Raleigh Author Shares 30-Year Eating Disorder Recovery Story

After 30 years navigating eating disorder recovery, Johanna Scoglio decided it was time to share what she learned with others who might feel lost in their own battles.

Her new memoir, "When the Water Still Holds Me: Letters Through the Tides of a Long Term Eating Disorder," takes readers through her life in a series of deeply personal letters. The book opens with "Dear Daughter," a letter to the child she never had, revealing what the illness cost her over the decades.

Scoglio was just 15 when doctors diagnosed her with an eating disorder. She spent many months in treatment centers, crediting medical professionals and the intervention of loved ones with helping her begin the difficult path toward healing.

The Raleigh author dedicated an entire chapter called "Dear Loved Ones" to the people who supported her through the long struggle. She wanted those walking alongside someone with an eating disorder to know their presence matters, even when progress feels impossibly slow.

Water became Scoglio's central metaphor for understanding her recovery. At first, she thought reaching the shore meant winning the fight, but she eventually realized that staying in the water and continuing to swim was where her real strength lived.

Why This Inspires

Scoglio believes her decades of struggle served a purpose beyond her own healing. "I firmly believe that I struggled for so long into the depths that I did so that I could be on the other side and provide that hope for others," she said.

Her book includes reflection questions at the end of each chapter, giving readers tools to carry forward in their own journeys. She wants people to know recovery is possible, even when it feels unreachable.

Scoglio will speak at The National Alliance for Eating Disorders' 2026 NOT ONE MORE: Rally for Recovery on April 11 at Cedar Fork District Park in Raleigh. Her message to those still struggling: there's a reason you're still here, and your story isn't over yet.