Most people in recovery from an eating disorder have a long-standing pattern of isolation – keeping thoughts and feelings to themselves, and finding ways to avoid contact with other people so they can be alone to carry out their harmful food behaviors. Even coming to therapy can be a challenging action for someone who is […]
Surrendering to Recovery Versus Being Stuck
Once you’re willing, you can surrender to recovery. I like to think of surrender more as a feeling that you begin to carry into all of your daily activities, rather than a place you get to just once. Surrendering to recovery means saying, “I don’t know it all. Maybe someone else might have a better […]
Willingness Versus Resistance in Recovery
Dictionary definitions of the word willingness include being “cheerfully or eagerly compliant,” or point to something being “done, given freely or voluntarily.” How many people run to recovery, cheerfully and eagerly? Usually, it’s more like, “Okay, I’m here, just don’t ask me to actually change – yet.” Willingness is something people have to journal their […]
7 Formulas for Living in Recovery #7 – Structure and Support
Two of the most central building blocks to recovery are structure and support, so we will look at these together in the seventh and final article in this series of formulas for living in recovery. Structure To create a structure around your recovery, have a clear plan and schedule for your recovery activities. For example: […]
7 Formulas for Living in Recovery #6 – Incorporating the Family
They say that addiction is a family disease, and food addiction is no exception. Addiction and recovery both happen in the context of a family system. Changing that dynamic requires delving into each person’s family of origin. This is not about blame, but it is about recognizing each person’s part in contributing to the eating […]
7 Formulas for Living in Recovery #5: Validation
We’ve been exploring my favorite formulas for living in recovery, and today’s concept is simple but not easy. Validation means giving yourself and others the reassurance that what you think and feel is okay. It says that no matter how things turn out, your emotions are valid. This can be a welcome relief for those […]
7 Formulas for Living in Recovery #4: Accepting Discomfort
Recovery includes discomfort. Accept that. If it were that easy, no one would be in treatment or therapy for addiction, they would simply decide to recover and make it happen. Along with the willingness to seek help, must come the ability to tolerate and endure discomfort and change. When you’re in recovery from an eating […]
7 Formulas for Living in Recovery #3: The Continuum
Whatever the issue in life, we are all on a continuum between extremes, and we may shift to different points along that line at any given moment. This awareness really helps to diffuse all-or-nothing thinking. Instead of seeing yourself as all good, or not good at all, it’s about placing somewhere along that path between […]
Heaven’s Reward Fallacy
This is the final post in a series about the most common cognitive distortions – false beliefs – and how they relate to eating disorders. Heaven’s reward fallacy As Dr. John Grohol describes in an article for Psych Central, with this cognitive distortion “we expect our sacrifice and self-denial to pay off, as if someone […]
Catastrophizing
In a series of posts, we’re exploring some of the most common cognitive distortions – negative thought patterns that reinforce false beliefs and steer people away from recovery. Catastrophizing This cognitive distortion is like having a huge case of the “What if’s?” What if I hurt my foot exercising and can never leave the house […]
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