Through Kailyn's Eyes

I also asked my best friend to write about how it was for her seeing the evolution of my eating disorder. Friends can be so close that they are more aware of what is really going on than family. If you have a friend with an eating disorder this post is for you. If you have an eating disorder this post will help you realize what you are putting your friends through. ED takes many people victim, not just the person with the behaviors.

Hello everyone!!

A few days ago Kristin asked me if I would write a post for her blog about what it was like for me when she was battling ED.

First off, let me introduce myself. :) My name is Kailyn and Kristin and I have been best friends for the past 5 years. Ever since we met we were inseparable.

Kristin and I did literally everything together so when her eating habits changed I knew something was wrong. She always complained about tummy aches and said she always felt sick. I remember one morning before school started she had said that she felt like she had an upset tummy and went to the bathroom and threw up. I started paying very close attention to her. I finally asked her about it one day at school when she refused to eat her lunch.

She was either in denial about it or she just didn't want to admit that something was wrong. She pretty much shrugged it off and ignored me. Kristin was constantly putting herself down and feeling like she was never good enough for anything. In reality, she was a brilliant and beautiful girl. It killed me knowing that she refused to believe it. I felt like i had to talk her "off the ledge" every day.

In December of our senior year I had finally told her that if she didn't tell her mom she thought she had an eating disorder than I was going to. She needed to tell someone so she could get help. I was sick of seeing my best friend in so much emotional pain. It felt good to finally stand up and say something.

After graduation she started going to group therapy. I could definitely see a difference in her. She was making wonderful friends that were going though the same thing that she was. I felt like a lot of the pressure had been taken off me. She finally had people to relate to.

One day of the the week she would get to bring her "supports," being her Mom, Dad, Step Mom, Step Dad, and I. There was no doubt this girl was loved when all of us walked into the room. :) We would do exercises with the girls that helped all of us understand one another better. I learned more about Kristin in those sessions than I ever would have just hanging out with her.

Since that summer after graduation, I moved about an hour away from her to go to college. I'm still one of her strongest supports and I try to be there for her whenever I can.

Seeing Kristin battle an eating disorder was one of the hardest things I've had to do. It hurt a lot because I couldn't help her at all. I always had a hard time trying to figure out what to say to make her feel better. As her friend I wanted to help her as much as I could and make her "better" but I couldn't.

The progress she has made in the past 3 years is absolutely amazing. She realized that ED was trying to take over her body and now she is beating him at his own game.

To this day Kristin is definitely one of the strongest women i know and an inspiration to everyone. She is in the process of taking ED down and I couldn't be any more proud of her.

Stay Strong & Beautiful!!