According to the National Association of Anorexia and Associated Disorders, someone will die from an eating disorder every 52 minutes.
One in five women experience an eating disorder by age 40, and 95% of eating disorders begin before age 25.
Those shocking number underscore the serious nature of this tragic problem. Eating disorders are complex issues with no quick solutions, affecting men, women, and children.
Author Krista Dunham developed an eating disorder after struggling with perfectionism for years. In high school, she wanted to be the smartest, the most athletic, the most talented, and the skinniest. Exercise initially helped her shed a few pounds, but then she began a restrictive diet that eliminated sugar and required her to skip meals. In college, she made herself purge one night, which began a terrible cycle of starving, binging, exercising, and more starving. Her efforts to control her world deteriorated into an eating disorder that Krista battled for the next decade.
Krista and her husband David are joining me on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly to share Krista’s remarkable journey of struggle and recovery from an eating disorder. They also offer five strategies for overcoming addictive behaviors and changing your life for the positive:
- Avoidance – Learning to evade temptation.
- Adaptation – Learning to adapt to unexpected temptation or triggers and relying on support from family, friends, and mentors.
- Augmentation – Learning to expand and strengthen your overall character.
- Amusement – Learning to say “yes” to healthy outlets for fun and enjoyment.
- Awe – Standing in the majesty of God’s creation and remembering His love for us.
Watching someone you love suffer from an eating disorder can be terrifying. You don’t know what to do, or what to say, and well-meaning efforts often make a difficult situation worse. But there is good news: God is in control and can rescue people trapped in shame, guilt, and damaging lies.
Hear our full conversation on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, or on our free phone app.
If this program raises concerns or questions for you, know that we have caring, Christian counselors who will listen, pray with you, and get you on a path toward healing and hope. They’ll also direct you to additional resources in your area. Call us, leave your name and number, and we’ll get back with you as soon as possible. The number during business hours is 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
David is the pastor of Counseling and Discipleship at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Roseville, MI. Krista has served as a mentor, biblical counselor, and curriculum developer for various women’s and children’s ministries. Together, the Dunhams work with addicted people in their church-based recovery program.
David and Krista’s book Table for Two: Biblical Counsel for Eating Disorders is available for a gift of any amount. Click here for more information.
