Laura Armstrong

Kicking the Habit of a LifetimeTop Story - March 2018

For as long as I can remember, I have turned to food when faced with sadness, anger or any other kind of negative feeling. Rather than seeking support from my family or friends, I would find comfort in a family-sized tub of ice cream, or a large multipack of crisps. After a binge, I would be so ashamed that I would hide the wrappers under my pillow or stuff them down the side of my bed so that my mum didn’t find them. Slowly, I gained more and more weight and to the outside world it was a mystery because as far as they were concerned, I had my regular three meals a day and maybe the odd snack, however, I knew the truth. I knew exactly where the weight was coming from, but I just didn’t have the strength to stop it. It was easier to eat than face the real problems that were haunting me.