Books about mental health can be a bit of a challenge for me. Whilst I find them inspiring and thought-provoking and beautiful, they can awaken thoughts that I've been trying to squash down and get rid of (although I guess it's probably good to end the repression).
Stand Tall Little Girl was such a powerful read for me. It's a true story, and almost a memoir, of the author's struggle with anorexia as a teen, and moving into adulthood. Hope started developing the illness when she was 13, and the book follows her hopsitalisation and eventual recovery. This all makes it sound pretty straightforward, but Hope opens up about the devastating effects that eating disorders have not only on your mind and body, but on all aspects of life and those around you.
There are snippets from Hope's mother in the book, which I think are so important, explaining how things can get out of hand when you have an eating disorder. I always see people asking 'how did the parents not notice?!' when a teen gets to a point of extreme illness due to an ED, and Hope's mum explains how hard it actually is.
I think it's so important that Hope shows there's no quick fix to an ED, and the reality of relapse, even when it's way down the line from the start of your recovery journey. This was a book I really connected with, and I would definitely recommend it, especially to parents of teens that want a better insight into what might be going on.
Hope's also doing some fantastic charity work to raise money for the Shaw Mind Foundation, and you can donate here if you want to support her!
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