Abby Coleman shares her eating disorder story to help others
In the wake of Jaimi Kenny’s tragic death, Brisbane radio host Abby Coleman has candidly detailed her own difficult recovery from an eating disorder — and offered a message of hope to anyone struggling. LISTEN NOW
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Opening up about her own recovery from a debilitating eating disorder, Brisbane radio presenter Abby Coleman has issued a message of hope to families suffering from the illness.
The B105 breakfast show host spoke candidly about her difficult recovery on air this morning, saying she was heartbroken to find out Jaimi Kenny – the daughter of swimming champ Lisa Curry and ironman great Grant Kenny – battled an eating disorder in the years and months before her tragic death on Monday.
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Coleman spent time in specialist health clinics when she was 19 after getting trapped in a “consuming” cycle of restrictive eating and vomiting that saw her drop down to 36kg.
The now 38-year-old Brisbane mother of three, who was emotional as she told her story, said she wanted her recovery to offer hope to anyone struggling with an eating disorder, and advocated for charity The Butterfly Foundation, who helped her.
“My heart goes out to those that are also caring for those people and especially to the Kenny family because they would be in a world of pain,” Coleman said.
“There would have been a lot of girls in the clinic that I’ve been to over the years that never would have come out as well.
“It’s soul-destroying, but I wanted to mention something because I was really bad, but I’ve come through, and I think when you see these headlines it’s really hard for people who are experiencing eating disorders and also the people that are caring for them… to not think that you can come out of it.
“I didn’t think I’d be here and to be honest be able to eat in a relaxed fashion. I never thought I’d be able to eat something that was on a banned list.
“I want people to know that you can get better. You can honestly find peace with food, and your weight and your body. You can honestly love it.”
Coleman first sought professional help at a clinic when she was 19, having always struggled with a pressure she put on herself to be thin before she began dating a bodybuilder who she said was “obsessed” with what she ate.
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“Once I had banned food, I forced myself to throw up and that was a cycle,” Coleman said.
“I thought ‘I’ve got a secret weapon’. And it’s not. Then that would be the only food I would consume. I got down to 36kg. My periods had stopped. I had hair on my arms. I had sores on my knuckles from throwing up so much.”
Coleman told B105 co-hosts Matt Acton and Stav Davidson that she wished she sought help sooner, saying she struggled with the recovery process.
“I remember going to a clinic and I was so devastated because I wasn’t the thinnest. That’s crazy,” she said.
“I would exercise for an hour, I would take amphetamines to get it (the weight) down. Everything was just so consuming of it. I hated myself for putting pressure on my parents for it as well.”
She continued: “The hard thing with many people is that you are scared of recovery.”
Coleman said her mother went to a therapist and a self-help group to better understand what she was going through, which she described as her “saviour” – as well as meeting and opening up for the first time to her husband, Scott Burdon.
“I wanted to get better because I couldn’t keep food down anymore … then I went to a lot of therapy,” she said.
“This is my thing. If you feel like you can get over it yourself, I would say, no, you need professional help.”
“Butterfly Foundation, they helped me. They have got a lot of calls at the moment but just leave a message and they will definitely get back to you.”
Call The Butterfly Foundation’s National Helpline on 1800 33 4673 or visit their website to contact them online.
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
Originally published as Abby Coleman shares her eating disorder story to help others