Eat, Drink, and Be MerryThis essay addresses a very personal topic in my life and in the life of someone who is very close to my heart. A few years ago, one of my closest friends who I had known for most of my life told me, through a cloud of tears, embarrassment, fear and hope, that she thought he was suffering from bulimia. I was the only one who had the courage to say it, and she felt like she had to tell someone because she had lost all control over her own actions, feelings, and thoughts. She felt like she couldn't stop even if she wanted to. She never thought she actually had a problem, but one day she was in the library and sat at a desk that had a few books on bulimia. She started looking through the books and found a quiz to determine if you had bulimia. She was bored and she took the quiz hoping it would say she didn't have bulimia, but after she finished taking the quiz she had answered yes to every question except the very first one. Her entire world collapsed around her, and with every word she read, she became even more panicked and afraid. Eventually, she came to me, hoping that I could somehow help her and give her the support she needed. I did everything I could to help him. It took a lot of time and many sleepless nights to help him calm down from his anxiety attacks and uncontrollable urges, but it was worth it and I would have done more if I could have. I think she has made tremendous progress and will make a full recovery one day. Bulimia is a very debilitating illness both mentally and physically and people need to be aware of its existence because one day one of your close friends might suggest something to you in the middle of a paper...... condition like Bulimia is difficult and often frustrating. The best advice I ever gave my friend was the idea that there is always hope. No matter who you are or what your problems are, there is always hope. Every person in the world has a group of close friends or family who love them. There is always hope, but the only problem is that you have to have the strength to believe in yourself, open your eyes and see what a wonderful life you really have. No one should take anything for granted in their life because life is always unpredictable and it could always get worse. I will never forget the lessons I learned in life and I hope everyone works to do the same. .Sources cited: National Eating Disorders Association website www.NationalEatingDisorders.org National Mental Health Association website www.NMHA.org.