I participated in an incredible online chat last week with the Ed Recovery Jax Support Group. Thanks to everyone who joined! The participants asked me to post information that I talked (a.k.a. slowly typed) about that night on this blog. So, what follows are 8 recovery concepts--- things that I found particularly helpful in achieving full freedom from Ed.
1. Get to a place where Ed is NOT an option. On the list of ways you deal with life, remove Ed’s name!
2. Believe in recoverED.
3. FULLY embrace food! If you have my latest book Goodbye Ed, Hello Me, read the chapter called “Jump.”
4. Surround yourself with supportive people and tattletale on Ed.
5. Give yourself time and patience for body image to heal. (Don’t go back to Ed when you start feeling uncomfortable in your body.)
6. Talk about what you don’t want to talk about (in therapy, group, etc.). Ed loves it when you keep secrets, so don’t.
7. Incorporate spirituality into your recovery--- whether that means 12-step meetings, nature, church, music, or something else.
8. Don’t wait around for recovery to be easy. It’s not. Find the hard part and tackle that. You can do it!
If you want to participate in the next online support meeting, which will be on Thursday at 8:30 EST, just sign up beforehand at www.edrecoveryjax.ning.com.
Also, check out the new book written by Carolyn Costin, MA, MEd, MFCC, and Gwen Schubert Grabb called 8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder. It is a must-read on the recovery shelf!
I look forward to hearing from you. Please comment and post helpful recovery tips for others!
Best,
Jenni
My recovery tip: Don't give up. If you fall down, pick yourself back up! You CAN do it!
Posted by: Kristen O | March 06, 2012 at 07:13 AM
I love this one, Kristen! So true. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Jenni Schaefer | March 06, 2012 at 07:29 AM
I write a blog. In it I tell the truth...which sounds simple, but isn't.
http://chrysalisbreak.blogspot.com/
I call it chrysalisbreak because I needed to do something strong to bust out...rather than wait...like a butterfly for perfection. I had to break free.
Posted by: Sarah Kappos | March 06, 2012 at 08:07 AM
Jenni, you're so right about ED loving secrets! During my own recovery, that was the hardest thing for me to do--be honest with myself and others. I started to see my anorexia as a con-man. I had to stop listening to what he had to say. If anyone is interested, there's some great advice on how to start viewing your ED as a con-man at http://onlineceucredit.com/edu/social-work-ceus-eda Hope it might help someone the way it helped me.
Posted by: Joann | March 09, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Thank you for the tips on how to fight Ed. He's sneaky and likes to play mind games. My suggestion on recovery is stay strong and don't give up the fight. There is more to life than an eating disorder.
Posted by: Wiesia "Viv" | September 21, 2012 at 02:40 PM