With early intervention, many people can fully recover from an eating disorder!

 

 

    Relapses are common among those dealing with an eating disorder or addiction. I have experienced relapses multiple times over the past forty years. However, when I recognized the patterns of behavior that led to a relapse, I learned to focus on what I call “fail-proof tools.” Forgiveness is one of the fail-proof tools I use most often. It clears anger from our hearts and opens our minds to more loving and compassionate thinking.

   To deepen your understanding of the topics in this workbook, explore the sections labeled "WOW" (Words of Wisdom), book recommendations, biblical citations, and Toolkits for Parents, Coaches, Teachers, and Educators. Addiction and eating disorders are complex issues. Every aspect of our health depends on how our body responds to chemical imbalances, nutrients, medications, environmental factors, and stress. So, DON’T BE DISCOURAGED! It takes time to identify where your addiction began. It’s essential to consult a qualified doctor who practices functional medicine and has experience treating patients with eating disorders and addiction.

     Life is uncertain. We can only respond to situations to the best of our ability. By learning to adapt and overcome life’s obstacles, we are less likely to let our minds become a battlefield. When we uncover the secrets behind the mask of our addiction, we reveal who we truly are. As you grow, you'll come to recognize the amazing gifts you have to offer. Although it's tough to be as open about the dark side of eating disorders and addiction, I believe honesty is what sets us free. With early intervention, you can achieve full recovery. As you take this leap of faith and learn more about your family's history and your condition, I hope you find the resources in this workbook helpful, enabling you to recover completely.

“Remember, your journey to recovery is about self-discovery and empowerment, and you are in control. When will you decide to choose The Road Less Traveled?”

Sherry Hudak

FACES: The medical profession is trying to predict who will attempt suicide. STUDY INCLUDED

Christmas 1978

My brother and I, before innocence was lost.

As I reflected on the photos in this post, I did some research on suicidal ideation. I wondered how an innocent child could go from smiling to being trapped for forty years with an eating disorder, willing to throw her entire life away, resulting in heart failure and fibromyalgia. My struggle with anorexia, bulimia, addiction, and suicidal ideation has controlled my life since the age of 12 years old. Our family has struggled with such topics for four generations. While I feel bullying is often overused, both my brother and I were bullied throughout our childhood. My brother also struggled with addiction to escape the pain and passed away from brain cancer at the age of 31. I share these photos with the hope that you or your loved one finds my mental health workbook helpful, so you can avoid the turmoil my family and I endured. 

Since the onset of social media and the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors are paying more attention to the warning signs of patients struggling with suicidal ideation. I wanted to include an important and simplified study on the topic of  "who will attempt suicide." While I know, personally, that at my age there are other factors, after multiple attempts myself, this study is a LIGHTBULB MOMENT for all families raising children between 10 and their mid-20s. EDUCATING PARENTS IS KEY!!!!!!!

The medical profession keeps trying to predict "who will attempt suicide." Researchers followed 2,060 Brazilian children from age 10 and into their mid-twenties, one of the longest prospective suicide studies ever conducted outside a high-income country. They measured genetics, perinatal history, family psychiatric illness, childhood adversity, cognition, and clinical symptoms, then tested all of it together against those who later attempted suicide. 

The result: even with multiple domains of risk factors combined, prediction accuracy remained modest, barely above the ceiling seen across 50 years of suicide research. More sophisticated machine learning models didn't do any better than simple logistic regression.

Three factors stood out as consistent, actionable, and population-relevant: childhood threat exposure (especially bullying), caregiver history of suicide attempts, and childhood externalizing disorders. Bullying alone accounted for the largest share of preventable risk in the entire study.

The author's conclusion is blunt: distal childhood risk factors will likely never predict individual suicide attempts with precision, because suicide is driven by acute, fast-acting processes that a baseline assessment can't capture. Trying to screen our way to safety has a ceiling. We hit it decades ago. 

The better investment may not be a sharper prediction. It may be quieter, structural prevention like anti-bullying programs, supporting parents with histories of suicidal behavior, and early identification of behavioral disorders, the kind of intervention that helps a population, whether or not we ever know which child needed it most! 

If you or someone else in the United States is experiencing suicidal thoughts or an emotional crisis, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free service, and they are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

                   Heart failure...GET HELP TODAY! I couldn't see how sick I had become!                                             

                                        I loved my family and modeling nearly destroyed me! 

 

                                        I loved my family, and modeling nearly destroyed me!

                                              

                                     My doctors said I would never have children!

                         

                                   

                                                          God is good always!

I share these photos with you to help you see that social media often shows individuals at their best. My hope is that by sharing these photos, you will recognize the struggle is real and exhausting. Please seek help sooner rather than later so you can live a fulfilling life with your loved ones! Remember...GOD IS GOOD ALWAYS! I wouldn't be here to share my story without him. 

The Road Less Traveled! Who's will are you following on your road to recovery?

 

  To sustain recovery, your mind, body, and spirit must be connected. Reflecting on how I found peace and contentment in my life, I remembered the notes I wrote in my journal at age twenty: “Mindfulness teaches us to protect our mental and physical well-being by connecting all aspects of our mind, body, and spirit.” When these three areas are balanced, it becomes clearer that we have three paths to choose from throughout our lifetime. We can follow our free will, the will of Satan, who seeks to destroy us when we are weak, or the will of God. My testimony describes what it was like to follow each of these paths when I fell prey to addiction and eating disorders. God’s presence in my life helped me realize that following The Road Less Traveled meant I would never suffer alone. Above all, I felt a pure, unconditional love in my heart.

    The question that runs through Christianity is: “Whose will are you following on your path to recovery?” As you read my story, woven through the pages of this workbook, you'll see that the road to self and Satan nearly destroyed me. When I was weak and ready to give up, Satan took control of my mind, body, and spirit. He encouraged my self-destructive behavior, dug a hole, and buried me in dirt. This can happen to anyone because when we follow our own free will or Satan’s, we limit our ability to see what we are truly capable of as human beings. However, as I grew closer to God, He strengthened me to silence the voices fueling my depression and anxiety and guided me toward the suggested reading materials throughout this workbook. God pulled back the curtains over my eyes to reveal that worldly distractions were interfering with my recovery and our relationship. He also taught me that maintaining good health is vital to fulfilling the purpose He has for us. The Road Less Traveled opened my mind and heart to making better decisions at crossroads. Seeing the positive results of my choices, I realized that whether others understood me no longer mattered. What mattered most was that God understood me more deeply than anyone else! The Road Less Traveled may not be easy; however, it’s a path toward freedom from shame, guilt, and anger.

“Patience is the fruit of the spirit that only grows through trials.”

Joyce Meyer

Compassion dissolves the chains of shame and doubt that tie us to unhealthy patterns of behavior!

 

 Sharing my struggles with eating disorders and addiction, I felt like I was doing a live autopsy. However, to be reborn and start living, you must understand why you feel like you are dying, create a plan, and stick to it. So, you can start living. Being trapped with an eating disorder or addiction is like living in hell. Hell is like looking at your life and at who you could’ve been, and realizing you’re not that person. This perspective drove me to research the genetic link to learn more about my family’s mental health history. After studying various psychiatric conditions for more than thirty years, I was saddened to realize that my family rarely discussed their mental health or sought help, which led to a century of depression, unresolved anxiety, eating disorders, and addiction. Reflecting on this, I often wonder whether proper treatment might have changed their experiences, possibly preventing the divorce epidemic of the 1990s, when 4.7 divorces per 1,000 people occurred, compared with 2.4 in 2022. Would earlier intervention have lessened my own suicidal thoughts as a teenager? I can't help but think that previous generations in my family turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms to handle their anxiety and depression because of inadequate or unavailable treatment. But God always knows what we need. When we suffer, He gives us the gift of compassion. Recognizing this and offering one another genuine care can help us break old patterns of feeling unworthy. Compassion allows our hearts to heal authentically, dissolving the chains of shame and doubt that tie us to unhealthy patterns of behavior.

70 MILLION PEOPLE WORLWIDE HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH AN EATING DISORDER! What is your why?

     

    As I researched the topics in this workbook further, I found a sobering fact: approximately 30 million people in the US and 70 million worldwide have been diagnosed with an eating disorder. This suggests that these issues affect a significant portion of the global population. Shockingly, half of Americans are connected to someone fighting an eating disorder, yet only a few thousand doctors are trained to treat them. When I think about families, friends, clinicians, teachers, and spiritual leaders, I realize that almost every household could benefit from the resources in this workbook. As you prepare for the challenging journey ahead, ask yourself, “WHY is recovery important to me right now?” and “What is your WHY or reason for reading this workbook?” Your answers can significantly influence your ability to understand and overcome your struggle with an eating disorder or addiction. Your responses will guide you through the workbook's topics and highlight the importance of self-reflection throughout your healing process. This self-reflection isn’t a burden, but a powerful tool that puts you in control of your journey and empowers you to take steps toward recovery.

    To grow and achieve your goals, you need to do what's uncomfortable in recovery. This workbook is designed to challenge your thinking and daily decisions, helping you rebuild your self-worth and self-esteem. You will learn to communicate your feelings more effectively, enabling you to approach your treatment plan with greater confidence. You will learn to advocate for yourself, whether you’re currently in treatment or seeking it. By design, this workbook is most effective when used alongside a therapist specializing in eating disorders and addiction. It aims to help you recover more quickly by addressing difficult questions now so you can regain control over your future. Your answers may also reveal why previous treatment programs haven’t led to a successful recovery, so you can avoid them in the future. The other half of this workbook includes resources and websites to help you and your family access the appropriate care needed to heal and live a meaningful life beyond addiction and eating disorders. This information is not intended to replace therapy, medications, diagnose or treat conditions, or discourage you from consulting your doctor.

Are you Okay? How does self-compassion and forgiveness play a role in discovering your purpose?

     

On the cover of my workbook, I was at the peak of my career as an actress and model, having completed 20 films in just over 2 years. However, I longed to be wanted and understood for more than my body. The activities I once loved, and that brought me joy, were taken from my life as I became obsessed with food and exercise. Although I was eager to work on films that told meaningful stories, I had to decide whether being a starving artist was worth it. To be relevant, being a starving artist meant two things: no money and my body being used against me. Then came the Jeffrey Epsteins of the entertainment industry. Sex, drugs, and casting couches were everyday occurrences. Almost everyone had a price. If you didn’t sell your soul to make it big, your self-esteem suffered from constant rejection at auditions. As I struggled to accept yet another failed attempt to pursue a career that interested me, I fell into severe depression and experienced my worst relapse to date. As my memory started to fade, because of debilitating pain associated with Scleroderma and fibromyalgia, I returned to therapy to work through every unhealthy relationship that was robbing me of seeing the beauty within myself and the world around me. I wanted to understand why I was so self-destructive. I needed to know why my suicidal thoughts seemed to resurface when life became stressful. I also wanted to understand why I sabotaged every opportunity in my life. Even then, I was relentless about asking others twenty years later, “Are you OK?!”

As I continued my journey to recovery, I realized that the compassion I showed to strangers was something I had never extended to myself. I wondered if I had known then what I know now, would I have fallen prey to the opioid epidemic at the hands of doctors? Or would I have chosen a different way to relieve my physical and emotional pain? What if I wasn’t given Narcan to reverse the overdose? Would I still be here to share my story? No matter the choices I’ve made in my weakened state of mind, only God can help me forgive the medical profession for failing me, as I recall the conversations I overheard while lying in a hospital bed, clinging to life. Because, as depressed as I was, and despite my desire to end my life, I truly wanted help. But I was drowning—drowning from the loss, the pain, the tragedies, the lies, and a former life I no longer remembered as my memory began to fade. That is, until I found my purpose and my reason to live! I now have a daughter, a story, and a vision to help families communicate more effectively and seek treatment to overcome their personal struggles.

"You're the strongest person I know!" and BLACK BOX WARNING...

    

 

 

The cover of my workbook, coming out later this year, features someone many people would not expect to represent the face of suicide. Most people who know me say, “You’re the strongest person I know.” However, what began as an innocent diet at age twelve caused chaos in my life and in the lives of those who loved me for over forty years. My struggle with anorexia, bulimia, addiction, and multiple attempts to end my life was driven by many factors I discuss throughout this workbook, including inadequate treatment, broken relationships, low self-esteem, the entertainment industry, genetics, physical and emotional pain, and the debilitating side effects of medications. In this workbook, you will have the chance to explore each of these topics. I share these experiences not to focus on the past but to help you see that you are not alone in your struggles. We can share these experiences and overcome them together, knowing others have walked a similar path and come out stronger, which can bring comfort and hope on your recovery journey.

Although my story includes hardships and tragic events, my diagnosis of Scleroderma strengthened my relationship with God. My faith has shown me that what or whom we worship depends on our circle of influence and on what we expose our minds and bodies to. When we don’t love ourselves and fall prey to addiction, that addiction becomes our place of worship. As I partnered with God, He gradually removed the things hindering my recovery. Once I identified my recovery needs, there was no turning back. God illuminated my path with what I call “LIGHTBULB MOMENTS.” These moments changed the course of my recovery. God brought people into my life who genuinely cared about my health and well-being. During this time, I worked closely with my insurance provider and naturopathic doctor to evaluate the discovery: several medications I was taking carried a BLACK BOX WARNING, which held me captive in a state of suicidal ideation.

For over 40 years, only one doctor explained what a black-box warning meant. But that wasn’t until I was lying in bed, unable to move my legs because of a reaction to the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin. That reaction led me to quietly research every medication I have been on since puberty. It took me many years of trial and error with different medications to realize that several different medications were fueling my suicidal thoughts and self-destructive behaviors. You will have the opportunity to dive deeper into how your medications have made you feel, so you can avoid the potential side effect of suicidal thoughts that might have been overlooked in the past. Don’t assume your doctor has the answers. You hold the answers to the root of your suffering, which will be revealed in your answers in this workbook.

So, what is a BLACK BOX WARNING? It alerts clients, doctors, and patients that a drug may cause serious, potentially life-threatening side effects when not used correctly. It doesn’t mean the medicine shouldn’t be used; it means extra caution is needed upon prescribing these medications, and patients should be informed before administering them. Antidepressants carry a BLACK BOX WARNING for increased suicidal ideation in children, teens, and young adults. Also,  over 400 medications carry a BLACK BOX WARNING with potentially life-threatening side effects. This suggests that if what you are doing isn’t working, you can ask your doctor about finding a better option.

 One of the most significant LIGHTBULB MOMENTS in my journey was when I was 15, and a doctor prescribed me LITHIUM for bipolar disorder. But I wasn’t bipolar!  Looking back, I can honestly say that an incorrect diagnosis and misuse of lithium initiated a thirty-year battle with anorexia, bulimia, night-time eating disorder, and suicidal thoughts. In chapter four, you will learn more about the history and misconceptions surrounding lithium. When used correctly, lithium offers anti-suicidal benefits, helps with cognitive decline in dementia, reduces irritability and impulsivity, decreases oxidative stress, and boosts dopamine production. However, until doctors evaluate their patients from a functional psychiatry perspective, including genetics, lifestyle, medications, nutrition, trauma history, biochemistry, and micronutrient deficiencies, Psychiatric Polypharmacy will continue as a treatment approach that relies heavily on medications, hoping to lower the suicide rate while worsening our mental health crisis.

Hospitalizations for eating disorders among boys have risen 400% since 2002!!

 

 

 

Understanding Trauma-Informed Care- Supporting safety, dignity, and participation!

SAFETY:

What it means: Feeling physically and emotionally safe

What it may look like:                                 

• calm tone of voice
• predictable routines
• clear expectations
• respecting personal space
• Reducing sensory overload 

Support Strategies:

• prepare for transitions
• provide quiet spaces
• minimize sudden changes
• respond calmly during distress

TRUST & TRANSPARENCY

What it means: Consistency and honesty build security

What this may look like:

• following through on promises
• explaining what is happening
• consistent boundaries
• no surprises when possible
• clear communication

Support Strategies:

• give advance notice of changes
• use simple, honest language
• maintain consistent routines
• check for understanding

CHOICE

What it means: restoring autonomy and control

What this may look like:

• offering options
• respecting preferences
• allowing processing time
• supporting decision-making
• avoiding unnecessary demands

Support Strategies:

• offer two clear choices
• allow time to respond
• use virtual supports if helpful
• honor preferences where possible

COLLABORATION

What it means: working with the person, not doing things to them

What this may look like:

• shared problem-solving
• listening to lived experience
• involving the person in planning
• valuing input from support networks
• respectful teamwork

Support Strategies:

• ask for input and feedback
• include the person in goal setting
• use collaborative language ("let's","together')
• adapt supports based on feedback

EMPOWERMENT

What it means: building strengths, confidence, and capacity

What this may look like:

• recognizing strengths
• celebrating small successes
• skill-building opportunities
• encouraging independence
• promoting self-advocacy

Supporting Strategies:

• focus on strengths first
• teach coping and regulation skills
• encourage choice making
• acknowledge progress

The Biopsychosocial Model: How biology, psychology, and social life shape your health!

YOUR HEALTH HAS THREE PARTS

                      Eric Arzubi, MD (@drzoobs), Psychiatrist and CEO, Frontier Psychiatry

The Biopsychosocial Model best describes how our health has three parts biology “our body genes, brain, nervous system, infections, other illnesses our psychological “our mind” thoughts and beliefs, emotions like anxiety, sadness, anger, coping habits (exercise, substance use, social media, past trauma), and social “your world” family, friends, work support, money stress, housing, access to care. These three constantly interact. 

The Biopsychosocial Model approach looks beyond a prescription and combines treatment options by addressing the big picture. This, too, is the objective of my workbook The Road Less Traveled "Are You OK?" The biopsychosocial model expands the picture so your story and environment count. When care respects all three, treatment is more likely to fit into your daily life and positively impact your recovery.

How To Re-Wire Your Brain!

 

The Autonomic Nervous System & Brain...How Trauma Impacts Each!

 

ALL ABOUT NEUROTRANSMITTERS

 SEROTONIN:

• Regulates mood and emotional balance
• Supports sleep and digestion
• Helps manage stress and anxiety

DOPAMINE:

• Drives motivation and pleasure
• Improves focus and alertness
• Boosts energy and goal-directed behavior

GABA:

• Promotes calm and relaxation
• Reduces overstimulation and anxiety
• Supports deep restful sleep

ACETYLCHOLINE:

• Supports learning and memory
• Aids focus and cognitive performance
• Essential for muscle control and coordination

NOREPINEPHRINE:

• Increases alertness and concentration
• Boosts energy during stress
• Helps balance mood and motivation

GLUTAMATE:

• Key for learning and brain development
• Strengthens memory and neural connections
• Supports overall cognitive function

The Brain-Boosting Power of Exercise!

 

FIVE WAYS TO INCREASE DOPAMINE, SEROTONIN, ENDORPHINS, AND OXYTOCIN NATURALLY

 

How to get the most out of your doctor visit!!!!!

In this presentation, you will discuss the following tips to get the most out of your doctor visit. 

Click on the link below.

https://youtu.be/Hx13CBemzT8?si=-YcXnEj8r0CDqse8 

MENTAL HEALTH vs. MENTAL ILLNESS and THE COST OF CONFUSION

MENTAL HEALTH vs. MENTAL ILLNESS

THE COST OF CONFUSION

 

What one psychiatrist knew in 1925... we're still learning in 2026!!!!!

 

WORDS MATTER... more importantly, THE RIGHT WORDS SAVE LIVES!!!

If you know someone struggling with an eating disorder, addiction, or chronic pain, it's important to evaluate the thoughts they are trying desperately to break free from. You will never fully understand their struggle, but you can help them recognize if their treatment plan is working. 

If you knew the following words were spoken to your loved one while seeking professional help, would you intervene? Your loved one needs you more than you think they do.

“What is wrong with these kids?”

“If she really wanted to kill herself, why didn't she take more pills?”

“You did a doozy on yourself?”

“She is crazy.”

“Just let her cry and see if she really wants to live.”

Many more...

If you knew this person experienced the following…would you read this article differently?

sexual abuse

rape

losing everything in a house fire

losing her best friend unexpectedly in high school

losing her brother to brain cancer at 29 years old, and his son before he graduated high school

moving 10 times before 30 years old

Her mom suffered from addiction and mental illness

Told to"Just kill yourself already!"

Diagnosis:

Scleroderma

Fibromyalgia

Heart failure

anorexia, bulimia, nighttime eating disorder

Anxiety

OCD

Chronic Pain

PTSD

What continues to save her?

Not popularity

Not money

Not fame

No singular doctor or family member

The answer: Her faith in God!

My workbook, The Road Less Traveled! Are You Okay? is what I consider a love letter from God to me, one that carried me through the darkest times of my life. This workbook provides all the necessary resources in one place to work together with your family, therapist, and god to break free from what is prohibiting you from living your best life!