Eating disorders are isolating and lonely, with many individuals wishing they had a larger group. This was the experience of 14-year-old Molly Smith, who was diagnosed with anorexia.
Now 19 years old, she hopes that her podcast about disordered eating can dispel stigmas and prejudices. And Molly states that she wishes she had the series when she was younger.
She tells BBC Newsbeat,
“After recovery, I’ve been so passionate about speaking honestly about eating disorders because when I was ill, I felt like no one understood me.”
“There was no voice for me to attentively hear. So, I wanted to start a podcast to provide as a voice for those experiencing similar circumstances.”
Not only regarding weight
When she was ill, Molly lacked a network of people with whom she could connect.
“Everything was either really grave or relayed by professionals and medical specialists,” she claims.
If I could have listened to a podcast with a regular person who has experienced a similar situation, I believe it would have helped me tremendously.
Molly, a native of Ely, Cambridgeshire, also wants to refute the notion that eating disorders are entirely physical.
Some believe eating disorders are solely about weight, yet for many, weight reduction is merely a side effect of the disorder.
The Weigh Up: Eating Disorder Diaries is the title of Molly’s series, which tackles subjects such as binge eating and social media.
Molly doesn’t want the podcast to be simple for those with eating disorders; it also examines the impact on relatives and friends.
She states,
“We’ve filmed episodes with my family members.”
“Just hearing their viewpoints was extremely enlightening, as anorexia is sadly a highly self-centered illness.
“I didn’t even think how my parents may feel about their daughter’s illness. It was therefore enlightening to hear how much distress I had caused.
Molly’s series was created after she received the Rachael Bland New Podcast Award, which was established in 2019 in memory of the BBC broadcaster who died of breast cancer in 2018.
Rachael co-hosted the award-winning podcast You, Me, And The Big C, which was hailed for its unusual and frank approach to the subject of cancer.
Molly, a student at the University of York, has won the opportunity to explore her podcast concept with the BBC.
She says,
“Rachael’s podcast was just wonderful; I learned so much from it.”
“I am so inspired by her and her co-presenters’ efforts, and I sincerely hope that my podcast will achieve the same level of community.”
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