Eating Disorders- Do's and Don'ts

What are eating disorders? There are three well known eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating. Anorexia comes from the greek words An & Orexia meaning without appetite. It is a disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat. Bulimia is a disorder that is characterized by the need to expel the food you have consumed. Binge eating on the other hand is the need to consume excess food to the extent that you become obese.

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts while recovering from an eating disorder:

DO's

Realize there isn’t a quick solution to it

Recovery takes time. You cannot expect to see results the next day. Be patient and eventually you will get the results that you want.

Write in a Journal

Verbalizing your feelings can often help ease the tension you feel. When you write down what you feel it can help you come to term with the situation. Which is a step closer to recovering.

Do something helpful for someone else

When you do something helpful for someone else and they appretiate your work, it increases your self-esteem. This in turn increases your confidence and gives you a more positive attitude. 

DONT's 

Don’t ignore the problem

Pretending like there is nothing wrong doesn’t help you. Acknowledge the problem and take the necessary steps towards recovery

Don’t avoid feelings

Don’t be afraid to talk about how you feel through your recovery. Vocalizing your feelings can help you and those around you realize how your recovery is going.

Avoid stressors

Stay away from situations and food items which are triggers. This will reduce the stress or tension you might be feeling because of them.