Eating Disorder Analysis

Growing up in an aesthetically focused society, I was essentially taught from a young age to hate the way that I look. I am half black, have never been thin, and definitely do not fit in with the predominately white town I was raised in. Sadly, this sense of insignificance has been a dictating emotion throughout my life. During the summer before my freshman year I decided that it was time to change. I felt that losing weight would make me much happier and therefore began to restrict my diet. Soon enough however, counting calories, weighing foods, and trying to curb my appetite became an obsession. At first, everything went smoothly and I began to feel happier with myself as the weight started to come off. However, the fixation on my appearance caused me to give up important aspects of my life. I stopped eating meals with my family, ceased to go out with my friends, and ultimately threw away my social life in order to lose more weight. Mistakenly, I believed this new …show more content…
Moreover, it is because of my eating disorder that I am at the University of Washington seeking a career in the medical field today. I have realized through this experience how important it is to take care of both the mind and the body. Thus, instead of letting my past haunt me and continue to bring down my self-esteem, I have decided to use my experiences to make a difference in my community. I recently started an internship program with the University of Washington Student Health Consortium, where my goal is to help with the cessation of mental health stigmatization. If it were not for my battle with a serious mental illness, I would not be the passionate mental health care advocate that I am now. My struggle has allowed for me to become a stronger person overall, and I am so grateful that I am finally able to say that I am pursuing what I am passionate