Description

My Experience
By Jessica Mason

ISBN: 978-1-84991-637-0
Published: 2011
Pages: 88
Key Themes: anorexia, autobiography, family, relationships, empowerment

Description

This heartbreaking memoir tells the powerful true story of the authors struggle with anorexia and the affects of suffering with the illness. By sharing her story, Jessica Mason writes in order to show the reader what its like to be controlled by this horrible illness, what can be done to prevent others living with anorexia and most of all to show that there is hope for people who are out there suffering.

About the Author

Jessica Mason is 18 years old. She was born in 1992 and was close to dying as soon as her life started. She was born at 26 weeks. Jessica now lives in Burgess Hill with her mum, twin sister and stepdad. Jessica does not see her dad anymore but is still in contact with him. He was very controlling as she grew up and did not like her not doing what he wanted. He made Jessica feel guilty about the things she did not do that he wanted her to do and blackmailed her into doing the things he wanted. Jessica wrote the book A life with Anorexia, My experience because she wanted her story to be heard so it could help out other anorexics and to show others what Anorexia can do to people. Jessica is now working as a Nursery Practitioner at a local childrens day Nursery. She got the job in 2009 and trained towards a NVQ level 2. Jessica is still controlled in some ways by her anorexia but is not classified as ill. She was discharged from the mental health unit CAMHS in 2010 after nearly 2 whole years of going and receiving help. She was diagnosed with Anorexia back in 2008 but feels she was showing signs of anorexia way before this year. She used to count calories in her head and enjoyed doing exercise until one day something changed. Anorexia had a grip over her and told her what she should and should not be doing and punished her for disobeying what it said. She lost loads of weight and suddenly had an intense fear of gaining weight and eating. She did everything she could to get out of eating . All the secrecy lead her and her mum having arguments nearly every night and left Jessica feeling very depressed and suicidal . Once Jessica was prescribed with anti depressants in 2009 her life turned around and she started to get better.