Please be aware, before reading this blog, that it contains concepts and imagery pertaining to eating disorders, self harm, and other triggering aspects. In no way, am i trying to romanticize the idea of these hardships. If you think this may cause more damage to your mental stability, refrain from going any further.
Know that you are worthy of this life. Period. YOU ARE WORTHY. If you are struggling, I always suggest speaking with a professional in situations like this. Here are a few hotline numbers for
Suicide Prevention Life Line 1-800-273-TALK(8255)
National Eating Disorder Association: 1-800-931-2237
General Crisis Text Support to 741-741
National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264
Here is a link to Kentucky Suicide & Crisis Hotlines
http://suicidehotlines.net/kentucky.html
I am honored, that Kiley came to me to capture this concept. Like many individuals, it is a topic that hits close to home. This is not my story, but it is a story that i know many of us can relate to whether we want to admit it or not. A story that, i truly think can help spread awareness of such situations. Here are some words from Kiley herself.
“Eating disorders have been a part of my life longer than I care to admit. I started developing these bad habits at a very young age, where other kids didn’t even know what an eating disorder was. I’m not sure how other kids were, but I feel like I was more self aware of my body and how it looked before most kids were and I’ve always hated it.
This in turn would lead the pathway to more mental health issues and insecurities that I’ll probably have to deal with for the rest of my life, but am slowly learning to accept myself and love myself. It wasn’t until this past year that I verbally admitted to having a problem with eating disorders and body dysphoria. I became tired of this exhausting roller coaster that I put myself on. I would go from feeling like I wasn’t good enough or beautiful to finally accepting and loving myself for me, only to get pushed back down into this horrible self loathing mindset. And I eventually said that’s enough.
I like to think I’m generally a positive person and am always promoting self love and reassuring everyone that they are beautiful no matter what size, and it wasn’t until the past few months where I decided that it time for me to start telling myself that and actually believing it. Which is when I decided to reach out to Shiloh to try and help me feel beautiful in my own skin, as well as overcome this fear of my own body and how it looks and tell my story that I think a lot of people can relate to. It’s always been something I took on by myself and never opened up to someone about and I don’t want anyone to feel like this is something they should go through alone. Nobody is perfect but every body is beautiful”
“This entire process has been stressful and exhilarating at the same time. I’m putting myself out there in a way that I never have even in my personal life. No one has seen me this vulnerable and raw before and I like to think of these pictures as a gift to myself for finding this new self love. It’s scary to put yourself out there and to show the world the thing you hate the most but I swallowed my pride and did it anyway and I’m so glad I did. Cause how can I promote self love to men and women without doing it myself?”
