Surviving Finals Week Without Relapse

Contributor: Kirsten Haglund, Community Relations Representative for Timberline Knolls and Founder and President of the Kirsten Haglund Foundation

College is supposedly one of “the best times of your life!” However, the dread of finals week is powerful enough to turn that statement on its head. Even for a healthy individual, finals week can be a time of major stress and anxiety; for individuals in recovery, the time can be even more difficult.

One of the biggest concerns for a family or treatment team is how important, stressful times like finals – inevitable for any college student – can be weathered without pitching someone head first into relapse. Thankfully, finals week without relapse is 100 percent possible for you or your loved one! It just takes preparation and support.

Tips for Your Survival Guide

The other benefit to surviving finals week with a healthy body and mind is that it provides a firm foundation for success in managing trying times later in life. We all weather some seasons that are lovely, others that are far less so, and we need the tools in our tool belt (and they should be broken in!) in order to handle less than lovely times with grace and health.

Here are a few tips for your survival guide:

Give yourself a Break!

It seems counterintuitive, but balance is essential to surviving finals week intact. Build in time or breaks in between studying to do things that actually interest you and that you enjoy. It can be as simple as taking a walk with a friend around campus, listening to some calming music, taking a tea or coffee break at a small cafe or watching a favorite TV show.

Being proactive and scheduling little breaks can help you make it through long slogs of studying and concentration, keeping you motivated as well as preventing burnout which can lead to disordered thinking and behaviors.

Another side of this coin? Give yourself a break, meaning, if you make a mistake, or find yourself in a pit, show yourself grace. Forgive yourself. Practicing acceptance is absolutely key during stressful times, when we all need a little more tenderness than usual. Make sure you give yourself a break, and don’t be too hard on yourself if you fall off the horse – you can pick yourself up and just keep on going.

Prep Healthy Coping Skills

Finals week can be brutal, so have your healthy coping mechanisms prepped and ready! You can picture finals week like a battle, from which you can emerge victorious! Have your mug of tea, knitting needles, iPod, crayons and coloring book – whatever is self soothing at the ready to support you when the going gets tough.

In treatment and during the recovery process, we identify things and activities that help us cope with the stress and pressures of life, instead of compulsively exercising, bingeing, purging or restricting. Now is the time to use them!

Sleep!

It’s pretty common on campus to hear people bragging about how little they slept in order to cram for an exam.

Bottom line? Going to bed and getting a good night’s rest actually helps your performance more than staying up to study.

It allows your brain and body to rest, soak up the information you read the night before, and gives you energy and a clear head for the test. Plus, it keeps you feeling confident and your metabolism balanced – couple all that with a good breakfast and you’ll ace the exam.

Have Your Support Team at the Ready

Reach out to your treatment team at home or on campus, your close friends and family – let them know you’re heading into a time when you’ll need extra support. Then, make sure to lean on that support team! That’s why they are there. Pick up the phone and call a friend, therapist or family member when you’re feeling low. Communicate, don’t isolate.

Focus on the Big Picture

It can be a challenge, but focusing on the big picture helps give you the right perspective. Yes, grades are important, but more than likely, your exam performance will not dictate your future success in life. You learned in treatment that you’re more than a number on the scale – you’re also more than a letter grade on a test.

College is only four, maybe six or eight years of your life – a relatively small amount of time. Additionally, more and more often, people end up in fulfilling careers in areas they didn’t even study in school! The beauty of life is your ability to choose and create your own destiny.

Don’t Define Yourself By Your Body

You aren’t defined by your body shape and size, or by your academic credentials. All you can do every day is your very best – and then move on. Every experience, whether success or failure, will shape you into the person God is creating you to be.

That is a process and a lifelong journey that an exam grade can never degrade.

With proper preparation and support, finals week doesn’t have to be a bumpy ride, but instead, a growth opportunity and a chance to see the recovery process truly work in your life.

Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!

How are you or your loved one surviving finals week in eating disorder recovery?

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.

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on July 22nd, 2015
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com