A COURAGEOUS Greenock man has opened his heart about overcoming an eating disorder.

Dale Bradley, 21, has told the Tele how a straightforward bid to lose a bit of a weight when he was a teenager took over his life for three agonising years.

Now recovered and with support from his family and friends, he has bravely decided to speak out about his experience in a bid to help others going through the same ordeal.

Dale told the Tele: “It ruined my social life, made me worry about everything and meant that I missed out on time with my family and friends. 

“I’d turn down nights out and family meals for fear of how much food and drink would make me worry. 

“If I didn’t talk about it, I wouldn’t have been able to get through it. 

“I cannot thank my amazing family and friends enough for supporting me and helping me through the toughest time of my life. 

“I can’t stress enough how important it is to be open about how you’re feeling. 
“Not feeling right mentally is nothing to be ashamed of.”

Dale, who lives in Hillend Place, had never had any problem with his diet but when he was 16, he decided to embark on a healthy eating and fitness regime.

He said: “It was towards the end of fifth year at school.

“I thought I needed to lose a wee bit of weight so I did more exercise and I ate less.

“At first it was fine, I went walking lots but gradually it took a hold of me.

“A lot of people — my family, friends and teachers — started saying ‘that’s enough, you look great but don’t go any further’.”

But Dale, who now works in a bank, says he became obsessed with food, to the point where it took over his whole life.

He said: “Food becomes your life and you have a routine around it.

“When I wasn’t eating, I was thinking about what I would eat, then when I was eating I would be thinking about what I was eating and afterwards I would be thinking about what I had to eat.

“I worked my life round food.

“I felt like I wasn’t living.

“I had no energy and sometimes I felt almost like I was dreaming because I was so weak.

“I could almost feel like life was passing me by.

“I lost three and a half years because of it.

“For that period of time my life stopped.

“It’s an existence, it’s not a life.

“It’s almost like something takes over you and you’re not there.”

Dale said that social media fuelled his obsession with food.

He said: “When I think back, it was a lot to do with the idea that if you lose weight then people will think better of you.

“With social media, the message is always that to be thinner is better.

“I felt a lot of pressure.”

Dale, a former Clydeview Academy pupil, said his condition got worse until he weighed less than eight stone.

He added: “I ate three meals a day every day but I wasn’t eating anywhere near enough for my height.

“I never denied there was a problem, I knew there was.”

In March 2014 Dale went to his GP for help but it took over a year for him to get the support he desperately needed.

He said he was forced to go private until he was eventually referred to an NHS specialist.

It was not until January this year that Dale managed to turn his life around.

He said: “It happened overnight — I can’t explain it.

“I woke up and felt good one day and I didn’t want to lose that feeling.

“I didn’t want to go back to how I felt before, so that determination kept me going.”

Over the past 10 months, Dale has got his life back on track.

He hopes his story will encourage other people to speak out if they have a problem.

Dale also thinks schoolchildren should also be made more aware of the dangers of social media.

He added: “There should be more in schools about social media.

“It would be beneficial to have something which goes in-depth about you and how you’re feeling, especially with regards to social media.

“There should be a clear message that it’s not important that you don’t look like other people.

“You think everyone else always has a great life but all you’re seeing is a photo.

“I used to go on Instagram religiously — I would go on it at meal times and look at food while I was eating food.

“I was obsessed.

“But I’m more conscious of it now.”

Dale says that being open about his illness was a huge help.

He said: “All my family and friends were so good with it.

“If I hadn’t talked, I don’t know if I could’ve got through it.”

Following his ordeal, Dale believes there is not enough professional support available for people with eating disorders.

He said: “It should be picked up on a lot quicker.

“You go to the doctor and they suggest you get bloods done and if you’re not iron deficient then they tell you that you’re fine.

“But it does not mean there is not a problem.

“If you go and say you think you have a problem, there should be more support a lot quicker because if you don’t nip it in the bud, it’s like a runaway train.

“Once it gets going, it takes over everything.”

Dale is now determined to break down the stigma surrounding eating disorders.

He said: “There is this perception that eating disorders are total vanity.

“That’s a big misconception.

“There is a lot more behind it.

“I would like to help other people, as I just don’t think there is enough support out there for people.

“I’d like to show people that they can get through it.”

Dale says he is now busy making up for lost time with the support of his mum Jacqui, dad Robert and younger brother Kyle, 15, and his adorable West Highland Terrier Jude.

He added: “I’m absolutely fine now.

“I’m going to the personal trainer Harry Woodall and think I’m back to myself.

“I’m happier than I’ve ever been.

“I said to my mum recently, that in a weird way, I’m glad it happened because I don’t think I would have such an appreciation for life than what I do now because I went through that.

“I missed out on so much.

“I love spending time with my family, but I would miss family meals because they knew that I was feeling rubbish and I didn’t want to put them in that situation.

“It was ridiculous because they all care for me very much.”

Dale says he has a very clear message for anyone who may be going through a similar experience.

He said: “Please talk about it and go and get help because you miss out on so much of your life.”