NEDA Navigator Guidebook
Not for public distribution. For exclusive use by official NEDA Navigators
Be prepared for assumptions/questions. Remember that the extent of eating
disorders knowledge will vary widely within your audience. Be prepared to address
common myths about eating disorders and keep in mind what a valuable opportunity
this is to clear up those all-too-prevalent misunderstandings. Refer to NEDA’s various
handouts for more information (see next page for handout suggestions).
Remember your reason for speaking. Before sharing your story, carefully consider
your motivations for doing so. While it may be personally rewarding to be honest and
open about your experience, remember that you have an important obligation to your
audience members. Make sure you leave your audience with the message that there is
hope, that recovery and freedom from food and weight concerns is possible, and
professional help is available.
How to Share a Story Responsibly
Eating disorders are serious illnesses that must be discussed in a careful and responsible
manner. Try not to inadvertently glamorize them or promote copycats who may
experiment with life-threatening behaviors. Whether you are sharing your story during
an interview, in a written piece or in front of an audience, here are some suggestions to
guide you in your coverage of eating disorders:
Don’t focus on graphic images or physical descriptions of the body at its
unhealthiest point . Research strongly suggests that testimonies which dramatize
dangerous thinness can provoke a “race to the bottom” among those struggling with or
susceptible to an eating disorder (i.e. “She is thinner than I am and she’s still alive. I
should lose more weight.”). A focus on the physical descriptions of the body is not only
dangerous, but can also be misleading. Individuals with eating disorders come in all
shapes and sizes – just like in life!
Don’t provide ‘tips’ or play the numbers game. “I ate only X calories a day” or “He
took as many as X laxatives at a time” can turn a well-intentioned story into ‘how-to’
instructions for someone to follow. You might instead highlight that our self-worth
cannot be measured by the numbers on a scale or the size of our clothes. Stories can
also effectively – and responsibly – be illustrated by focusing on the mental and physical
consequences of the eating disorder (e.g. disrupted friendships and isolation, fear and
depression, fatigue, decreased ability to concentrate, medical complications, etc.) rather
than the specific behaviors or number counting that perpetuated the eating disorder.
Watch out for ‘anorexia chic’. Eating disorders and those who have them should not
be glamorized or, worse yet, presented as people with “astounding will-power” or
“incredible self-control.” This threatens to not only inaccurately portray eating disorders
as “desirable,” but can also give the false impression that if one only had enough will
power or self-control, they could overcome an eating disorder too. Eating disorders are
not just a ‘fad’ or a ‘phase,’ and one doesn’t ‘catch’ an eating disorder for a period of
time. Remind the audience that eating disorders are illnesses, not choices.
Guidelines for Sharing Stories of Recovery ▪ Page 2
©2012 National Eating Disorders Association. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction or other use of this outline without the express written consent of the National Eating Disorders
Association is prohibited.
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