Emotions and Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are biopsychosocial. That means these disorders have biological, psychological and social causes. We are learning more about the biological causes which have contributed to more effective treatment plans and I hope as our knowledge of the biology of eating disorders continues to grow we will be more sophisticated in our approach to treating these disorders.

However, I would like to discuss the psychology of eating disorders and what families can do to help their loved ones address some of the psychological contributors to eating disorders. When people with eating disorder who have recovered have been asked what they got out of their eating disorders they cite several things including: identity, care, way of communicating difficulties, and a way of avoiding "negative" emotions. The reasons we feel a need to avoid emotions is what I would like to touch on today,

We as a society have a mindset that emotions are something to avoid. Why? I strongly believe that we were created to be emotional beings. Emotions are something that no one can avoid and exist not as a burden but as a resource. Emotions are what give life its color or richness. Without emotions life would be bland and superficial.

People with eating disorder often feel overwhelmed by emotions and as a result view emotions as potential threats to their well being. Consequently, they do whatever it takes to try and avoid emotions. Eating disorder behaviors are very effective ways of altering emotions and emotional awareness. Thus, the eating disorder becomes more important or more valuable because it becomes a resource to help patients avoid or minimize their emotions. Many patients have commented to me that the one thing they like most about their eating disorders is their ability to alter their emotions through the behavior.

If patients do not feel a need to avoid their emotions, I wonder if that would change the importance of the eating disorder. It certainly would eliminate a benefit most patients assign to the disorders.

As a support person, helping someone with an eating disorder, how do you intervene with respect to the role of emotions in the maintenance of the disorder? Encourage emotional expression and normalize it. Its OK to be emotional and emotions can be a resource and not a threat. We were created as emotional beings so why not accept that and begin to work with the resources we were given.

Comments

[Todd29]

NO-ONE WILL LOSE WEIGHT UNLESS THEY WANT TO! Stop dieting; keep track of everything that you eat each day. Secret information will help you to get the body that you want. Each day keep your body properly hydrated with plain water and definitely limit your sodium intake. Keep mindless grazing to a minimum. Remember; eat to live, don’t live to eat! A daily regimen is needed by everyone and that regimen includes proper nourishment. Diets and diet aids do not help anyone! The only way to successfully lose weight and get the body that you deserve is by using secret information. This information is in the book Lose Weight Using Four Easy Steps which can be ordered through the website www.bbotw.com Everyone who has gotten a copy of these secrets has lost weight and become healthier.

[Advanced Acai]

Wonderful post... Very informational and educational as usual!

[Acai Berry]

I enjoyed reading this post. Thanks for a wonderful job!

[chanel bags]

Beggars cannot be choosers.

[cheap jordans]

Love is ever the beginning of knowledge as fire is of light.

[Juicy Couture Outlet]

Afterwards he searches the castle and in the library finds a pack of the Trumps and also an old servant friend.

[Air Jordan]

Looks more and more like somethin' big is goin down.

[Air Max 2010]

Green Leaf is excellent, imo.

[Air Max 1]

So interesting posts,you wrote the headline you gave,and the meaning was so excited.I am sure people who all like them,and better then,good luck!*-*

[Air Max 90]

Card companies must send statements 21 days before a payment is due. Current law requires a mere 14 days notice. *-*

[air max LTD]

Afterwards he searches the castle and in the library finds a pack of the Trumps and also an old servant friend.*-*

[Natasha Sharma]

This one has truly turned me on! Thank you for sharing the details.small business franchise opportunity

[franchises opportunities]

Unbelievable Read! Looking forward to more bookmarked the site. Was just interested if anybody here could point me to some related subject matter. Thanks in advance.

[Cheap taobao agent]

He is a good friend that speaks well of us behind our backs.
*_*

[Air Jordan Shoes]

* be happy together is good enough. I am not asking for things that I could never get.

[blankets]

very good article. would be great if you would write every day. Immediately this blog to your bookmarks. Thanks for the info

[barefoot shoes]

Just a shame she didn't show her ethics to one of her competitors then aye?
!!!!!!!!!!
Go see for yourself, the url is here:

[louboutin shoes]

This is also the way we inform you that you have a decision waiting. In addition, we update Twitter and Facebook on days when we plan to send out decisions.

[five fingers]

That's me. Thanks, Patricia! That was a fascinating article to research and report. I ended up spending a number of months following Adam's progress in college, both on the bike and in class. I'll post a link to it on my page later tonight...

[oakley sunglasses sale]

So I must apologise for poor grammar, word choice and formatting. I can't see so I cannot know. If you do spot anything that needs correcting

[sinful bikini]

******I LOVE yellow, and I am so excited at all the yellow stuff in stores this year.
...good******

[abercrombie fitch outlet]

It is quite important for all of us Americans to think about our budget and spend as negligence of these things have caused worst times for us in recession.

[ed hardy love]

　From that you would get angry with your friends, we can conclude you sitll care about the friendship between you.
ed hardy bikini
bikinis ed hardy
ed hardy swimwear
ed hardy love kills
ed hardy womens swimwear

[nike air forces one]

budget and spend as negligence of these things have caused worst times for us in recession.

[hermes kelly bags]

It's got the awesome outreach power of MySpace -- you can literally have hundreds of thousands of followers/friends.