Self-Care Eating Disorder Recovery Plan and Q & A
Understanding the Importance of a Self-Care Plan in Eating Disorder Recovery
Taking care of yourself is essential, but if you have an eating disorder, you don't know how to take care of yourself without your eating disorder behaviors.
Throughout recovery, you know you will be challenged emotionally, including in ways you can't comprehend yet. Here is a Q & A plus planning information to help you prepare for lasting recovery.
Q
How can you support your stability during the upheaval of transition?
A
Having a self-care eating disorder recovery plan keeps you stable. Do not make overly ambitious promises to yourself about changing or stopping your eating disorder behaviors. If you make such promises without a self-care plan, stress and anxiety will careen into expectations you can't fulfill. That's a powerful trigger for your eating disorder.
The Components of a Realistic Eating Disorder Recovery Plan
Q
What are the components of a realistic plan?
A
Establishing a practical, simple, and consistent self-care routine that you will honor is key. This routine will empower you to maintain emotional and physical balance, putting you in control of your recovery journey.
- Don't get too hungry, too thirsty, or too tired.
- Don't get lost in repetitive negative self-talk.
- Get a psychotherapist who has expertise in eating disorder recovery so you are not alone in your healing challenges and experiences.
- Perhaps find anonymous meetings that are appropriate for your situation.
Why Focusing on Eating Disorder Behaviors Isn’t the Solution
Q
What eating disorder behaviors should I focus on?
A
None. By following your self-care plan, you will move beyond your old limited tolerance of emotions and build inner strength. You will naturally resist eating disorder solutions.
Can Your Eating Disorder Go Away? Understanding the Journey
Q
What? Does my eating disorder go away?
A
You developed an eating disorder to take care of yourself when you had no other options. When you learn and practice genuine self-care principles, you won't need your eating disorder to take care of you.
When you focus on your self-care plan, you give less attention to your eating disorder behavior. Over time, your strength and health become more relevant to your daily challenges. Plus, you like the results you get when you choose your self-care plan rather than your eating disorder methods.
Facing Challenges Beyond Your Current Coping Skills
Q
What happens when I meet a challenge that is beyond me?
A
Your eating disorder may step in to protect you. At such a time, your urge to move into your eating disorder is a signal that you are in territory where your self-care methods aren't enough for you to be clear-thinking and emotionally stable. It's a signal that you need to add more to your self-care.
Your self-care eating disorder recovery plan includes psychotherapy, a form of professional support that can be crucial in your recovery journey. You don't have to do your recovery work alone. Part of self-care is drawing on the help of others in a focused, realistic, and well-thought-out way.
* Your journal is part of your eating disorder recovery self-care plan
Starting the New Year: The Importance of a Self-Care Plan
The beginning of a new year is often a time of hope for the end of eating disorder symptoms. You want to start the new year fresh. Without considering needed self-care, you promise you won't binge, purge, or restrict in this bright new year. You tell yourself this will be your new beginning.
You are in danger of a crash without regular self-care to back up your promises to yourself.
Remember, recovery is a journey that requires patience and enduring commitment. It's a shift from living with an active eating disorder to living in recovery mode. You learn to tolerate discomfort, and this is where a reliable self-care practice becomes your anchor, giving you hope for a brighter future.
Reality vs. Wishful Thinking in Your Recovery Journey
In the first few weeks of the new year, you discover promises don't ensure instant recovery. Fast changes for the better are rare. The reality of our world is more powerful than the wish for quick fantasy fulfillment.
Amidst your challenges, you are still who you are, with your power within your being. Please know that's a good thing.
Reality is Still Here
Dealing with reality can be challenging, but nurturing your inner strengths through self-care is your best defense. You may realize that some of your powers are fantasies. But your heart, health, determination, caring, and belief in yourself are not fantasies. They are what's real and will see you through your challenges.
The Four Critical Self-Care Guidelines for Eating Disorder Recovery
The following self-care guidelines are not a cure for bulimia, anorexia, or binge eating. They are a way to catch hold of some health and stability. Then, you can take the steps necessary for solid recovery.
Four critical guidelines that help and that all of us may tend to forget:
- Don't get too hungry.
- Don't get too thirsty.
- Don't get too tired.
- Write your thoughts, feelings, complaints, and wishes regularly.
Hunger, dehydration, and fatigue can wreck your emotions, your ability to think, and your ability to perceive realistically.
Breaking Free: Treating Your Eating Disorder Like a Narcissistic Abuser
Think of your eating disorder as a resident narcissistic abuser in your head, draining you of your talents, energy, and resources every chance it gets. The best response to a narcissistic abuser is indifference. It’s a challenge to reach that point because the abuser has penetrated almost every aspect of your psyche.
When you focus on your self-care, you have little time, energy, or resources to spend on the abuser, whether that abuser is a person, an organization, or an eating disorder. You build your strength not to give away but to use for your own life.
How Your Self-care Eating Disorder Recovery Plan Supports Long-Term Recovery and Fulfillment
Supporting yourself through self-care means supporting the best within you. This frees you to develop beyond your limits and move toward the life you want. You nourish yourself, hold, and use your treasures for your goals. You thrive on your merit and let the eating disorder starve to death from your indifference.
Take the plunge. Map out your self-care plan. Contact me for personal recovery guidance and support.
Resources:
Books
"Eating in the Light of the Moon" by Anita Johnston, Ph.D.
"Healing Your Hungry Heart: Recovering from Your Eating Disorder" by Joanna Poppink
"The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
Find it on Amazon
Websites
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
Eating Disorders Anonymous (EDA)
https://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org
Recovery Warriors
https://www.recoverywarriors.com
Project HEAL
https://www.theprojectheal.org
The Body Positive
https://www.thebodypositive.org
Podcasts
The Recovery Warrior Show
https://www.recoverywarriors.com/podcast
Real Talk with Dana
https://www.realtalkwithdana.com/podcast
ED Matters Podcast by Gurze Books
https://www.edcatalogue.com/podcast
Food Psych by Christy Harrison
https://christyharrison.com/foodpsych
Love Food Podcast by Julie Duffy Dillon
https://www.juliedillonrd.com/lovefoodpodcast
Blogs
Beauty Beyond Bones
https://www.beautybeyondbones.com
The Mighty (Eating Disorders Section)
https://themighty.com/topic/eating-disorders
Discussion Groups
NEDA Online Forums
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/forums
Reddit Communities
Facebook Groups
Search for groups like "Eating Disorder Recovery Support" or "Body Positivity & Recovery" within Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups
Articles
"The Importance of Self-Compassion in Eating Disorder Recovery" by Carolyn Costin
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/healthy-eating/202001/the-importance-self-compassion-in-eating-disorder-recovery
"Practical Self-Care Tips for Navigating Holidays in Recovery" by Recovery Warriors
https://www.recoverywarriors.com/self-care-holidays
Eating Disorders and Narcissistic Abuse by Joanna Poppink
Psychotherapy Success: Eight Tips for a fulfilling outcome by Joanna Poppink
"Why Self-Care is Essential in Recovery" by Project HEAL
"Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life"
Teaches mindfulness practices for self-compassion and emotional regulation.
"You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment"
Focuses on staying present and connecting with yourself compassionately."
"The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation"
A foundational text on mindfulness and its transformative power
"How to Eat"
Offers mindfulness practices for eating and appreciating nourishment.
Websites and Articles
Plum Village – Thich Nhat Hanh’s Community
Offers teachings, guided meditations, and retreats for mindfulness and self-compassion.
https://plumvillage.org
The Art of Mindful Living – Mindfulness Bell
A resource inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings, focusing on mindfulness in daily life.
https://www.mindfulnessbell.org
Mindful Eating Resources at Plum Village
Specific teachings on how mindfulness can transform your relationship with food.
https://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/mindful-eating
- "Radical Acceptance" by Tara Brach
Combines mindfulness and self-compassion to work through emotional challenges.
Website: https://www.tarabrach.com - "When Things Fall Apart" by Pema Chödrön
A guide to developing resilience and compassion during difficult times.
Website: https://pemachodronfoundation.org - Insight Meditation Society (IMS)
Offers teachings, retreats, and resources on mindfulness and compassion.
https://www.dharma.org - Mindful – Mindfulness for Health and Well-Being
Articles and practices for integrating mindfulness into daily life.
https://www.mindful.org
Podcasts
"The Deer Park Dharmacast" (Thich Nhat Hanh’s Teachings)
Weekly teachings from Deer Park Monastery, part of the Plum Village tradition.
https://deerparkmonastery.org/dharmacast
"Tara Brach Podcast"
Focuses on meditation, self-compassion, and emotional healing.
https://www.tarabrach.com/talks-audio-video
"The Tao of Pooh" by Benjamin Hoff
https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Pooh-Benjamin-Hoff/dp/0140067477
"The Wisdom of the Tao" by Wayne Dyer
https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Tao-Ancient-Stories-Timeless/dp/1401958852
"The Tao of Daily Life" by Derek Lin
https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Daily-Life-Mysteries-Happiness/dp/1585425833
Podcasts
- "The Tao Te Ching for Everyday Living"
https://thetaotechingforeverydayliving.buzzsprout.com - "Tao of Our Understanding Recovery Podcast"
https://www.taoofourunderstanding.com - "What is Tao?" by Alan Watts (Audio Lectures)
https://alanwatts.org/audio
Discussion Groups
- Reddit: r/Taoism
https://www.reddit.com/r/Taoism - Tao Bums Forum
https://www.thedaobums.com
Mobile Apps
* ( pix: Designed by Freepik”)
Add comment