Everyone goes through periods of significant stress at some point in life. However, those who are already battling to maintain recovery from an eating disorder must take extra caution, so as not to relapse.
Coping with Traumatic Stress in Anorexia Recovery
Whether you have been in recovery for six months or six years, it is important to recognise that when confronted with traumatic stress, a lapse or relapse is a potential risk. Examples of such times include being a victim of crime, facing redundancy or unemployment, divorce, miscarriage and bereavement. While losing your appetite and thus skipping meals may be perfectly fine for those without a history of anorexia, it can be seriously damaging for those in recovery.
Remember the Menu Plan
Despite the strong temptation to justify ditching your menu plan when life is not making any sense at all, it is absolutely crucial to resist this urge. Even if snacks are replaced with high calorie drinks, such as milkshakes, try not to mess around with main meals.
Talk to Friends - Use Support Network
The second most important aspect of healthy living to hang on to in difficult times is remembering to use your support network. An eating disorder support network may include the following:
- Family
- Friends
- Support or self-help group (e.g. Anorexia Anonymous)
- Therapist
- Online recovery forums
- Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN)
Keep a Journal
Writing in a recovery journal is an incredibly therapeutic and highly practical tool. At times of heightened stress, there will likely be multiple thoughts, emotions and feeling racing through your mind. The very act of writing pain, anger and frustration down allows the mind to take a step back from your situation. Sometimes this can go a long way to getting to the core emotions driving eating disordered thoughts and behaviour.
Self-Help Books
There are many excellent self-help books available on coping with traumatic events. It is well worth heading to your local library and browsing through the mental health section for supportive, therapeutic literature. Online retailers offer a wide range of both new and second-hand books on using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) skills to help work through traumatic stress.
Motivational Quotes
Watching YouTube videos with motivational quotes and inspirational music is one simple way to give your recovery a quick boost. I strongly recommend watching anorexia recovery videos created by HoldingOn. Grab a pen, piece of paper and start recording the quotes that speak to you the most. Write them on post-it notes and stick them on your bathroom mirror, allowing you the chance to gain strength throughout the day.
As highlighted above, there is a strong correlation between times of traumatic stress and relapse into anorexic thoughts and behaviours. If you are struggling with painful or overwhelming issues, now is the time to put some therapeutic tools into action.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
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