Thanks for answering me Buttrfli. I think what you're saying makes perfect sense, both in terms of the numbers and not wanting to necessarily give up the identity, even though you want to be free of the symptoms.

I've mostly been symptom free since December 2011, but I still consider myself to be recovering, not recovered. IMO, though, you can be fully recovered. I know the AA paradigm for drinking says that if you take one drink, you'll revert to your previous level of drinking and won't be able to control yourself. I'm not questioning that - I have no idea - but I don't think (again, just my opinion) that the same is true for EDs. I believe that we can be fully recovered. Our thoughts can be free of the ED demons, our body image healthy even if our body isn't exactly what we idolized it to be, and food is just something for nutrition or once and a while for enjoyment...but NOT an obsession.

I also think though, that upon times of great stress, our tendency and temptation will be to lapse into old patterns. To me, that doesn't mean that a person was not fully recovered.

At any rate, whatever you are doing Butterfli, you are doing well. I continue to pray that your Ana thoughts go away and your healthy ones abound.

Bub