5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Considering Recovering from an Eating Disorder or Disordered Eating
First you might be wondering, what’s the difference between disordered eating and an eating disorder? The answer: not much. An eating disorder usually occurs when disordered eating behaviors increase in severity and how often they happen. These questions can be helpful whether you’re in eating disorder recovery, or are trying to improve your relationship with food and your body in any way.
what are some of the pro’s and con’s of changing?
What will get better if you decide to heal? What might feel worse?
what will your future likely look like if you change your current patterns? what will it look like if you don't?
Think about the trajectory of your life right now. Is this how you want to live forever? Is it sustainable to live this way?
how is what you're currently doing helping you? how could it be hurting you?
If you’re engaging in disordered eating, there’s a reason. Maybe it’s to cope with something. Maybe it’s to fit in. Whatever it is, it’s helping you with something. But however it’s helping you, there are usually other ways to help you with those exact same things that aren’t hurting you like disordered eating behaviors likely are.
how are your current patterns affecting your relationships?
What could your relationships look like if you decided to heal? Are there any risks to your current relationships if you do? Are there any risks to your current relationships if you don’t?
what are your fears or other feelings about giving up your current relationship with food and your body?
Finally, list your fears and other feelings. Get it all out in the open. That way, you can face each one head on, instead of keeping them swirling around in your brain.
The purpose of asking yourself these questions is to get an idea of where your blocks are in recovery. Do you feel ready to recover? Maybe not! Chances are, you’ll never feel ready. What matters is you now have a clearer idea of why recovery might be worth it, and what’s standing in your way.
These questions were adapted from 8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder, by Carolyn Costin and Gwen Schubert Grabb.