In Eating Disorder Recovery, I Can & Will Let Go of My Eating Disorder

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Are you ready to take action to let go of your eating disorder? If so, you are in the fourth stage of eating disorder (ED) recovery. While this stage is an exciting time full of change and growth, it can also come with challenges and setbacks. If you or a loved one are ready to take action to let go of your eating disorder, here are five simple steps you can take to pursue recovery.

The Action Stage of Eating Disorder Recovery

When recovering from an eating disorder, an individual travels through five different stages of change. In the first few stages, the person often denies they have a problem and refuses to seek help. However, when they reach the fourth stage of change, called the Action Stage, they not only recognize that they have a problem, but they’re now ready to take action to reach their goal of recovery.

In other words, you know you’ve reached the Action Stage when you’re finally ready to take your first steps towards recovery. Carlo C. DiClemente and Mary Marden Velasquez describe the Stages of Change in recovery like this: “Individuals move from being unaware or unwilling to do anything about the problem to considering the possibility of change, then to becoming determined and prepared to make the change, and finally to taking action […]” [1].

Before looking at the specific steps, you need to take during the Action Stage of recovery, keep in mind that taking action to confront and overcome your eating disorder is hard work. During this stage, slip-ups and relapses are common. And while you may be tempted to think you’ve failed recovery or won’t ever get better after a slip-up occurs, remember that recovery is not an overnight process.

Instead, it is a unique journey that requires hard work, dedication, and support. So no matter how many times you slip back into old ED habits or thoughts, know that as long as you get back up and keep taking small steps towards getting better, you are still on the road to recovery.

How to Let Go of Your Eating Disorder

  • Get Help – The first step is to seek professional help for your eating disorder. This might look like enrolling in an inpatient or outpatient eating disorder treatment program or simply meeting weekly with an eating disorder specialist like an ED therapist, counselor, or dietitian.
  • Woman standing in the trees happy about her Eating Disorder RecoveryFollow the Plan – When you enter ED treatment, your treatment team or specialist will help you come up with a plan for recovery. This might involve several times a week appointments with your ED specialists, group therapy sessions, homework assignments, or challenges to eat certain foods or let go of certain exercise routines. While it’s not always easy to follow the treatment plan, remember that it’s there for a reason (to help you get better), so determine ahead of time to follow all of your treatment team’s recommendations.
  • Remove Triggers – Go through your entire life (schedule, belongings, goals, etc.) and remove the things that are triggering your eating disorder. This might include scales, mirrors, outfits, diet or low-cal foods, social media sites, extra stress, specific activities, or anything else that triggers ED thoughts, emotions, or behaviors.
  • Learn Coping Strategies – With the help of your treatment team or ED specialist, come up with healthy ways to cope with negative thoughts and emotions when/if they arise. This might mean journaling, going for a gentle walk, meditating, deep breathing, listening to music, starting a new hobby, or calling a friend.
  • Ask for Support – Letting go of your eating disorder is not an easy task. During this time, you’ll most likely need extra help and support. Turn to family and friends you can trust or join an eating disorder support group (in your area or online) to connect with others who are going through a similar process.

While you may experience some setbacks or difficult days on the road to recovery, remember that life without an eating disorder is possible FOR YOU. And if you keep on taking small steps towards recovery, you will reach your goal.

As Brittany Burgunder, author of Safety in Numbers: From 56 to 221 Pounds, My Battle with Eating Disorders, says, “You keep making these tiny, good choices over and over until you realize your whole life is different and the hero who saved you is yourself.”

References:

[1] Diclemente, Carlo C., & Velasquez, Mary Marden. (2002). Motivational Interviewing and the Stages of Change. Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mary_Velasquez/publication/231081405_Motivational_Interviewing_and_the_Stages_of_Change/links/0fcfd50b5f8c5af70e000000/Motivational-Interviewing-and-the-Stages-of-Change.pdf#page=222

About the Author:

Sarah Musick PhotoSarah Musick is a freelance writer who specializes in eating disorder awareness and education. After battling with a 4-years long eating disorder, she made it her mission to help others find hope and healing in recovery.

Her work has been featured on numerous eating disorder blogs and websites. When she’s not writing, Sarah is off traveling the world with her husband.

The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective on eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer a 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.

Published January 30, 2021, on EatingDisorderHope.com
Reviewed & Approved on January 30, 2021, by Jacquelyn Ekern MS, LPC