Most of us think of Instagram as a place to scope pretty home pics or beauty inspo. Would you be surprised to learn IG has a growing eating disorder recovery community? A group of girls are kicking their EDs to the curb with the help of social media.

Guess social media doesn’t have to equal body shame. Instagram actually has a huge network of girls (and some guys) using it to support their recovery from eating disorders.

Approximately 10 million women and 1 million men in the U.S. have eating disorders. Now experts believe even healthy diet and exercise tactics can grow out of control, a condition called orthorexia. Hospitalization, therapy, and nutrition counseling have been traditional means of addressing eating disorder recovery.

No doubt, social media can fuel major body guilt. With the flood of pics of ultra thin, super fit people to look at, it’s easy to begin feeling like you don’t match up. But social media as a support tool for those working to recover from EDs? You betcha.

Yes, there is plenty of pro ana (promotion of anorexia) and “thinspiration” material available on social media. On the flip side, Instagram has a large self recovery network of girls working to get healthy. Most users post images of what they are eating or collage images of what they’ve had for the day. Some accounts are private to protect identities or stave off haters, but many girls post pics of their changing (for the better) bodies as inspiration and to keep a diary, of sorts.

This type of self help community not only holds users accountable to themselves and creates a safe atmosphere for sharing, but has initiated many real life friendships. These girls are meeting others going through the same things as themselves, in similar or different stages of recovery. They can help and be helped.

Some experts worry this is still a form of food obsession. Posting images of junk food, obsessive calorie counting, and exercise pics could be a slippery slope for those dealing with an eating disorder. But women like @amalielee, who has openly documented her recovery from anorexia, feel IG is hugely beneficial in getting healthy.

Runways featuring healthier looking models (Gigi Hadid just announced she ate 52 burgers last year!) and social media becoming a platform for ED recovery? We may be on the right track.

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Image of girl taking picture of food via Shutterstock

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Eating disorders aren’t funny, a fad, a phase, or motivation to lose weight – they are deadly and incredibly hard to treat.

Eating disorder awareness week happens every year from February 22-28; but similar to all “awareness” weeks, months, etc., this illnesses needs to be in the spotlight year-round.

Eating disorders run the gambit. You’re probably more familiar with Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, but there is at least a handful (if not more) other types of eating disorders (Binge Eating Disorder, Orthorexia) affecting men and women, and boys and girls of all ethnicities and ages.

Many different things can trigger disordered eating: emotional, sexual, or physical trauma, and bullying are just a few examples. But other factors can cause disordered thoughts, feelings, and actions.

One of the “fueling” factors that is getting attention lately is the use of Photoshop and filters on models, actors, and actresses.

No one is saying that altered images cause eating disorders – that’s a load of crap. But when people are bombarded with absolutely bananas images of women with insanely small waists, and wrinkle-free faces, and men with impossible abs, it sure doesn’t help.

No one is perfect. Thin women have cellulite, young girls have smile lines, and men who work out on the regular don’t always have defined muscles.

Case in point: About a week or so ago, some unretouched images of Cindy Crawford and Beyoncé were “leaked” to the public. We think it’s terrible that leaking these photos has even caused a stir, but the fact that they surprised fans is of note. Yes, even celebrities aren’t perfect – we all have smile lines, excess skin, and facial puffiness.

Another “Photoshop” bombshell that was reported on earlier this week was David Lopera’s enlarged images of notable women. Changing these women’s bodies isn’t positive – making them larger doesn’t equate to creating an overall positive body image – he’s still merely creating fantasies.

Real women have, and don’t have curves, and real men are strong, and weak. People come in different shapes and sizes – period.

However, we know that even if all bodies and sizes are accepted, eating disorders would not cease to exist. Disordered eating is a bitch to overcome and will always be a real issue that should be taken seriously. Hell, I’ve been in recovery for about six years, and I still – still – see myself in a distorted way when I look in the mirror.

It’s going to take a lot of education and time to get to the point where everyone believes that disordered eating is a real problem, but time and advocacy (like those who do condemn the overuse of Photoshop) can help us all recognize that these disorders are illnesses and not fads.

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Image: Laura Lewis

The post Acknowledging Eating Disorders: Ending Excessive Photoshop Jobs Helps, but Isn’t the Answer appeared first on EcoSalon.