"The Magic of Allowing Imperfection: Understanding Relationships and Eating Disorders"
Refuse to Abandon Yourself
-Get enough sleep.
-Reserve some time daily for hobbies or relaxation.
-Spend time every week time with supportive friends and family.
-Pursue your dreams.
-Refuse to see yourself as too broken to heal.
Preventing Eating Disorders in Families
-Catch kids doing things right/notice the positive.
-Be at the crossroads of their lives.
-Encourage their voices.
-Don't judge them or anyone else on appearance
Helping Those Who Are Suffering
-Empathize with her pain without offering advice.
-Work on your own approach to food. A pre-occupation with dieting, weight loss, emotional restricting or overeating will almost certainly be triggers for her.
-Let her know how much you love her, even when she doesn't feel very lovable.
-Refrain from being the food or purge police, even when you see her bingeing/purging or restricting.
-Refrain from making judgements about why she is engaging in her eating disorder.
-Spend time with her, without expectation or rigid goals. Examples of this include: going for walks, going for drives, talking together, going to the park, etc.
-Inquire often about her emotional well-being and be there for her when she's struggling.
-Ask her specifically what she would like you to do.
For Those Who Are Struggling with Eating Disorders
-Don't isolate. Return the phone calls you have not been answering. Contact your old friendship network and try to reconnect with them.
-If your family is trying to support you, allow them in, even if you do not feel worthy of their love.
-Realize that appearance and achievement will never deliver what you crave: acceptance, approval, and love.
-Turn back to the spiritual approach from which you might have become estranged.
-Learn to trust your emotions.
-Honor your voice/learn to assert yourself.
-Refuse to judge yourself so harshly.
-Start the long process of ridding yourself of the voice in your head which constantly criticises you.
-Get help. Speak to someone who specializes in treating eating disorders. You don't have to do it alone.
