Normal People: Toxic relationships, eating disorders, and knowing when it's time to move on

Skip to 25:00 for discussion of the book! In this episode, Alice and Maria discuss Sally Rooney’s Normal People and unpack why its portrayal of young love feels so intimate, unsettling, and painfully familiar. What makes Connell and Marianne’s relationship so compelling — and so damaging? And why do stories about first love so often blur the line between connection and self-erasure? In this episode, we discuss: Young love and toxic relationships, eating disorders and control as coping mechanisms As always, we approach these themes through a recovery lens — asking how stories like Normal People can both validate lived experiences and quietly reinforce harmful ideas about love, suffering, and worth. We reflect on what it means to grow beyond relationships that once felt essential, and how tenderness doesn’t have to come at the cost of selfhood. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or supporting someone who is, the following organisations offer resources and help: UK — Beat Eating Disorders USA — National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) Follow Alice and Maria! New episodes of Second Helpings drop bi-weekly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices