Things never magically get better by themselves, but it's possible to make them less terrible if you give it time. 3-4 years ago I was a wreck; not slightly depressed but rather ''I'm so absorbed by my eating disorder and other compulsions that living a normal life isn't an option.'' Literally the only thing stopping me from killing myself was fearing that my mum wouldn't be able to cope with it.

Nowadays things are much better, after years of therapy, medications, and a diagnosis that explains why I can't function life actually feels quite enjoyable. Have I magically become popular and successful with an existing love life? Hell no, but I'm close to getting my degree and I don't spend every waking moment hating myself. I still have bad days and I will probably never be on the same level as a ''normal'' person, but things had undoubtedly gotten better.

Telling a sick person that ''it gets better'' can seem like a useless platitude since things don't magically fix themselves, but it's possible to stop things from getting worse. I didn't start out with making any positive changes, I just managed to become a little less self-destructive and that was the start I needed.