In this week's episode, Hannah is joined by Ailidh Musgrave whose story spans years of misdiagnosis, medical trauma, and inspiration to never give up hope on someone's recovery journey.



Ailidh has experience of 9 inpatient admissions for anorexia, experiencing severe depression, self-harm, multiple surgeries, sepsis, and temporary paralysis. Throughout her treatment, Ailidh also received a diagnosis for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Autism, both of which helped explain so much of what had been misunderstood.

Now back in education and working as an Expert by Experience, Ailidh campaigns passionately for safer, more compassionate care, from speaking in the House of Commons to challenging the Assisted Dying Bill alongside leading researchers.

Ailidh’s message is clear: no one with anorexia should be turned away from life-saving treatment, and no one should be #DyingForTreatment.

This week, we discuss:

• Early gastrointestinal symptoms and a late Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome diagnosis
• Navigating inpatient treatment across CAMHS and adult services
• Being labelled “too complex” and refused by multiple hospitals
• The emotional and physical impact of being misunderstood as autistic
• Why the Assisted Dying Bill poses risks for people with anorexia
• The turning point when recovery became her own choice
• The impact on her parents, especially her mum
• Why hope, time and trust remain essential in treatment

Timestamps:

• 01:20 – Ailidh's Experience of Inpatient Admissions
• 05:50 – CAMHS vs Adult Inpatient Care
• 09:40 – Autism and Misunderstanding
• 14:10 – EDS Diagnosis and Medical Trauma
• 18:30 – 9 Admissions in 13 Years
• 24:20 – Community Aftercare and Service Gaps
• 29:00 – Concerns About The Assisted Dying Bill
• 36:40 – Finding Internal Motivation For Recovery
• 43:10 – The Impact On Family

Lived experience and family perspectives are essential if we want eating disorder care to be truly compassionate, person-centred and safe. Ailidh’s story is a powerful reminder that no one is beyond help, no matter how long or how complex their journey has been.

Resources & Links

• Connect with Ailidh on LinkedIn
• Follow Eat Breathe Thrive or Chelsea Roff on Instagram to learn more about the #DyingForTreatment campaign

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here
• Listen to the podcast here

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, medical trauma and self harm. Please take care when listening.

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Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛