- Calls to this hotline are currently being directed to Within Health or Eating Disorder Solutions
- Representatives are standing by 24/7 to help answer your questions
- All calls are confidential and HIPAA compliant
- There is no obligation or cost to call
- Eating Disorder Hope does not receive any commissions or fees dependent upon which provider you select
- Additional treatment providers are located on our directory or samhsa.gov
College and Getting Back on Track After Relapse
Contributor: Courtney Howard, B.A., Executive Assistant at Eating Disorder Hope and Addiction Hope
College students are at high risk for the development of eating disorders due to the many potential triggers they face, including increased stress, depression, and various social pressures. This also means that individuals in recovery are at high risk for relapse. Past studies on the prevalence of disordered eating among college students indicate rates are shockingly high.
Though more current research needs to be conducted, a 1995 survey [1] found that 91 percent of female college students attempt to control their weight through dieting on a regular basis. A 2003 meta-analysis [2] from The Renfrew Center reports that as many as 25 percent of female college students use bingeing and purging as their preferred method of weight management. There is a great need for research on the prevalence of disordered eating among male college students.
If you find yourself in the middle of a relapse, struggling with demons you thought you had already vanquished, do not be afraid to reach out for help. As with any case, early intervention is key.
Seeking Professional Help
Many factors keep individuals from seeking help for eating disorders, including denial, shame, and stigma. These feelings of shame be exacerbated in cases of relapses.
Do not buy into these feelings, as they are just another way that your eating disorder is trying to keep you silent. Every individual is different, which means that everyone’s recovery process is going to be different.
Though college can be an amazing period in life, it absolutely comes with stressors and potential triggers. Instead of blaming yourself for coping with these triggers through your eating disorder, seek help immediately and develop alternative coping mechanisms.
There are likely counseling services available on your college campus. Depending on the severity of your relapse, you might be able to begin outpatient services to jumpstart your recovery. In other cases, on-campus resources might refer you to a local eating disorder program or treatment center.
College students are often hesitant to seek help because they fear having to take time off from school for residential or inpatient treatment. Remember to keep things in perspective. Though it might seem like the end of the world at the time, it is worth taking one semester off to save your life.
Letting Go of Perfectionism
Many people who struggle with eating disorders are perfectionists at heart. College can bring out these perfectionistic and competitive qualities.
In order to succeed in recovery, individuals must accept that the perfectionist mindset is not conducive to their mental health. Not letting yourself make mistakes and setting unrealistic expectations for yourself only contribute to the self-loathing and self-judgment that so often accompany eating disorders. These thoughts have no place in recovery.
Many positive personality traits of perfectionists and overachievers, such as drive, focus, and commitment, get tangled up in disordered food behaviors. Eating disorders can harness these characteristics within an individual and essentially use them for evil. When the individual is self-aware enough to repurpose these characteristics to support their recovery, these traits can be just as effective toward aiding the healing process.
It can be argued that self-acceptance and self-love cannot exist in the company of true perfectionism. As Anne Wilson Schaef beautifully explains, “Perfectionism is self-abuse of the highest order.” It is important to embrace your flaws in recovery, whether this is in relation to body image or what grade you got on an essay.
Coping with Stress in College
Everyone copes with stress in different ways. There are healthy coping mechanisms and harmful ones. Disordered eating is a harmful coping tool, alongside substance abuse and self-harm.
Developing healthy coping tools to handle stressful circumstances while in college can be essential when it comes to your eating disorder recovery. Regardless of your treatment plan, the potential triggers associated with college, from social pressures to academic stress, will not go away.
Instead, you need to learn to adjust your coping strategy to handle these triggers in ways that are not self-destructive. College is a great time to explore your interests and develop these tools to boost your mental health and support your recovery.
Full recovery is possible. The important thing is recognizing a relapse when it happens and taking the steps to get back on track.
Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!
What tools helped you get back on track after a relapse?
About the Author: Courtney Howard is the Executive Assistant for Eating Disorder Hope and Addiction Hope. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. from San Diego State University, holds a paralegal certificate in Family Law, and is a Certified Domestic Violence Advocate. After obtaining her certification as a life coach, Courtney launched Lionheart Eating Disorder Recovery Coaching in 2015 and continues to be a passionate advocate for awareness and recovery.
References:
[1]: Kurth CL, Krahn DD, Nairn K & Drewnowski A: The severity of dieting and bingeing behaviors in college women: Interview validation of survey data. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 1995; 29(3):211-25.[2]: The Renfrew Center Foundation for Eating Disorders. (2003). “Eating Disorders 101 Guide: A Summary of Issues, Statistics and Resources.”
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on August 9, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com
