
If you binge and don't purge, your eating is disordered. There is a wide spectrum of eating disordered behavior. People who "yo-yo" diet have disordered eating.

Do eating disorders affect mostly teenagers?
Absolutely not! At any given time my practice is 50% adult women. We often think of anorexia and bulemia affecting only teens. Although teens make up 90% of the population affected, adult women ranging in age from 30-60 complain of having an eating disorder.