Liv Label Free | Neurodivergent Eating Disorder Recovery Navigating Orthorexia Recovery as a Gay Man w/ Jason Wood
How does the intersection of orthorexia, masculinity, and sexuality impact the journey to recovery? In today's episode, Livia Sara chats with Jason Wood. Jason turned his battle with orthorexia into a mission to break the stigma around men’s mental health by publishing his memoir Starving for Survival. He is proud to serve on the board for two eating disorder recovery organizations, Running in Silence and SoulPaws Recovery Project. Jason is the Director of Community Engagement at ANAD and facilitates the organization’s new men’s peer support group. Through speaking engagements, his writing, and his advocacy work, Jason strives to be part of the important conversation that encourages everyone – especially men – to speak up, share their stories, and get the help they deserve.
Key Topics Discussed:
- Jason's memoir "Starving for Survival" and his journey with orthorexia
- Stigma around men asking for help and showing vulnerability, leading to reluctance in seeking support
- Struggles with processing emotions and identifying them accurately
- Internalized homophobia and societal pressures around sexuality
- The power of words and language in shaping perception
- Childhood relationship with food, bullying, and fear of illness
- The hidden nature of eating disorders, the difficulty in recognizing their impact during the active phase, and the long-term effects they can have
- Accepting that we don't know everything and being open to learning from others
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