Introduction
During recovery, you may encounter the same voices that haunted you when you were facing an eating disorder. You start to miss the same thing that hurt you, the thing you tried to get rid of. The old routine and familiarity make you feel “comforting”, which can be very confusing and scary.
The truth is that this is completely normal, and you’re not alone in this journey. You’re not longing for a relapse; it’s the control structure or sense of identity that makes you feel this way. In this blog, we will be discussing a few ways to avoid this feeling.
How to Cope and Move Forward
1. Practice Emotional Acceptance and Compassion
Realizing and accepting your true emotions is the first step in healing. You have to realize it’s okay to let yourself feel the sadness, fear, or grief from your past eating disorder after starting recovery.
You can try self-compassion tools:
- Resting your entire body/Spa day
- Journaling
- Repeating positive affirmations that remind you of your worth and strength.
These tools will help build emotional resilience, making you mentally and physically stronger.
2. Build New Coping Strategies
Instead of thinking about your habits, try to find new ones to spend your time and energy on. Finding and participating in creative hobbies, gentle movement, or social activities that make you happy will keep your mind off the past.
Some examples are:
- Meditation
- Breathing exercises
- Urge surfing
- Clubs
- Movies
- Knitting
Your entire identity isn’t the past you. There are so many other things that make you YOU. Exploring new fields of interest will help you find the right one eventually.
3. Discover New Hobbies
Create new and achievable goals to yourself. This will help you discover passions you never knew you had before. Make sure these goals are realistic and obtainable, as well as celebrating every victory throughout your journey. Having a new hobby or goal will fill your day with purpose, creating a new routine that makes you feel productive and meaningful.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
You don’t have to hide your past and your recovery journey from people. Being alone and isolated can hinder your mental state and increase the risk of relapse. You are allowed to reach out and ask people you trust for help. By sharing and expressing how you truly feel to friends or family, you will release some emotional burden off your shoulders. There are other organizations or support groups you can reach out to if you don’t feel comfortable for the people around you to know just yet.
5. Set Boundaries and Maintain Structure
Make sure you are taking good care of your mental and physical state. What I mean by maintaining structure is having consistent meals, resting at least 7 hours of sleep, and reducing as much stress as you can. Having a good environment and good body/mind state will reduce the chances of impulsive relapse behavior. Avoid or get rid of the triggers that make you feel this way, such as going on social media less or hanging around the wrong people.
6. Reframe ED Thoughts and Loss
The thoughts that once corrupted your mind, making you romanticize having an eating disorder, will bring you comfort since it has become habitual. To fix this issue, do the 5 things presented above, and remember to keep thinking about the long-term effects of your actions. Remember, your worth and value should not be reduced to just a number, a scale, or a statistic.
When to Seek Professional Help
If you notice these thoughts becoming more intense and frequent, and they are only getting worse, leading you to a relapse, it is best to seek professional help. It is very important to resist these voices and get medical help to stop these temptations. Don’t let the corrupted thoughts win!!
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