Positive books, songs, quotes, and more for ED Recovery!

Okay so its not a positive book but:

A. M. Vrettos - Skin

For eating disorders, its not positive, but it shows what EDs do to families and the people around them. It would make people think twice about what they're doing. I read it when I was going downhill in that direction, and it made me want to stop x

[lost_chil]

I actually find Appreciate by Nick Jonas to be very helpful through my struggle. This song could be triggering, for it is very sad, but it's an amazing song and sugguest a listen.

[Stronger_than_ED]

I highly recomend the books "Life without ED", and No Body's perfect. These books were recomended to me by my therapist and have helped me greatly throughout my recovery process. No Body's Perfect also has a journal version in which you can record your thoughts and feeling and reflect on the book's issue of body image. PM me if you would like to discuss either of these or would just like to talk about eating disorder recovery!

Originally Posted by Stronger_than_ED

I highly recomend the books "Life without ED", and No Body's perfect. These books were recomended to me by my therapist and have helped me greatly throughout my recovery process. No Body's Perfect also has a journal version in which you can record your thoughts and feeling and reflect on the book's issue of body image. PM me if you would like to discuss either of these or would just like to talk about eating disorder recovery!

Life without ED was wonderful. I loved it. I could totally relate and the chapters were small enough and cut right to the point that I didn't get bored or whatever.

I am going to look into no body's perfect now too!!

A song that really helps me is Suddenly by superchick. I don't know it seems to fit.


She feels lost in her own life
Treading water just to keep from slipping under
And she wonders if she's where she's supposed to be
Tired of trying to do it right
Her dreams are just too far away to see how steps she's making
Might be taking her to who she'll be

And suddenly it isn't what it used to be
And after all this time it worked out just fine
And suddenly I am where I'm supposed to be
And after all the tears I was supposed to be here

She feels locked in her own life
Scared of what she might lose if she moves away from who she was
And she's afraid of being free
There's a way she knows is right
She can't feel the things she knows
And so each step she's taking is a step of faith toward who she'll be

And here where the night is darkest black
She feels the fear and the light is farthest back
And through her tears she can't see the dawn is coming
Skies will clear and the light will find her where she's always been.

[Ess The Morgenstern *]

I think this song is pretty much what I'm going through now:

Emigrate- In My Tears

My sickness slips inside you
Drowns in my poison
Desperately I hide too from heaven
Now we’ll be together
I can make you better
Siphon your pain in me, so I bleed
Feed your dreams to fishes
Lie about your wishes
Eat away at your time, seconds are mine
Sometimes it seems we’re toxic
Wake me up and shock it
My low self-esteem
Can make me scream
In my tears
Don’t let me drown
My fears
Don’t make a sound
My tears
Don’t break me down
In my tears
Don’t let me drown
It’s only my psychosis
Feeling thorns of roses
Fill the void inside me
So you see
Feed me tranquilizers
Calm the storm inside us
It’s so perverse to say
That I’m blind
In my tears
Don’t let me drown
My fears
Don’t make a sound
My tears
Don’t break me down
In my tears
Don’t let me drown

It's, somehow, two parts of you, one of them wants you to be better and you'll never realize you're more than good just as you are and on the other hand you're screaming for help, that's what this song means to me and I can't find out any better way to show my feelings since I'm more likely a cawliflower or any vegetable than an human being so that I never talk about my emotions.
I'm on recovery from BN and it's really getting hard

[Crescendo]

“It doesn’t really matter what you wear, let the people stare ‘cause we are who we are”
Who We Are by Hope Partlow

“Don’t stop, don’t change stay beautiful.”
Stay Beautiful by The Last Goodnight

Also The book
"There Is Nothing Wrong With You" by Cheri Huber

[Kitty.]

'More beautiful you' by Johnny Diaz

[darkinnocenteyes]

Mary jane by Alantis Morrisette is one of my very favorites

Steer by Missy Higgins is very inspiring, and motivational... when you are in recovery, it ignites a fire in you almost... makes me happy

Beautiful by Joydrop

All these next ones are by Maria Mena. She is a very talented artist, not very well known in some places, but amazing... you can learn a lot about the different stage of her struggle through each of her albums... and she covers a wide range of emotions and reasons for developing the disorder... ED people have a lot in common with ALL of her songs, so I encourage you to check them out.

Internal Dialogue... good for recovery

Cause and Effect... this is good for when you're mad at everything HAHA (this has one cuss word in it)

Fragile*-REALLLLLLY GOOD!!!

*I am fragile.
I am hopeless.
I'm not perfect,
but I'm free.

All this time - My favorite recovery song ever

Umm...

Anna Begins by counting crows- There are many versions of this song...accustic and a cover by Craig Owens that is good too, they all have different feelings, but it's about a boyfriend whos worried about his girlfriend who has a Anorexia... It makes me cry every time.

My friend assures me, "It's all or nothing."
I am not worried, I am not overly concerned.
My friend implores me, "For one time only,
make an exception." I am not worried.
Wrap her up in a package of lies,
Send her off to a coconut island.
I am not worried, I am not overly concerned with the status of my emotions.
"Oh," she says, "you're changing."
We're always changing...

It does not bother me to say this isn't love.
Because if you don't want to talk about it then it isn't love.
And I guess I'm gonna have to live with that.
But I'm sure there's something in a shade of grey,
Or something in between,
And I can always change my name
If that's what you mean.

My friend assures me, "It's all or nothing."
But I am not really worried, I am not overly concerned.
You try to tell yourself the things you try to tell yourself
To make yourself forget. To make yourself forget. I am not worried.
"If it's love," she said, "then we're gonna have to think about the consequences."
But she can't stop shaking and I can't stop touching her and...

This time when kindness falls like rain
It washes her away. And Anna begins to change her mind.
"These seconds when I'm shaking leave me shuddering for days," she says.
And I'm not ready for this sort of thing.

But I'm not gonna break and I'm not gonna worry about it anymore.
I'm not gonna bend, and I'm not gonna break. And I'm not going to worry about it anymore.
It seems like I should say, "As long as this is love..."
But it's not all that easy, so maybe I should
Snap her up in a butterfly net and pin her down on a photograph album.
I am not worried cuz I've done this sort of thing before.
But then I start to think about the consequences,
And I don't get no sleep in a quiet room and...

This time when kindness falls like rain
It washes me away. And Anna begins to change my mind.
And everytime she sneezes I believe it's love and,
Oh lord, I'm not ready for this sort of thing.

She's talking in her sleep.
It's keeping me awake. And Anna begins to toss and turn.
And every word is nonsense but I understand and,
Oh lord, I'm not ready for this sort of thing.

Her kindness bangs a gong,
It's moving me along. And Anna begins to fade away.
It's chasing me away. She disappears, and
Oh lord, I'm not ready for this sort of thing.

[savealife723]

mmm,
WASTED by Marya Hornbacher is a really good book for eating disorder recoveries.
It's really inspiring and it's a memoir of her recovery and her struggles.
It's fantastic, a must read.

[Ess The Morgenstern *]

This is a song from Spanish group Mägo de Oz- La Belleza Está En Tu Interior
(Beauty Is Inside You)
ok so I translate lyrics
Learn to see with your soul, and not behind a glass
Listen, and you'll see it's not so hard to believe
Alone in your room, inside you,
you'll hear a voice when you look in the mirrorwhich will say:
"Terrifying, that fat one isn't me, it's not my face
And there are no breasts
My spikes can be seen so far away"
Beauty lives inside you, not in a lower size
Don't forget the most beautiful flower ever seen
Was created with mud
If you want to like you, make-up with personality
Use lipstick to decorate your interior
Let shine, colour your taste for learning
Your body is just a suit, and fashion is a bad journey
Beauty is inside you
If you have lost your course
Take my advice, and love will be with you
To love and be loved you have to love yourself
And I swore that day, the world will kneel for you
Beauty is inside you...

[darkinnocenteyes]

If you want to like you, make-up with personality
Use lipstick to decorate your interior
Let shine, colour your taste for learning
Your body is just a suit, and fashion is a bad journey
Beauty is inside you

love this!

[xxxAJxxx]

Its not ED specific, but check out the album The Upsides by The Wonder Years. Its feel good-ish.

[sweetcrimefighter]

Here's a song that I think is very beautiful and can really help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yHsNSNVYrI

Mirror -BarlowGirl

Mirror, Mirror on the wall: have I got it?
'Cause Mirror, you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry, you won't define me
Sorry, you don't own me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
Yeah, yeah
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try

Mirror, I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him, I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me
Yeah, yeah

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
Yeah, yeah
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try

You don't define me, you don't define me
You don't define me, you don't define me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
Yeah, yeah
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try
Yeah, yeah

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
Yeah, yeah
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try

Here are some inspirational quotes that have been very helpful for myself:

'Spirit can walk, spirit can swim, spirit can climb, spirit can crawl. There is no terrain you cannot overcome.' --- Irisa Hail

'You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.' --- Buddha

'Love yourself unconditionally, just as you love those closest to you despite their faults.' --- Les Brown

[anony mouse.]

Stephanie mentioned Maria Mena, another good song of hers that I could really identify with is 'Eyesore'. "I want out from under this confining skin, that I so reluctantly live in."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mu6dxoJajo

[Paige(:]

Mirror - Barlowgirl
Never Alone - Barlowgirl
Halo - Beyonce
Skin and Bones - Romance on a Rocketship (doesn't support.)
Stand - Rascal Flatts (definitely reccomend!)
Coming Home - Diddy ft. Skylar Grey (good for people with ed's in treatment.<3)

[FeistRawr]

I really really recommend Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi. It doesn't just help with eating disorders, it helps with self-image and confidence. I think everyone with an eating disorder and/or self-image and confidence issues should read this book.

[xx_fallenangel_xx]

Hey everyone, I am in recovery from ED as you all know. I wanted to share this video entitled 'This one is for you.' It is from a recovered ED sufferer to their illness. I find it empowering and I hope you like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFa5J...eature=feedlik

[actingpassion123]

Thank you so much for posting this. It really helps me find my strength

[Just Peachy.]

Thank you for finding and posting this video. I hope that this can show people that there is hope for them, and that the voice Inside their head is wrong. No one should have to go through an eating disorder. Everyone is beautiful in their own ways.

I think it's important to remember that eating disorders dont grant ultimate happiness. It's a long, hard road to despair, and hurt. I think the road to recovery can be just as hard at times, but it also comes with health, freedom, and happiness.

Again, thank you for posting this.

[emma01]

Thanks so much for posting the video I hope you are doing okay, and keep up the good effort in recovery

[Just Peachy.]

I had bought a book called: Bulimia- a guide to recovery.
I found it very helpful


http://www.bulimia.com/productdetails.cfm?SKU=bul25

[butterflygirl_13]

Ok so a book everyone should read is Andrea's Voice! it is such a good book although im only in the middle of it i love it

[emma01]

This video is titled Beauty is not how Skinny you can be, and I thought it was absolutely gorgeous, but totally true!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fULtU2NfPQA

[Just Peachy.]

Other people's opinion of you does not have to become your reality.
Les Brown

At this very moment, you may be saying to yourself that you have any number of admirable qualities. You are a loyal friend, a caring person, someone who is smart, dependable, fun to be around. That's wonderful, and I'm happy for you, but let me ask you this: are you being any of those things to yourself?
Phillip C. McGraw

The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique.
Walt Disney

This website has tons of inspirational songs/movies/info etc.
:]
http://www.freewebs.com/hopefromeatingdisorders/

[Eternal]

Here are some I think connect well

The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique.
-Walt Disney

If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
-Vincent Van Gogh

If we really love ourselves, everything in our life works.
-Louise L.Hay

The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others.
-Sonya Friedman

There is nothing noble about being superior to some other person. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.
-Hindustani Proverb

Sorry if there are duplicates in this thread

[Just Peachy.]

I've just come across a book called:

Journey to Freedom from Eating Disorders

A summary of this book is:

Journey to Freedom from Eating Disorders is full of words that heal, inspire, give hope, challenge, motivate and comfort. From brief teachings to journaling questions to inspirational writings to my personal notes to you to written prayers, this book is sure to encourage you in your eating disorder recovery.

And according to the website, it's a

Christian eating disorder recovery book is for males and females, teens and adults

It looks like a very informative book that touches on many different types of ED's and how to recover.

[jazzy615]

Mirror by Barlow girl - Rebecca barlow, one of the sisters, struggled with an eating disorder for a long time and she wrote this song for anyone else who struggles with it as well

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me
Sorry you don't own me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes
of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me (Yeah)

Who are you tell me
that I'm less than what I should be
Who are you?
Who are you? (Yeah)
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try

You don't define me (You don't define me) [x4]

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be
Who are you?
Who are you?
Yeah!
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try
Yeah

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be
Who are you?
Who are you?
Yeah
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try

[xx_fallenangel_xx]

Quotes

“I hope there is a day where my weight isn’t an issue, but I know I made it an issue.” –Tracey Gold
“Healing doesn’t mean the damage never existed. It means that it no longer controls our lives.” –Earnie Larsen
“Pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever, ever feel like you’re less than, less than perfect. Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you’re nothing, you are perfect to me.” – PINK
"And the day came when the risk to remain tight inside the bud was more painful then the risk it took to blossom." -Anais Nin
"We must try not to sink beneath our anguish, but battle on." – Albus Dumbledore

“I am more than my mental illness.” – Kiik
I want you to know that there is always hope.
Who are you to tell me that I’m less than I should be?
"Free to be Me" by Francesca Battistelli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKSQjSdU8VA

At twenty years of age
I'm still looking for a dream
A war is already waged for my destiny
But You've already won the battle
And You've got great plans for me
Though I can't always see, 'cause...

I got a couple dents in my fender
Got a couple rips in my jeans
Try to fit the pieces together
But perfection is my enemy
And on my own I'm so clumsy
But on Your shoulders I can see
I'm free to be me

When I was just a girl
I thought I had it figured out
See my life will turn out right
And I'll make it here somehow
But things don't always come that easy
And sometimes I would doubt, 'cause...

And you're free to be you

Sometimes I believe
That I can do anything
Yet other times I think
I've got nothing good to bring

But You look at my heart and you tell me
That I've got all You seek
And it's easy to believe, even though...

[Just Peachy.]

I love this:

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

[xx_fallenangel_xx]

Life Without ED by Jenni Schaefer = AMAZING!

[ItalianBbae]

a song that i really love is Believe in Me by Demi Lovato

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_WYXgTSgcw

[Verse 1]
I'm losing myself
Trying to compete
With everyone else
Instead of just being me
Don't know where to turn
I've been stuck in this routine
I need to change my ways
Instead of always being weak

[Chorus:]
I don't wanna be afraid
I wanna wake up feeling beautiful..today
And know that I'm okay
Cause everyone's perfect in unusual ways
So you see, I just wanna believe in me

La la la la la la la la

[Verse 2]
The mirror can lie
Doesn't show you what's inside
And it, it can tell you you're full of life
It's amazing what you can hide
Just by putting on a smile

[Chorus]

I'm quickly finding out
I'm not about to break down
Not today
I guess I always knew
That I had all the strength to make it through

[Chorus:]
Not gonna be afraid
I'm going to wake up feeling beautiful..today
And know that I'm okay
Cause everyone's perfect in unusual ways
So you see, now, now I believe in me

Now I believe in me

[rosaleah]

I know two songs that really make me feel good about myself
But both of them are not directly related to eating disorders, they do help if you look at them from that perspective:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3GkSo3ujSY <Perfect
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzE1mX4Px0I&ob=av2e <Who Says


Who Says-Selena Gomez
I wouldn't wanna be anybody else.
Hey!
You made me insecure,
Told me I wasn't good enough.
But who are you to judge
When you're a diamond in the rough.
I'm sure you got some things
You'd like to change about yourself.
But when it comes to me,
I wouldn't wanna be anybody else.

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na
I'm no beauty queen.
I'm not just beautiful me

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na
You've got every right
To a beautiful life.
Come on!

Who says?
Who says you're not perfect?
Who says you're not worth it?
Who says you're the only one that's hurting?
Trust me,
That's the price of beauty.
Who says you're not pretty?
Who says you're not beautiful?
Who says?

It's such a funny thing
How nothing's funny when it's you.
You tell me whatcha mean,
But they keep whiting out the truth.
It's like a work of art
That never gets to see the light.
Keep you beneath the stars,
Won't let you touch the sky.

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na
I'm no beauty queen.
I'm just beautiful me.

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na

You've got every right
To a beautiful life.
Come on!

Who says?
Who says you're not perfect?
Who says you're not worth it?
Who says you're the only one that's hurting?
Trust me,
That's the price of beauty.
Who says you're not pretty?
Who says you're not beautiful?
Who says?

Who says you're not star potential?
Who says you're not presidential?
Who says you can't be in movies?
Listen to me, listen to me.
Who says you don't pass the test?
Who says you can't be the best?
Who said?
Who said?
Would you tell me who said that?
Yeah~
Who said?

Who says?
Who says you're not perfect?
Who says you're not worth it?
Who says you're the only one that's hurting?
Trust me,
That's the price of beauty.
Who says you're not pretty?
Who says you're not beautiful?
Who says?

Who says?
Who says you're not perfect?
Who says you're not worth it?
Who says you're the only one that's hurting?
Trust me,
That's the price of beauty.
Who says you're not pretty?
Who says your not beautiful?
Who says?

____________________________

Less Than Perfect-P!nk
Made a wrong turn
once or twice.
Dug my way out,
blood and fire.
Bad decisions,
that's alright.
Welcome to my silly life.
Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood!
Miss "No way,It's all good", it didn't slow me down
Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated!
Look, I'm still around...

Pretty pretty please!
Don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than, less than perfect
Pretty pretty please

If you ever ever feel like you're nothing you are perfect to me.

You're so mean (Your so mean)
When you talk (When you talk) about yourself, you were wrong
Change the voices (Change the voices) in your head(In the head)
Make them like you instead
So complicated, look how happy you'll make it!
Filled with so much hatred... such a tired game
It's enough! I've done all I can think of
Chased down all my demons, I've seen you do the same.

Oh, pretty pretty please
Don't you ever ever feel

Like you're less than, less than perfect
Pretty pretty please

If you ever ever feel like you're nothing you are perfect to me

The whole world's scared so I swallow the fear
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer
So cool in line, and we try try try,
But we try too hard and it's a waste of my time
Done looking for the critics, cause they're everywhere
They dont like my jeans, they don't get my hair
Exchange ourselves, and we do it all the time
Why do we do that? Why do I do that?

Why do I do that?

Yeah, oh, oh baby, pretty please!
Pretty pretty please,
Don't you ever ever feel
Don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than, less than perfect
Pretty pretty please

If you ever ever feel like you're nothing you are perfect to me Yeaaahhh...!
You are perfect, you're perfect!
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing
You are perfect to me.

[NyanNyan]

Don't read (edited). It made me anorexic. Nobody's Home by Avril Lavigne is a good song. My Baby's Better Than Yours is good too. It's about how everyones different and they shouldn't be classified apart from others because of differences.

[xx_fallenangel_xx]

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to tell you all about this new channel that started up on Youtube. Basically, a group of Youtubers have started this collab channel and will be sharing their insights and advice and personal stories of recovery from their eating disorder. I thought maybe someone here could find this valuable.

http://www.youtube.com/user/togetherweR?feature=mhee

Take Care,

Anne

[bailatyvm]

Hey; that's great! Thanks for sharing; I'm sure it will be a valuable resource for someone!

[Troubled_Heart]

That's really awesome This could give great support to those with ED's and it's great being on a worldwide website
Thank You for sharing this!
Xxx

[Coffee.]

This is lovely! Thanks so much!

[Eternal]

Thanks for sharing this

[FairyPoppins]

This is so much more productive than all that thinspiration nonsense!

[escape_thereal_world]

I watched a few of the videos, which actually made me cry!

Their words and experiences really helps to put things in perspective. I think this is a great idea.