My name is Claudia, and I decided to share my story to raise awareness about the reality of anorexia, a silent enemy that took control of my life when I was 15 years old.
It all started as an innocent desire to lose a few extra pounds. I wanted to look like the model I had seen in a fashion magazine, who was wearing a long, fitted blue silk dress.
With the social standards of unrealistic beauty, I found myself trapped in a vortex of self-destruction. At first, it seemed like I was just following a healthy diet, but the reality was very different. My mind had been gradually engulfed by an obsessive desire to control my body image. The more weight I lost, the more I wanted to lose.
As my mind became more and more distorted, my body weakened. My menstrual cycle had stopped, as often happens in anorexic girls (and amenorrhea can lead to permanent sterility).
I started to weigh every bite and avoid food like it was my worst enemy. Every mirror reflected my dissatisfaction, and my body became a prison from which I could not escape. Hunger became a constant companion, an insidious voice that whispered that my worth was determined by my thinness.
I started to isolate myself from others. To mask my weight loss, I started wearing loose, baggy clothes. Every time, with different excuses, I would no longer accept dinner invitations from friends. Every dinner at home was a torture, a lie. So I started eating dinner alone, after everyone else, with the excuse of having to finish my schoolwork. I gave up synchronized swimming, a great passion of mine. My coach had noticed that there was a problem, and I was too weak to sustain the hard training.
The turning point came when I collapsed at school, during a math test. I am still grateful for that moment because it finally opened my eyes and dispelled any doubts for those who loved me the most. My family and friends insisted that I seek professional help. Accepting to be vulnerable and asking for help was the most difficult decision I have ever made, but also the most important.
The road to recovery has been long and arduous. Therapy and psychological support have helped me to understand the deep roots of my eating disorder. I have learned to face my insecurities and to cultivate a healthy love for myself. The road is still long, but I have learned that true beauty lies in diversity and inner strength.
Today, at 18 years old, I am determined to share my experience to help other kids who are in the same struggle as me. Anorexia is not just a matter of food, but an inner battle that can be won with the right support and more prevention. I hope that my testimony can give hope and encourage understanding of the importance of mental health.