Legalizing Fear Foods in Bulimia Recovery

Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC, Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope

The process of recovering from bulimia nervosa is one that takes place on multiple levels: physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, and more. Because eating disorders, such as bulimia, impact a person in many different ways, having collaborative treatment can help address the complex issues that arise with these mental illnesses.

As a person heals from bulimia, they gradually learn to decrease behaviors associated with this disorder, including reoccurring binging and purging episodes.

Learning to Eat Foods In a Normal Manner is Challenging

For the individual recovering from bulimia, renegotiating food is a tremendous aspect of healing. Learning how to eat foods in a normal manner and without binging or purging can be a process that gradually occurs over time. Some people with bulimia may feel triggered by eating certain foods or may feel difficulty maintaining control with other foods.

Fear foods for the person with bulimia can include any type of food that may be routinely used as part of a binge or foods that are only eaten if purging will follow afterward.

A Dietitian Can Add Support to Gradually Eat Trigger Foods

Managing urges to binge and purge are a crucial component of moving towards legalizing fear foods in bulimia recovery. This may involve pharmacotherapy, behavioral therapy, psychotherapy and more. As urges to binge and purge are effectively managed, this can be helpful in decreasing overall triggers when eating fear foods.

A registered dietitian can also be helpful in guiding an individual through the process of renegotiating fear foods. This may involve learning how to slowly incorporate and eat “trigger” foods as part of a meal plan that offers a person steady nutrition intake.

If you are in recovery from bulimia, you may feel overwhelmed at the process of legalizing fear foods and learning to eat normally again, but know that you do not have to go through this process alone.

Effectively managing symptoms and behaviors in bulimia and learning how to incorporate fear foods as part of a regular diet can be invaluable steps towards making peace with food and your body. Work with a professional treatment team to find a plan that works best for you in terms of healing and overcoming bulimia.

Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!

If you have been in recovery from bulimia, what aspects of treatment helped you in the process of legalizing fear foods? How did you learn to make peace with trigger foods and your body through recovery?

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Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Special Projects Coordinator for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.

As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.

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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 January 17, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com