Kacie’s Eating Disorder Recovery
Kacie’s eating disorder started out as many do – quietly. Her condition wasn’t obvious to her or the people around her immediately, although Kacie always felt something was wrong. After a career-ending injury to her softball dreams in high school, Kacie was left feeling defeated and worried about her future.
“The only way these things came out was like stomach aches and pains and all of these things. I would just vomit when I ate because I was so stressed that my stomach just couldn’t bear it.”
Although she attempted to get help, seeing multiple doctors about her pains and struggles, no one ever mentioned the possibility of an eating disorder. However, after 13 years of struggling and trying to manage things on her own, a simple yet brutal comment made her realize the gravity of the situation.
“I was trying to manage things independently, which did not work. One day I had a grilled cheese and someone close to me said, “‘Well, don’t go and throw that up now.’” That hit hard to realize I was not hiding it – and someone did see it. It took me hours of crying before I could even say the words ‘“I have an eating disorder.” I had never said it out loud.”
After that, Kacie researched the best possible treatment center for herself, and she ended up in Eating Disorder Solution’s loving and welcoming arms. After speaking with the first team member on the phone and visiting the center, Kacie knew it was the right home for her to heal.
“This is a personal journey shaped by people who care about us and have the education, therapy-wise, nutrition-wise, medication-wise, to allow us to thrive in our environment. They teach us about each aspect of food, what it offers, and how it interacts and fuels our bodies for good. All food fits. There are no bad foods. And so I think it surprised me that this is a journey fully geared by me. You get to run with it and decide whether you’re ready, how you’re ready, and what that means for you. And so I think that was the biggest surprise: they were like, “‘Here you go, take control, just run with it, and we’ll intervene when it gets too much. Other than that, we’re here to support you in your decisions.”’
While her time at Eating Disorder Solutions was devoted to recovery and healing, she was still trying to remain committed to her professional life. Fortunately, Eating Disorder Solutions offers accommodations for professionals and college students, so finding time to take care of responsibilities outside recovery was easy and doable.
“It was extremely different that I could work remotely while I was here. A huge aspect of recovery is helping people ease into everyday life, so the staff wanted me to push forward with my commitment to my job. I could sit in the offices here and do my virtual platform just like I would from home, talking with my clients and seeing them. If you want to work or continue your education during treatment, just tell them what you need and they are happy to make that happen for you; they are very supportive.”
“I’ve never been with a staff where they care so much. You can tell they love to be here; it shows in how they care for us. There’s no moment we ever feel alone or like we don’t have somebody. We go to restaurants and outings together and have a lot of freedom, but much of that time is spent together. We are not alone in this whatsoever. There are very deep relationships that happen here. It’s just a genuine love for people, which was important to me. It’s important to anyone.”
“There’s no shame in seeking mental health treatment. Eating disorders look so different for everyone. It doesn’t mean that we’re not lovable. It doesn’t mean our world has to continue crashing down. We have to work on it every day – but we don’t have to do those things alone.”
We’re Here to Help
Eating Disorder Solutions offers personalized inpatient and outpatient eating disorder treatment in the Dallas, TX area. We provide treatment with integrity, promoting holistic approaches that heal the mind, body, and soul. If you’re ready to begin your recovery journey, call us now at 855-808-4213 or complete the form.