Recovery, Relapse & Relationships

In this weeks episode, Han is joined by Maddie Isaac. Maddie is a very good friend of mine, and is also a mental health nurse, who is currently awaiting treatment for her anorexia nervosa relapse. With Maddie, we begin by discussing her experience of an eating disorder, her first diagnosis, and the treatment she received when she was younger. We then go onto discuss her life without an eating disorder, and how this crept back into her life during the pandemic. We go on to speak about recovery, and how this feels more challenging this time around. We speak about the support Maddie's partner and flat mate provide for her, and the differences between support from friends is different to family, making recovery in adulthood feel more challenging. Finally, we discuss Maddie's role as a mental health nurse, and how this made her more proactive in seeking support. We discuss Maddie's experience of witnessing eating disorders on her ward, the eating disorder training she received as a mental health nurse, and the changes we need to see going forward to provide adequate support in mental health services. Please note that this episode discusses relapse, eating disorder behaviours, suicide, and other topics that listeners may find triggering. Please tread lightly and check in with yourself along the way.