Elephant in the Room Foundation

"Indeed, recovery was unbelievably hard. I am so grateful that I did recover so that my body could heal and make it possible for me to be gifted with the privilege of being a mother to gorgeous Elyana.

What I have also discovered is that being a mother is similar to living with anorexia in that it is exhausting running around trying to keep up with the incessant demands. Both require incredible tenacity, time, effort, and sacrifice. Both require sitting with difficult feelings of guilt and frustration. The stark contrast is the motive: anorexia is driven by fear 😨, but motherhood is driven by love 💓.”

-Christine Jap 
She just had her first baby in January 2024. She suffered from anorexia starting at the age of 12. For 11 years, she suffered from anorexia and tried to 'fix' herself mentally without success until her weight was fully restored. She shares her story to highlight that 'weight restoration IS recovery.' This biological process of achieving full weight restoration serves as a testimony to her recovery, without relapse, for 8 years and counting.

BOTTOM LINE
Having a child is especially miraculous for someone who has suffered from anorexia, particularly for as long and as young as Christine did. The circumstances surrounding anorexia and childbirth may vary for each person, but both are biological processes designed for survival, though one may not be as immediately apparent as the other. Understanding this fact is crucial for grasping the nature of anorexia. Delving deeper into the biological and genetic explanations behind anorexia is essential for enabling early intervention and promoting lifelong recovery.