Eating issues
You’ve tried all the diets. Nothing works, and you strongly suspect that there’s something more going on. You ask yourself whether perhaps there’s something physically wrong – after all, other people can lose weight. “Perhaps I’ll just give up anyway,” you say, and so the negative voice goes on, beating you and pounding you.
Weight is never just about the amount we consume. Eating is a highly emotive subject. As little babies when we are fed we feel nurtured, we cry when we are hungry. There is a direct link between this and how we may feel as adults.
Recovery is a process and unfolds at the pace of the individual. It’s not like a weight loss programme, where you will lose so many pounds if you eat certain foods. If you are only thinking about food, ask yourself what are you avoiding thinking about?
When you notice yourself feeling “fat”, stop and ask yourself what is the real underlying feeling. Write it down. Don’t just dismiss it, because it’s important you honour your feelings. The eating disorder itself is not the issue; rather it is the symptom of a much bigger issue.
It’s important to understand that an eating issue is a coping mechanism which originally had a positive intent which may have been keeping you protected. You need to understand why that coping mechanism was put in place, and with what positive strategies you will replace it. This is where the process of psychotherapy, the “why” of it, is important.
