Eating disorder recovery can feel like a big step, especially if you are unsure of what recovery may look like. Recovery involves much more than changing eating behaviors. It is about healing your relationship with food, your body, and physical activity while also understanding the role that the eating disorder plays and developing healthier coping mechanisms. Over time, the goal is to reduce the eating disorder’s influence on your thoughts, behaviors, and urges.
Recovery can be challenging, and it is normal to experience setbacks along the way. It is important to remember that recovery is not always linear. Recovery is about progress, not perfection.
In this blog, we will explore what eating disorder recovery can look like, the purpose eating disorders often serve, experiences you may have throughout the recovery journey, and the value of working with a collaborative treatment team.
What is Eating Disorder Recovery?
Eating disorder recovery can look different for everyone. While each person’s journey is unique, recovery often involves healing your relationship with food, your body, and movement as well as working to reduce eating disorder behaviors and thoughts. During the eating disorder recovery process, underlying factors that contribute to the development of the eating disorder will be addressed. This can include working through anxiety, trauma, perfectionism, low self-esteem, and other challenges. Many people are not fully aware of the various roles and functions their eating disorder has served. Therefore, part of the recovery process involves identifying the triggers and functions since there are often many layers to the eating disorder.
For many people, eating disorders often develop as a way to cope with difficult emotions or life experiences by providing comfort, relief, or a sense of control. They can also become a way of avoiding emotional pain or a form of self-punishment. Understanding the purpose the eating disorder serves is important for recovery because it helps move toward developing healthier coping mechanisms to better support long-term recovery.
Coping strategies can vary depending on the person. Some examples include:
- Journaling
- Mindfulness & meditation
- Practicing self-compassion
- Yoga
- Breathing exercises
- Engaging in creative activities
- Gentle movement
Healing Your Relationship With Food and Your Body
A significant part of eating disorder recovery involves rebuilding your relationship with food and your body. Eating disorders often create rigid food rules alongside feelings of guilt or shame around eating that can negatively affect your relationship with your body. Eating disorder recovery helps challenge these patterns and replace them with more compassionate ways of thinking.
As you progress through recovery, you may notice signs that your relationship is healing. For instance, you may find that you are eating more consistently and the feelings of guilt around eating are reduced. You may also become more flexible with food choices. Over time, you can begin to rebuild trust with your body’s hunger and fullness cues and work toward viewing food as a source of nourishment and enjoyment.
Healing your relationship with your body does not necessarily mean you have to love every aspect of your appearance or feel positive about it at all times. Instead, recovery may involve working toward body neutrality where you learn to respect and care for your body without tying your self-worth to your appearance.
What You May Experience During Eating Disorder Recovery
Physical Recovery
- Changes in hunger and fullness cues
- Improving energy
- Improving sleep
- Increased concentration
- Nourishment
- Finding ways to move that feel positive and not punitive
Emotional Recovery
- Less distress, anxiety, or guilt around food
- Developing healthier ways to cope
- Practicing self-compassion
- Feeling less controlled by eating disorder thoughts, urges, and behaviors
Behavioral Recovery
- Eating more consistently
- Challenging rigid food rules
- Reducing eating disorder behaviors (restriction, purging, compulsive exercise, and more)
- Reducing body checking behaviors
- Spending less time thinking about food, weight, or appearance
Social Recovery
- Participating in social events involving food
- Eating meals with family or friends
- Feeling more comfortable attending gatherings
- Reconnecting with hobbies and interests
The Value of a Collaborative Treatment Team for Eating Disorder Recovery
Eating disorder recovery often involves support from multiple professionals who work together to address the different aspects of recovery. As eating disorders can impact both physical and mental health, a collaborative treatment team can provide care that supports your unique needs. Oftentimes, there is collaboration between a therapist and dietitian, but may also include a primary care physician and psychiatrist
A therapist can support eating disorder recovery by helping explore the underlying factors and triggers that may contribute to the eating disorder. Sometimes an eating disorder may start out for one reason and then be maintained by other issues. The idea is to understand what issues, needs, emotions, and triggers are related to the eating disorders and find tools and strategies to more directly address those needs. In doing so, they help address concerns such as anxiety, depression, perfectionism, trauma, or other challenges that may impact recovery.
A dietitian supports the nutritional aspects of recovery. They help individuals restore nutrition, challenge food rules and misconceptions, and educate the individual on nutrition. Dietitians can also help you rebuild trust with your body’s hunger and fullness cues and slowly reduce fear or anxiety around food. For more information on the benefits of working with a dietitian, check out our blog on Why Working With A Dietitian Is Helpful.
In addition to working with a professional team, having a support system of family and friends can be a significant part of recovery. It is important to have someone who is open to listen to your experiences and offer support without judgement. They can provide encouragement and a shoulder to lean on as you navigate your recovery journey. It might also be beneficial to add an eating disorder recovery group as an addition support system
Eating Disorder Recovery Looks Different for Everyone
It can be easy to compare yourself to others as you navigate recovery. It is important to remember that recovery looks different for everyone. Factors such as the type of eating disorder, individual experiences, access to treatment, and more can influence an individual’s journey. Progress is not measured by each individual day. It is measured over months or years. Setbacks are completely normal and part of the process. Remember: progress not perfection.
If you are ready to begin your eating disorder recovery journey, our team at Best Within You Therapy & Wellness is here to support you through the process. You can reach out through scheduling a complimentary consultation or appointment.
Thank you to Best Within You Therapy & Wellness psychologist Dr. Laura Riss, PsyD and intern Kelsey Tran for writing this blog post about eating disorder recovery and what the process can look like.
