Trigger warning: we discuss and share our own experiences - sensitive issues around eating disorders, suicidal ideation and mental illness

This was such a wonderful, open conversation. We shared our experiences and talked about a range of topics:

-Depression and anxiety

-The power of reaching out, having someone even just one person to talk with and share how you feel

-Eating disorders; The stigma and misconceptions around eating disorder, the blurred-lines and sometimes slippery slope of Orthorexia and Anorexia, difference in gender diagnosis and the ways in which the media/social media/fitness/wellness industry are perpetuating and idealised, unrealistic and damaging messages around diet, exercise, body image and health...

-The ways in which the pandemic and government guidelines/advice around getting fit and ‘loosing lockdown’ pounds feeds into diet culture, shame and guilt. Putting the blame back on to individuals and creating trauma.

-We touch upon adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and some of the stigma around mental health embedded in Scottish Culture

We touch upon Women in science, the ways in which women are often excluded from scientific research the ‘reasons/excuses’ and the impact of this on health diagnosis and misdiagnoses.

We also talk the life long journey of recovery and healing touching upon different coping mechanism from counselling, to blasting music, to seeing the warm autumn leaves..

There is a range of support and information available for eating disorders online from podcasts to books, to support groups... depending on the stage of your healing journey. BEAT can be a good one to start with.

Adrienne on The Listening Project, BBC Radio 4

Adrienne’s wonderful blog: There's Method in Mental Health – Mental health can be confusing and difficult, but there's always a way

Adrienne and a wonderful panel; Humans of Scotland and the power of storytelling

Thank you again to everyone who has taken the time to listen to the podcast and share feedback- this was by far my favourite episode so far.

Also if, you don’t know about the community, podcast and YouTube channel i-weigh it’s really worth checking out.

Music played: Stephen Wake, The Old Copperplate