ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Content note: This podcast discusses eating disorders, identity, and recovery. We don't share numbers or get graphic about behaviors, but some topics may be sensitive for listeners in early recovery.
This week Ashley and Shea dig into one of the most disorienting parts of recovery: figuring out who you are without your eating disorder. They talk about how the ED can become your whole identity — your thing — and what it feels like when that gets taken away. They explore the messages that shaped them (theater directors, rom-com protagonists, stay-at-home moms), why the eating disorder gives you a script for how to live, and what it actually looks like to start writing a new one.
Terms & Resources Mentioned
Body dysmorphia – A mental health condition where you perceive flaws in your appearance that others don't see, or see your body size and shape inaccurately. NEDA overview →
Body checking – Repeatedly examining, measuring, or touching your body to assess its size or shape. A common behavior used to manage anxiety or disorientation around body image.
PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program) – More intensive than IOP; typically full days, 5 days/week, but you go home at night.
IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) – A structured treatment program typically 3 days/week, a few hours per day. A step down from PHP.
Stepped up to a higher level of care – Clinical language for moving to a more intensive treatment setting when your current level isn't sufficient.
Get Help
- NEDA Helpline: 1-800-931-2237 | nationaleatingdisorders.org
- Crisis Text Line: Text "NEDA" to 741741
- Find treatment: psychologytoday.com/us/treatment-centers
A Note from Ashley & Shea: We are not medical or mental health professionals, just two people navigating recovery and sharing what that looks like in real life. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as clinical advice. Please reach out to a qualified professional if you're struggling.
