A Story of Recovery and Hope

In May 2025, 16-year-old M. came to Children's National after losing 20 pounds in one month due to severe food refusal. His symptoms began during Lent. Over time, he developed distressing thoughts centered on needing to be "clean." Providers later linked what appeared to be disordered eating to acute psychosis/schizophreniform disorder and severe intrusive religious thoughts.

M. stayed in the hospital to rebuild his nutrition and receive mental health care. He later began outpatient treatment through the Donald Delaney Outpatient Eating Disorders Program at Friendship Heights. Providers collaborated closely with psychiatry to monitor his progress and medication response. The team helped M. restore nutrition, develop coping skills and address the underlying psychiatric symptoms driving food refusal.

M.'s mom became an essential part of treatment. Family medical leave paperwork allowed her to provide the meal support and supervision her son needed. The family also received food assistance twice a month through the Hungry Harvest program, which delivers healthy groceries to patients experiencing food insecurity.

Today, M. no longer requires meal supervision and is reconnecting with friends and family. He’s also back to playing basketball — the activity he dreamed about throughout treatment — and began his freshman year at Virginia State University this fall.

M.'s recovery involved more than restoring his weight. It helped him reclaim his health, confidence, independence and future.