My Sister's Monster: A Story of Hardship and Healing

At least 30 million people in the United States suffer from an eating disorder during their lifetime (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 2016). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines anorexia nervosa as a disorder where the person strives to maintain a lower than normal body weight through restriction and starvation (CDC MMWR, 1996). People with this disorder constantly have to control and count everything they eat (Mayo Clinic, 2016). For my creative project, I documented my sister's struggles through Digital Storytelling. My hope was to use my creative project to help others who are also struggling with anorexia nervosa. The goal is to provide advice and encouragement based on my family's experiences as well as my sister's accounts of her time in a rehabilitation center. Some of the things that helped my sister through her recovery were patience, support and communication from family and loved ones, caring for animals, and practices with positive self- talk.