When Your Brain Becomes Your Prison

Leah shares her deeply personal battle with anorexia, revealing how the need for control during a chaotic first year of teaching spiraled into dangerous eating habits and a 40-pound weight loss. Michael and Leah explore the striking parallels between eating disorders and addiction, highlighting how both serve as coping mechanisms when life feels out of control.

• Leah's experience moving to Nashville after college and developing anorexia during her first year teaching
• The psychological aspects of eating disorders—seeking control rather than just body image
• Dangerous habits including extreme calorie restriction and excessive exercise
• Feeling like "a prisoner in my own brain" while wanting to participate in normal social activities
• How fertility concerns became the turning point for Leo's recovery journey
• Michael's perspective on addiction and control through his bodybuilding experience
• The challenge of gaining weight during recovery and confronting triggers
• Advice for supporting loved ones struggling with eating disorders or addiction
• The importance of accepting help even when you feel others "have it worse"
• Recovery as an ongoing process with daily challenges