The Necessities for Recovery
- The need to be able to identify the symptoms of eating disorders
- The need to not deny the problem of disordered eating patterns
- Recognition
that the eating behaviors are the symptoms of the underlying problem
- The ability to ask or seek help for
these serious life-threatening illnesses
- The ability to recognize there is no quick fix
- Commitment to yourself to move toward freedom from ED obsessions and compulsions
- Openness to
change
- Openness to trusting others regarding nutrition, safety, & the need for medical
stabilization
- The realization that one can always return to old behavior
- Recognition that one can feel powerless to the eating disorder
- Ability to allow
others to assist especially with the nutritional guidance
- Following the direction of professional
specifically regarding nutrition
- Openness to be present and allow oneself to observe the self
- Honesty with self and others
- Talk about how YOU feel about various important
things
- Openness to recognizing potential false beliefs one holds as truths
- Being able to recognize when feeling powerless
- Learn to take back the power
- Being able to answer ‘what if I am wrong about….’
- Openness to
changing how one thinks
- Openness to changing how one treats oneself from punishing to
kind
- Openness to understanding the role shame plays in one’s beliefs and behavior
- Recognizing victimization and manipulations
- Allowing the self to experience
feelings/emotions
- Accepting that emotions are part of being human and are helpful
- Understand that emotions have a life-span (beginning-peak-end)
- Allowing yourself
to truly know and like/accept who you are
- Learning to set boundaries with self and others
- Letting go of unwanted destructive behavior (not just related to eating behavior)
- Moving beyond
past injuries/pain
- Forgiving the self when necessary to allow growth not ‘stuckness’
- Taking educated risks
- Increasing open and honest communication with important others
in your life
- Learning what qualities you like in others – for relationships
- Refusing to allow someone to victimize or abuse you
- Understanding that all human beings
are vulnerable
- Recognizing all people make mistakes and are imperfect
- Putting goals within reach
- Setting yourself up for successes rather than failures
- Learning one deserves to dream and reach for those dreams
- Structuring life for recovery and
moving away from illness
- Keeping recovery process on front burner
- Consider what
you see in mirror might be distorted
- Learn to take compliments and give them as well
- Let go of self-hatred – it is a heavy burden
- Identify and stop additional destructive
behavior (if any)
- Reconnect with yourself in a positive manner
- Learn to be alone and happy with yourself
- Following through with the entire recovery process
- Understanding that at times recovery is difficult
- Establishing a healthy support system
- Learn to enjoy life
- Learn to understand yourself
- Be able to identify
your strengths as well as weaknesses
- Learning to have fulfilling relationships
- Understanding that life is a constant series of changes and adaptations
- Learning to
eat, think, feel, and behavior more ‘normally’
- Ultimately take back one’s life
from disordered eating patterns
- Appreciate life without ED
