Your Thoughts & Focus Determine Your Future Recovery Is Easier When You Focus on the Positive & Take Action

Your Thoughts & Focus Determine Your Future

Recovery Is Easier When You Focus on the Positive & Take Action

Recovery Is Easier When You Focus on the Positive & Take Action

 

By Polly Mertens



http://www.getbusythriving.com/choose-your-focus/

While you may think your eating disorder is helping you cope with life and feel better, it’s merely buffering your true feelings and keeping you from feeling anything.

I can appreciate how dealing with life can be hard and you just want to run away. I want you to know when you avoid feeling negative feelings you’re actually keeping yourself from feeling the positive feelings, too.

Eating disorders sort of “numb” you to life – both the highs and the lows.

When you were a small child you knew and lived as if life was about playing and having fun.

I believe all of life is supposed to be happy and we’re supposed to feel good. I want to share with you some lessons I’ve learned about how positive thinking and feeling and taking action to have what you want in your life makes all the difference.

Your Bulimia Auto Pilot

The road to bulimia recovery is paved each day when we walk along a new path. Each day we create a new reality that didn’t exist before. The road begins by taking one step, then another, then another.

The foundation of your recovery is built upon your commitment and your willingness to change your life forever. While this is where it all starts, the rubber meets the road in your individual moments of decision where you either choose recovery or you choose bulimia. Don’t let yourself become overwhelmed by thinking long term that it’s going to be hard, that you’ll never be able to do it. Ignore all that limiting thinking and just make one small decision each time you’re faced with an urge to binge and purge.

Making decisions each and every moment is how we navigate our lives. Somewhere along your life’s journey you started navigating towards bulimia and it’s now a well-worn path. It’s like when you’re on autopilot and drive yourself to work and arrive without remembering the details of the trip you just took. You’re in auto-bulimia pilot right now. Bulimia is your default. It’s up to you to travel a different road, to take different actions, to make different choices in your life.

Choose a New Reality

I learned a wonderful insight early on in my recovery called the Process of Manifestation. It took awhile for me to “get it”, but once I did the implementation of it is really powerful. The Process of Manifestation goes like this:

[Our] Thoughts → Feelings → Action → Results

Our thoughts lead to our feelings and when we take action (or don’t take action) we have results in our life. Allow me to break this down further for you so you can understand how this applies to your eating disorder and addictive habits:

Thoughts – what we think about a situation, a person, or ourselves begins as a thought in our mind. Our thoughts are also our perceptions. Habituated thoughts become our beliefs. The energy (positive or negative) of our perceptions about things starts with our thoughts. When something happens in our life we have thoughts based in our beliefs and life experience and give each situation meaning.

Feelings – feelings create sensations in our physical body and these sensations are created by our response to the thoughts we think. Thoughts of love or happiness may make us feel warm and sort of energized inside our core. Thoughts of anger or frustration may give us a sensation of shutting down, getting “fired up” or impatience and anxiousness that leads to sweating or increased heart rate. We interpret our feelings through our intuitive kno wing (sometimes referred to as our inner guidance system). We know when we feel good and we know when we feel badly. Feelings exist inside our bodies, not in the physical, outer world.

Actions – when we move from the non-physical world inside our bodies and into the physical realm of our outer environment, it is due to actions we take. This is the barrier between the seen/unseen, internal/external, and invisible/visible world. You might say this is where we play a part in the manifesting of creation. Taking actions includes things like talking, walking, speaking, and otherwise exerting our bodies. The opposite of taking action is not taking action. By not doing something we also create results in our life.

Results – these are the outcomes, or experiences, we have because of the actions we have or have not taken. The way our life shows up for us is a direct correlation to the thoughts we had, feelings we felt about those thoughts, actions we took or did not take. I look at changing the course, or results, of my life like turning an ocean liner. The ocean liner does not change course quickly and yet over time the end destination – and the journey along the way – was affected by the small adjustments (choices/actions) we made.

Here’s something to help you remember the process of manifestation :

That which you think about – and take action towards – comes about.

If you want to live a recovered life, it’s up to you to begin to monitor and modify your thoughts and actions. You’re responsible for the course of your life and it means you go back to thinking like a non-bulimic.

Start With Today

I challenge you to start making new choices to overcome bulimia today. Depending upon your level of willingness and commitment to recovery these choices may seem easier and sometimes harder. Like I’ve said before: recovery begins when you decide to be a non-bulimic. I hope you’ve already decided to transform your life. If so, good for you. If not, why not start today?

Thoughts Become Things

I want to complete this with a final word about how our thoughts become things by telling you a story of my friend Mira. I met my friend Mira while working shortly after college. We became close friends quickly and spent a good amount of time together. After a year or so of working together I moved on to a new job and eventually out of the area.

I knew Mira while I was in the midst of my bulimia phase, but she never was aware of my eating disorder. After about 9 years of sending emails I decided to visit her . My friend Mira had divorced her husband and had to give up custody of her daughter because she did not earn enough money to fight the battle for primary custody of her daughter.

When I arrived at her home it was hard to walk in the front door because of how much stuff she had piled around her home. Her home was wall-to-wall filled with stuff and just a pathway from room to room. This was the first time I had stayed in her home and I was surprised by how much clutter and useless stuff she had because I knew her job as a bookkeeper did not allow her much extra money.

On the second day of visited with her we were talking and I asked about all of the things everywhere and she said “Oh, I know. I’m so bad. I can’t stop shopping.” She said with a laugh and shy look in her eye. She said, “I’m so bad” about 15-20 times over the course of the two days I visited with her.

I started to notice how quickly and often she said “I’m so bad” that I realized it was an unconscious affirmation she said to herself. I mentioned it to her gently asking if she was aware that she was saying it and it took her by complete surprise. She was not upset that I pointed it out, but surprised that she wasn’t even aware she was doing it.

She finally became aware of what she was saying and realized how saying this about herself, to herself over and over each day was filling her with negative feelings and low self-esteem. She could hardly believe what she was saying and we spent several hours looking at where the phrase came from, why she might be saying it to herself, and adjusting the behavior (I would let her know whenever she said it so she could begin to stop the habit).

After a few days she was more and more aware of how negative the affirmation was having an affect on her so she committed that weekend to stop saying it. This is exactly the type of pattern we develop when we think something, feel something and then develop a pattern or habit to reinforce the negative.

Look to your own thoughts and to what you say to yourself regularly. If you have a habit of saying things like “I’m so fat” or “I’m such a loser” or “When I’m thin then I’ll be happy” you may be slowly reinforcing unhappiness and negative energy towards yourself.

First, begin to notice your behavior. Then, replace it with something else and start to condition yourself with more empowering thoughts. All it takes is time and a desire to change for you to turn around these patterns.

What to Focus On

Here are a few ideas of great things to start focusing on:

• Find a support system –  online forums, friends, family
• Think about therapy or Eating Disorder treatment Centre
• Learn about your triggers and how to avoid them
• Develop a structured meal plan

• Do what makes you feel good and be easy on yourself.

Your recovery is in your hands. Little actions taken each day will eventually turn your ocean liner.

Are you ready to change the course of your life and create different results in your life?

Now you know some small steps you can take. Now take at least one step this week to start changing the course of your journey.

…and remember the Process of Manifestation:

Thoughts → Feelings → Actions → Results

Eating disorder … more than an obsession- Real Life Story from Kuwait

Eating disorder … more than an obsession

 

Thank you so much Amna from Doha for sending this story to me and I am deeply honored to have this post on my blog. Bless you.

Social stigmas put aside

IN A COUNTRY where obesity is an epidemic, it might come as a shocker that there are people suffering from a crippling inability to eat food. They starve to the point where their system begins to shut off slowly. They see death gaining on them, yet it’s not scarier than their single biggest fear in life: food.
Riham Al Reshaid suffered from acute anorexia nervosa for many years, starting from the age of 10. Not eating was her way of ascertaining control over her body, which gradually turned into a terrible obsession. An ordeal she lived with for many years, until finally she decided to go to the United States for treatment.

Today, she is healthy, and is in the process of mastering a survival skill most of us tend to take for granted. The skill of eating normally.  Riham tells the story of her eating disorder in this interview, putting social stigmas aside, because she knows there are a lot of people like her out there who need help, and the first step is to kick start an open discussion. The society must know that eating disorder is a psychological problem and not frown upon people suffering from it as if they were wannabe supermodels who got their diet plans terribly wrong.

Question: What is eating disorder?

Answer: Eating disorders are complicated disorders and of all the psychological disorders they cause the greatest number of deaths. Eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. All three of them share many of the same underlying issues including low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and for some people, trauma.
While treating these disorders, it’s important to tackle the underlying issues that the sufferer is facing. Perfectionism, the pressure to succeed, the fear of failure and need for control are only some of the common traits found in people struggling with eating disorders. Controlling food intake becomes one’s secretive, rigid and scheduled life with one goal, to lose weight.

The behaviors become an obsession to the point where the disorder begins to take control. Eventually the fear of food, the fear of gaining weight or the fear of losing control becomes so extreme that the person feels like it’s too difficult to function in everyday life. It is an addiction; however it’s different from other addictions in that the sufferer cannot cut out the source of their addiction, food.

Food is a basic necessity in life, and when that becomes your greatest fear, it’s very difficult to do the things one needs to do to recover.
I was always a perfectionist. I was a high achieving child who insisted on having things done in a certain way. I feel that had a big role in the development of my eating disorder at the age of 10. I felt that I needed to gain control over certain aspects of my life, and myself.

Q: What’s the difference between anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa?

A: Anorexia nervosa is characterized by the fear of food and restricting the intake of food. Whereas bulimia nervosa is characterized by binging on large amounts of food and then purging, or vomiting, to get rid of it. The body gets so used to it that it becomes very anxiety provoking to sit with the feeling of having food in the stomach. In some cases people will binge and purge up to 15 times a day or more. Of course, this is very violent on the body and causes damage to one’s body and organ functioning.

By the end of my teenage years, I had become completely consumed by my eating disorder. My weight dropped to the point where I could barely function. I stopped enjoying life. I isolated myself so that nobody could make me eat, or try to make me get treatment. It’s a very horrible way to live.
This disorder is still very misunderstood, especially in this region. People see it as, “this girl is trying to lose weight.” But it doesn’t work that way. My problem began when I was a child and I was not doing it to lose weight.
The weight loss is just a symptom of the disorder. For someone who is a perfectionist and high achieving, when you know that you are losing weight that becomes a goal for you. Achieving that goal becomes your number one priority, even if it leads to death.

Q: I am just wondering what triggers this in a child. How can a child decide to do something that goes so fundamentally against the natural urge to survive?

A: I cannot speak for every eating disorder case, but for me as a child it felt good to be in control of myself, to win over my natural urge to eat. It was something I could put all my focus and energy into.

Q: But I heard that it’s usually the wannabe models who wind up on becoming anorexic.

A: I believe that the media plays a big role in the development of eating disorders because of stereotypes it creates. Women are constantly being told that they have to look a certain way. The pressure is huge for one to be thin and beautiful, and not fitting that description, automatically makes one inadequate. This really damages one’s self-esteem and confidence. There are girls as young as 7 or 8 dieting to look like celebrities and models, and I find this very sad and disappointing.
We, as a society, need to do something about this. We need to talk about these disorders, tackle the stigma around seeking psychological help, and raise awareness. Nobody should have to suffer from this disease in silence. We have amazing therapists, psychiatrists, and nutritionists in Kuwait that specialize in the treatment of these disorders.

We need to make it clear that this is a deadly disease. If your family member had cancer, for example, you would automatically go and get them the treatment they need. This is just as deadly. Raising awareness in our society can absolutely decrease the amount of shame and secrecy that many suffer from, and encourage people to seek help and support.
I personally received treatment in a residential treatment facility for women in Chicago called Timberline Knolls. I was there for 3 months until I was able to conquer some of my fears and disordered eating. I needed a higher level of care due to the damage I was doing to my body. Slowly, I was killing myself and I knew that I needed to do something as soon as possible. I wanted a happy life, I just didn’t know how to get there.

Q: When exactly did you realize that you needed help?

A: I realized that I needed help when I couldn’t enjoy anything anymore. I couldn’t be fully present in the moment with my friends or family, or even at work. My obsession had become more important than anything else and I was self-destructing.

Q: Did it show very badly on your body? Were you extremely thin and so on?

A: At a certain point, I was extremely thin. This is not the case for everybody suffering from an eating disorder. Some women are of a normal body weight, and that was the case for me by the time I decided to receive treatment at Timberline Knolls. Even though I had reached a normal body weight for a woman of my height, I was struggling more than I ever had before.

Q: You wouldn’t have been very attractive to look at, isn’t it?

A: Even though I knew that at a low weight I was not considered attractive by society, the goal that I had to lose more and more weight was stronger than my need to be looked at as attractive. That’s the eating disorder. Everything else takes a backseat.

Q: So losing weight becomes an end in itself. You are not losing weight to achieve something.
A: Yes, it’s an obsession. Many people were telling me that I looked sick. I could barely walk a small distance without feeling that I was going to faint. It was just very lonely and scary.

Q: What’s binge eating disorder?

A: Binge eating disorder includes periods of excessive overeating. However, a person with a binge eating disorder does not subsequently induce purging, as is the case with bulimia. We often talk about obesity, but there are a lot of people in Kuwait who probably suffer from binge eating disorder and this also needs to be addressed.
There is this misconception that people with eating disorders are always extremely thin. This is absolutely not always the case. Most eating disorders have the same underlying issues, and body weight is not the first thing to be looked at.
For people with binge eating disorder, eating becomes the only thing to turn to when facing a problem. Eating becomes the way of dealing with difficult issues, or not dealing with issues. The sufferer also experiences a loss of control during these binging periods. This often leads to increased anxiety and depression and the feeling of hopelessness.

Q: Before you tell me about how you plan to bring about awareness on this neglected subject, how is a person to know that they are suffering from such a disorder?

A: If one feels like food rules their life, they may have an eating disorder. It’s always best to get a professional diagnosis in order to receive the proper treatment. Recovery from an eating disorder is possible with the right amount of support.

Q: Did you know all along that you had an eating disorder?

A: At a very young age, I did not. Eventually I realized that my obsession with losing weight had become so intense and extreme that I knew I had a problem. I could not stop what I was doing to myself.
For people who think they have an eating disorder but are not sure, it’s always good to visit a therapist or a psychiatrist, because they can diagnose you correctly. They will be able to tell by speaking to you and asking certain questions.
There are lots of studies about eating disorders. There is also a large amount of literature on the Internet on eating disorders, how to help somebody with an eating disorder etc.
The biggest step one can take is going to a therapist, or asking someone for help. The thought of letting go of this disorder in itself is very unnerving. You don’t know what you’ll do without it. You don’t know how you are going to cope with any of your problems if you don’t have that eating disorder to lean on. The thought of recovery becomes very overwhelming.

Q: So it’s like you know you have a problem but you don’t want to be normal.

A: Not that you don’t want to be normal, but it’s just that you don’t know how to function without it. You feel like you are going to lose control of your life. An eating disorder gives you this false, yet strong, sense of control over yourself. While stuck in the grips of my eating disorder, I was the one who decided how much I eat, when to eat, and how to eat. Its only when I surrendered and became open to receiving help did I start to learn new, healthier ways to gain control over my life.

Q: Are there specialized therapists for eating disorders? Who did you go to for help?

A: There are therapists in Kuwait with backgrounds in eating disorders. You can check out lots of places. There is The Soor Center and Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute. These are great places to go, and people there are understanding and very welcoming.

My hope is that in the future Kuwait or the Middle East will have a residential treatment facility for eating disorders. In most cases, a trip to a therapist for a couple of counseling sessions is not enough. These disorders are so intense and often have such a strong hold on the patients that they need to constantly be monitored to make sure they don’t act out on behaviors and harm themselves. They have to be given extra support and gently taught how to deal with the problem using new coping skills.

Q: Tell me about your treatment experience in Chicago?

A: I have had the greatest experience in residential treatment. It was a very warm, supportive environment that allowed me to work on my issues. I feel very grateful to have had that opportunity.

Q: How long was your treatment?

A: My treatment lasted for 3 months.

Q: Are you just back from your treatment?

A: I came back home to Kuwait only a month ago.

Q: Do you feel perfectly normal now?

A: I am not going to lie; I still have struggles. The difference now is that I know how to cope with them in a healthy, positive, and non-destructive manner. I continue to receive outpatient treatment in order to prevent myself from relapsing, and remain focused on my recovery.

Q: Now, you look like a normal person to me. Was it in these three months of treatment that you gained back your normal weight?

A: I restored weight throughout years of treatment, not necessarily just recently. I’ve gotten my health back, which is the most important thing to me, and I can actually function and enjoy my life. It’s such a great feeling knowing that I now am able to do many of the things that my disorder had taken from me. I now know how to deal with my problems. I now have healthy coping skills to deal with them, and don’t resort to my eating disorder for solutions to my problems.

Q: Did your treatment involve more of counseling or medication, or what was it?
A: It involved a lot of counseling, group therapy, expressive therapy, and 24/7 support from staff as well as my treatment team. I had the support of so many people, especially at times where I did not feel like I had the strength to keep fighting.

Q: That’s where a lot of you guys come together and share your experiences and so on, right?

A: I lived in a lodge with 34 other women with similar problems to mine. That’s when I realized that I was not alone in any of this and I’ve learnt so much there about others, as well as myself. I’ve learned to appreciate the things that make me unique. I’ve discovered my strengths, weaknesses, and passions. When one becomes so consumed by an addiction, these simple things are easily forgotten. The eating disorder becomes a big part of their identity.

Q: But what was that tipping point, because an obsession as intense as this one you just described, for it to go away in 3 months… tell me what was that unique insight you gained during your counseling sessions that you had missed in all these years of suffering.

A: Striving for perfection, the need for things to be very rigid and precise, putting a lot of expectations on myself… these were some of the things that I had to face, and the counseling sessions made me realize that I was not coping with things. I also realized that I needed to learn new ways of coping. I learnt that it’s very important to have positive, supportive people around me. My family has been a strong support for me. My eating disorder did not “go away”, but I choose not to engage in those behaviors any more. Everyday, I choose happiness.
It’s so very important to realize that someone with an eating disorder cannot get better alone. They will need a treatment team: a therapist, psychiatrist and a dietician. They will need the support of their family and friends. I’ve also come to realize the importance of support from others facing the same types of issues.

Q: This urge to be perfect, did it also manifest in other areas of life such as studies? Did you always want to be the best in your class?

A: I was always striving to be the best. I was always putting too much pressure on myself. Not everybody is the same, but this is a very common trait among people with an eating disorder. They are very high achievers, also very intelligent.

Q: Then what else happened in Chicago?

A: At Timberline Knolls, I learned to cope with the everyday things that I had a hard time dealing with previously. I learned new coping skills, how to live a meaningful life, how to ask for support when I need to, and also to accept myself just as I am regardless of my body shape. I’m at the point now where I can actually say I love the way I am. I am proud of my strengths, the knowledge I have, and what makes me Riham.

Q: How low did your food intake drop when your disorder was at its peak?

A: It depended throughout the years. I restricted calories. I would tell myself I couldn’t eat more than 500 calories a day. If I ate more than that, I wouldn’t eat anything for the next 4 or 5 days. At the center I learnt to eat normally, to not let food control my emotions or me. My dietician there had devised a meal plan specifically for me that I was to follow. I still follow the same meal plan, because I have lost that ability to understand how a normal person eats. It’s a little bit of a foreign concept to me. I have never really eaten normally, so I am relearning all of those basic things.
So, I will need this meal plan until I can naturally understand and listen to my body’s needs. These are basic things, and many people take that for granted.

Q: Do you have any statics on the magnitude of the problem in Kuwait?

A: I do not know of any studies or precise statistics. That’s exactly why I want there to be more discussions on this topic in the Middle East. We need to know exactly how serious this issue is in order to tackle it.

Q: When you see people extremely fat or extremely thin, can you take that as an indication of eating disorder?

A: No, and this is exactly why we need to shed more light on the topic. Some people are genetically predisposed to having an eating disorder. There are so many different factors. You can’t just look at a person’s physical build and make judgments. Some people are naturally very thin. You can’t tell. The way someone looks is just the symptom. It’s a psychological disease. A person suffering from an eating disorder may not be very thin. The obsession, the emotional state, the fear… that is the disorder.

Q: Do you have an organization to spread awareness on the issue?

A: I have started a group on Facebook called Kuwait Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention. You can visit www.facebook.com/groups/kuwaitedap to join. I truly feel like starting such a group has been a great step in raising awareness, as many people have told me that they are relieved that the topic is finally being talked about.

Q: Do all the members in this group have an eating disorder?

A: No they do not. Many members have replied saying that they are happy that someone has taken the initiative to talk about, and reduce the stigma associated with these disorders and would like to help raise awareness in Kuwait. Some people wanted to know how they can help people they know who might be struggling with an eating disorder. The members are very diverse.

Q: Are most of them women?
A: Most of those joining the group are women at this point, but that doesn’t mean that young men don’t suffer from this problem.

Q: Isn’t it likely to be higher among women, because these stereotypes of perfect bodies, zero figures and so on are more for women than men? Probably, binge eating is found more among men?

A: Eating disorders in general are more common among women. From what I have seen, I think that is the case in Kuwait as well. A lot of young women feel the pressure to be thin, to diet and so on. There are some people that diet and lose weight, but don’t have an eating disorder. This is why I keep repeating, eating disorders are psychological disorders.

Q: Is the disorder a gradually progressing one, as in it starts off as a need to shed a few pounds, and then an inclination to continue losing weight until it becomes an obsession?

A: It could progress like that. But it depends on the person. For a lot of women, low self esteem, striving for perfection, those things fuel an eating disorder. This is not the case for everyone.

Q: When we talk of deaths due to eating disorders are we looking at starvation deaths or are we looking at suicides because at the core it’s a psychological disorder?

A: In some cases, there is a lack of nutrition to a point where the body starts to shut down. The heart and other vital organs need that supply of nutrition to function; when that gets cut off your body begins to shut down little by little.
In the case of bulimia nervosa, constant vomiting can causes electrolytes in your body to be imbalanced.
Sadly, suicide has also been a way out for some sufferers as that way of living can become overwhelming and too emotionally painful to deal with.

Q: You touched on the role of media in creating stereotypes of a beautiful woman, which creates pressure on young women to look a certain way. How serious is this problem in Kuwait?

A: I believe that it’s a big problem in Kuwait. Women are constantly comparing themselves to others. The current generation has a very strong pressure to look as thin as possible. They are always being told that the thinner you are, the better. We are constantly being exposed to images of supermodels and celebrities that are incredibly thin. What people don’t realize is that supermodels are a very small percentage of the world’s population. There are limits to each person’s body. Not everyone can reach that size. At such a young age, girls are given the message that they need to be thin, that their hair needs to be perfect, that their face needs to be perfect and so on.
What I would like to see is for more people to realize and understand that everyone is unique in their own way and that it’s the character of a person that makes them truly beautiful. These are the values we should encourage in our society. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

Riham Al Reshaid was an anorexic whose eating disorder began from the early age of 10. She has a Major in Psychology from Kuwait University, and has recently returned from Chicago, USA, after successfully being treated for anorexia nervosa. She is seeking to spread awareness on eating disorder in Kuwait and has started a FaceBook group called Kuwait Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention. You can visit www.facebook.com/groups/kuwaitedap to join the group.

 

Source: http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/188708/reftab/96/Default.aspx

 

Eating Disorder Treatment Kuwait

Soor Centre



Soor Center is the largest private psychological practice in Kuwait, and probably in the Middle East. We provide professional therapy & assessments to Kuwaitis and expats alike, and our therapists work with all manner of clients from very small children to the very old.

http://www.soorcenter.com/

 



 

Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute

The Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute is a multi-disciplinary health center dedicated to:

• Providing both physiotherapeutic and psychological rehabilitative care and patient education to our clients


• Training healthcare professionals in rehabilitative care


• Becoming a hub for clinical and health services, research, training and activism in Kuwait


• Educating the greater community on physical fitness and health
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  http://fsrikuwait.org/home.html
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Street Address:
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  Amaia Residence, Bldg 9, Floor 2
  
  Baghdad Street, Salmiya, Kuwait
  
   
  
  Postal Address:
  
  P.O. Box: 24472, Safat 13015 Kuwait
  
  +965 2572 0338 / 2572 1757
  
  +965 2572 1677
  
  

  
  

  
  

 

6 Tips to Restore Hunger and Sensations of Fullness in Eating Disorder Sufferers

6 Tips to Restore Hunger and Sensations of Fullness in Eating Disorder Sufferers using Intuitive Eating by Dr Irina Webster

 

 

A good idea on how to eat for EDs 

 



Intuitive eating is a nutrition philosophy which teaches people to become more attune to the body's natural hunger and fullness signals in order to attain a healthy weight and to become a generally healthier person. It is a process that is intended to create a healthy relationship with food, mind, and body. Intuitive eating can also be called wise eating, conscious eating, non-diet approach and normal eating.

People with bulimia and binge eating lose the ability to recognize the body's natural signals of hunger and fullness so their eating becomes erratic. The feelings of hunger disappear during the day so they don't eat but when they decide to binge the feelings return but only in reaction to the binge. When they go on a binge they can't stop until they are so full they feel be sick, this is because they have no sensations of fullness. It becomes none or all for them there is no in between.   

To restore feelings hunger and fullness you can start eating with awareness. Eating with awareness means when you eat, you should only eat, this means focusing on the food and nothing else, making sure there are no other distractions.

Here are six useful tips to start eating with awareness:

1- Sit down at the table when you eat. Sitting down will help you focus and allow you to relax more, when you sit down try and find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed.

  2- Avoid distractions while you are eating. By distraction I mean TV, reading books, doing work, looking at the computer screen while you eat. You should focus on your body's signals and sensations while you eat. Focus on chewing the food, the taste of the food , the swallowing process etc.

3- Always use a plate and cutlery. By using a plate and cutlery you are making an official statement "I am having food now", instead of just shaveling some snacks into your mouth from the cupboard. Using a fork and knife makes the process more cultural and makes you eat bit by bit without shaveling the food in.

 

4- Using a plate also helps:

- to make yourself aware that you are about to eat

- to make eating formal

- to make it easier for you to see where and what you are eating.

- Mid-meal check in. This means that half-way through the meal you should pause and became aware of what you are doing. Ask yourself questions:

 -  How does the food taste, does it still taste as good as it did at the beginning?

 - Are you still hungry, half full or completely full? What are the body's signals sayings?

- Put your right hand on the middle of your stomach and ask:" Is my stomach filling up?"

5-  Make every meal special. Lighting candles and putting on some soothing background music will help you to feel more relax and intuitive. It's amazing how delicious the meal can taste when you take the time to indulge your senses.

6- Meditate before and after a meal. It does not take long - it can be 5-6 minutes before the meal and 5-6 minutes after the meal, this can make all the difference to stopping the binge. Focus not just on stopping the binge but creating a nice special atmosphere where you feel good and your senses are satisfied.  

 To conclude, becoming more intuitive to your body's signals and sensations of hunger and fullness can help you to stop binging on food and make your eating more enjoyable. Intuitive eating could be one of the ways to foster a recovery from an eating disorder.

 

6 Things I Wish I Had Known About Diets Before I Went on a Diet

Amazing latest Bulimia Help blog post from Coach Jen.

In today’s society, it seems like everywhere you look there’s another fad diet. Some seem downright ridiculous, while others seem like they may be more legit. At some point, most of us have been on a diet before.

In fact, some 45 million Americans go on a diet each year, spending a staggering $33 billion on weight loss products. 2 out of 5 Americans right now are currently dieting, and diet pills are being taken around the world. In Brazil, Russia and Mexico, diet pill sales have increased with 20-30% of people reportedly taking them.

In China, 37% of people report having taken weight loss pills. These can be extremely dangerous and even deadly, especially because the manufacturers are not regulated.

So next time you think about trying a new weigh loss fad, buying diet pills or restricting your food intake, take a look at these 6 things I wish I had known about dieting before I ever went on a diet:

1. Diets cause weight gain.

Numerous peer-reviewed publications have shown that food restriction not only causes increased amounts of stress hormones, but is actually directly related to weight gain! Sure, the participants in these studies may have lost pounds initially, but in the long-run they consistently gained up to 20% more than they had lost.

2. Diets lead to more diets.

Sure, we’ve all heard the infomercial, “The last diet you’ll ever need.” But this is just not true. More studies have shown that people who are currently dieting are 75% more likely to diet again in the next 12 months. This of course, is evidence that diets just don’t work.

3. The more you diet, the more you gain.

Wait, isn’t this the same as #1? No, the more frequently dieters restricted their caloric intake, the more weight was gained in the long run, according to the American Psychological Association. There is a direct correlation between dieting frequency and weight gain percentage.

4. Diets reduce self-esteem.

A new study by UC Davis separated two groups of obese participants of a health awareness study into a dieting and nondieting group. The nondieting group was given information about mindful eating and nutrition, while the dieting group was given weight loss propaganda. The dieting group reported lower self-esteem and worse attitudes than the non-dieting group.

They were served the same meals with the same exercise schedule, but those who were told they were dieting were 92% less likely to finish the program. The nondieters who finished the program experienced reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while the dieting group experienced no change, and some experienced worsened health reports.

5. Diets alter your mental status.

In the study, The Ancel Keys Semi Starvation Study revealed the extreme effects of caloric reduction in 36 men. Their daily caloric amount was 1,600, which is well above many weight-loss plans.

By the end of the study, the men’s resting metabolic rates declined by 40%, their heart volume shrank about 20%, their pulses slowed and their body temperatures dropped. 1 in 5 reported unstable mental conditions, one man was rummaging through garbage and hoarding food. In addition, coffee, tea and gum chewing had increased so dramatically they had to be regulated. These men were all healthy individuals before restricting their food intake, and after the study reported extreme psychological and physical adverse effects. 

6. Diets lead to eating disorders.

In a peer-reviewed study by four physicians, 74% of patients with bulimia attributed the development of their eating disorder to the inability to maintain a low-carbohydrate diet, leading to carbohydrate craving and subsequent cycles of binging and purging. The fact is diets lead to eating disorders.

Restrained eating and dieting practices, independent of body weight, was found to be a better predictor of future eating problems than obesity. These findings are similar to another study in which male military volunteers were placed on a very-low-calorie diet. All of them had symptoms of eating disorders, including preoccupation with food, food hoarding, and emotional instability.

My experience with dieting:

I was once a dieter who restricted food, exercised obsessively and eventually suffered from bulimia nervosa. It took me 3 years of dieting to get there, then 6 years of bulimia to seek help. After nearly 10 years of disordered eating, I had lost my fullness and hunger signals. I obsessed with every bite, and constantly compared myself to others. I began structured eating as part of the Bulimia Help Method, and within 6 months, my recovery was underway. After about a year I considered myself fully recovered, but it was a long and difficult journey.

With the high prevalence of dieting especially in women, who are 4 times more likely to be on a diet, and with 25% of college age women reportedly binging and purging as a means to maintain weight, I wish I had known this before beginning my first diet.

Something that starts as an innocent fitness challenge or trying to lose weight before an event can end with severe, life-changing consequences.

What begins as a diet can result in long-term health problems such as dental decay, electrolyte imbalance, malnutrition, hair loss, heart problems and decreased gland function. In addition, dieters can suffer depression, anxiety, moments of extreme happiness spiraling down to extreme sadness, and an overall obsession with weight and calorie restriction.

There is hope for recovery!

The good news is that dieters who returned to normal eating also returned to normal health with minimal long-term consequences.

Studies in both animals and humans show that once food restriction has ended, normal eating resumes and adverse health effects tend to disappear or become minimal.

This is hope for any current dieters or those who restrict food: once restriction is removed, so are the adverse consequences. It takes time to resume normal eating habits, but once they are restored, the physical and psychological effects of restriction and dieting subside.

 



 

I agree with above article and how I often wish that I had never embarked on a journey of weight loss when I was merely 16. The predicament of human mind can be summed up in one single word, genius; we have ambivalently challenged nature over the years. We have mastered the art of flying and battling the waves of oceans but, we cannot control or master the full knowledge of our bodies. Our body is genius and could be fooled for few days or perhaps month on fad diets, but then it catches up with us and then starts our body’s own way of paying us back for playing with her. The retribution is horrifying. We have invented vitamins, but our body will only accept them for a length of time and then it will stop responding to it. We can buy most expensive cashmere, and treat it with care and love and it may last us a lifetime. But our body will not accept one thing for a long time. We cannot trick our body into accepting Protein diet for 20years. We cannot convince our bodies to live off vitamins for years. We cannot convince our body to live off high fibre diets for 10 years.  Each and every wrong action catches up with us.  Simple solution you cannot cheat your body. No vitamin can act as a substitute for food. The consequences for upsetting our body’s natural balance are horrifying and with time price is greater to pay. With eating disorder, price is far greater. Our body is stubborn and retaliates when we starve, restrict, binge, purge, overeat or over exercise. Our body hates all Eating Disorders with sheer vengeance. Every Eating disorder category has its consequences. Therefore know your enemies, and love your body. You nourish and nurture your body and I promise you that you can fight the world. Your body will act as your guide, your friend, your saviour. But if you treat it with disrespect, you’ll be depressed, anxious, lacking the mental ability to even lift a fork. 

Eating disorders are a real threat that affects more of us than we realize. If you believe you show signs of an eating disorder, please realize that you health – and your life – are on the line and seek help.

As Laurie Daily- Murphy said healing from an eating disorder is an opportunity get in touch with your body’s deeper needs and experience the love, healing and inner peace that has been missing in your life.



 

Islam Channel and Eating Disorders

Thank you Islam Channel

  Hassaanah ‏@hassaanah_a 16 Sep

Eating Disorders, why is it on the rise and what does Islam say about it? Join us as we discuss on #womensAM only on @islamchannel

The title is ominous, I know.  But for so many of us that suffer from eating disorders, it’s an all too true reality. However, if you think you can brush this endemic aside, then think again, the subtleties of it grow as time passes and one is confronted with the reality of it, be it large or small, at some point in their lives.  I respect and envy those who pull out of this dark world of disordered eating.

For some, that awareness grows to a more glaring, in your face, epiphany that friends, family and relatives that were always there before suddenly wish no part in your life. Those closest to us are often the ones to fall into one of two categories.  Faithfully standing by no matter what or those that turn a blind-eye and deaf-ear to the dark reality of eating disorders. With an eating disorder, an individual not just becomes incoherent stranger to everyone around them but also to themselves. I know people with eating disorders who have embarked on a journey of grandiosity, paranoia, delusions, and nearly fatal suicide attempts.

So I thank Islam Channel for highlighting the reality of Eating Disorders in our society. The figures of ED sufferers are shocking and more shocking is the fact how so much of the shame is relegated to this ailment.

Islam Channel invited me to their Old Street London Studios to talk about Eating Disorders on 16th September 2013.

Thank you Islam Channel for such a fantastic opportunity. But Let me extend my gratitude to the team behind Womens am and the anchor of the show Hassaanah, Panelists, Ayane and Zaynab and script writer Soraya Khan.

Hassaannah was the brains behind this critical and controversial and challenging topic of Eating Disorders. Hasannah is so courageous and so beautiful.

Please follow this unique and timeless talent on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/hassaanah_a

The aim of the program was to help change the way our society perceives Eating Disorders.

My Decision to go On Islam Channel

I went on Islam Channel because I wanted to use my voice in a media setting to create awareness to end the stigma and discrimination of eating disorders.  There is so much stigma attached to eating disorders and feelings of helpless and needy. You're constantly judged for having outbursts of crying, or openly expressing anguish, grief, loss, anger or bewilderment. I dealt with Eating Disorder, still deal with it on timely basis and my family has also dealt with my Eating Disorder. My disorder was insidious, gradual and inexorable. Being at the studio, my past which was locked and stocked away became more of a reality. All those past years flashed through my mind. It left me chilled to bone.  The problem I had was that I could not speak to anyone about my vanishing self, no one had anything to say on the subject.

It took me three years of treatment, education, and faith in Allah to reach stability and face my illness head on. As of this writing, I am on recovery and committed to fighting stigma and discrimination that is attached to eating disorders. I hope to offer a tiny hope to those who live in the shadows of eating disorder by helping erase the faceless anonymity of this mental illness. All my writings have the same purpose speak of the struggles but also of the hope and recovery and of seeking appropriate treatment.

Bring Change to Mind- Eating Disorders are a mental illness. Please don’t brush it inside. Like  Hasaanaah said, "Eating Disorders don’t discriminate and affect everyone."

Change happens one person at a time. If you are living with an eating disorder, know someone who is, Please don’t discriminate and help end stigma by offering support and love.

On the morning of 17th September, I received an E- mail. Simple short message from a Father whose daughter had an ED.

“This was ten years ago. Forced out of her education, we wanted her to eat her food . I grabbed her by her hair strapped her to a chair and my son forced 3 bottles of complan down her throat into her stomach.  For whole month we force fed her.  In anger I remember pulling and pulling at that hair. The more she refused to eat, the more I pulled at that long long hair.

She hid under the bed, in her closet, she cut her hair short. يغفر لي الله"

 

(To seal the anonymity, I’m not revealing the name)

I don’t know why but this just makes me so so sad. Call me weak and overly emotional, but I cannot escape the feelings of sadness that engulfed my morning.

The fear of stigma and discrimination can have a devastating effect on those living with eating disorders. Don’t forget Eating Disorders are a complex psychological problems that can have devastating effects on sufferers and their families.

My last message on Islam Channel, (which I stammered through) was to all the parents out there, ‘seek help’ and love your child. Love is a weapon that will heal those who suffer from this inexorable disease. Connect with your loved one, talk to them and try to get an access to their inner thoughts. Don’t forget Eating Disorders are  a disorder of thinking and thought process. Love them and change those negative thoughts to positive thoughts.


The realities of life are handled better if we understand the possibilities to deal with such problems.  We’re blessed to live in a time of the information super highway, we have a vast array of research at our fingertips.  We can be pro-active in our medical care simply by spending time doing a bit of our own educating on eating disorders. Some of the most wonderful people are those who at times say nothing at all but have golden ears to listen with. This is so important.Having a disorder doesn’t mean you should be treated with a lack of dignity. It is something we must be more aware of when ­dealing with people with eating disorders.

Say no to Occupation- ED visits Israel

Say NO to Occupation

Have you ever lived under occupation where everything is controlled by certain forces? What you do, when you do and how you do it all is a subject to scrutiny and mistrust? Do you know how it feels to live under occupation? Of course, you will never know what a word occupation means if you have never experienced it in reality.

Dear Readers, if you have an Eating Disorder, then you are living under the occupation of your ED forces. Whether it’s Bulimia, Anorexia, Binge Eating Disorder, your life is under the invasion and occupation of evil ED forces.

I spent my post-grad life under the invasion and occupation of ED forces. I was confined to a single room, a single bed and no contact with outside world for almost 3-4 years of my life. ED was a foreign visitor who came for a brief visit promising opportunities, prosperity and happiness. As the life went on, this foreign visitor illegally settled into my house into my life refusing to leave.   ED fed on my vulnerabilities and over the time became triumphant in controlling and occupying every part of my life.  Every single action was dictated and controlled by ED forces. So, I somehow luckily managed to break free from this occupation two years ago, but the threat of ED invasion and occupation of my life will remain in the back of my mind for as long as I live.

After years and years of living with this disorder, I still struggle to understand what Eating Disorder is caused by. Some say it is caused by bad parenting or personal weakness; and some argue that it is a biological brain disorder. In fact the cause of this illness is not known, there seems to be a combination of problems, some factors could be due to heredity and other factors seem to occur during a person's development or even during prenatal development in the womb. Some brain research shows changes in brain structure and chemistry and some of these changes may be present early in life. I do know that this disorder interferes with a person's ability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions, and relate to others. The toil on the family is enormous and the ongoing struggles of a person with Eating Disorder involves everyone in the family and in their social circle.

So how does a recovering anorexic, research analyst, and an amateur Journalist deals with all this political fiasco, and seeing Israeli project of apartheid in occupied Palestine?

In my travels as a curious researcher and learner, I have been to several countries where the political situation was unstable, even dangerous. But I have never seen such absurdity of discrimination as the one I saw in Israel. Considering the recent events in the Middle East, perhaps it was not a very good time to be in Palestine, but for me the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.  I consider myself not just fortunate but extremely blessed to be given this opportunity to embark on such a spiritual quest to holy land. I was in Jordan, Israel and Palestine.



I did very well in Jordan as a recovering anorexic. Of course, I don’t look anorexic and people don’t know that I’m still in recovery. I hate eating in Restaurants and in large group settings, but in Jordan, I ate with the group I was traveling with. I don’t like extensive buffet systems, but this time, I liked the system and for the choices it offered. After spending several days touring Jordan, we crossed over to Israel.

Jordan Early Morning Day 1 view from Sadeen Hotel

The blessings of watching sunrise after your dawn prayer.

Amman Street Life

What Jordan is famed for its ancient heritage

Jordan Day 1 Lunch at Twhaeen Al Hawa-

 You all eat together and share the wonderful Lebanese Mezze 

with a wonderful dessert of Melon and Watermelon to mark an end to your meal.

ED Attacks

My First Day in Israel and I fully caved into my disorder.

On the Third Day of our visit, I was nearly emaciated and on a verge of getting chronically dehydrated, but my ED was too busy telling me how Fat I was.

Focusing on how fat I was took away the sting from a very special treatment bestowed on us at the Allenby border by Israeli forces.  The wait game where you are held for hours and hours is simply there to show you who is in power.Israeli forces love playing this game, it passes time.

It made the reality of Young soldiers walking around with guns pointing at odd angles less cruel.

It sounds very cold, but with ED whispers the actuality of the numerous checkpoints, forced settlements ominously present throughout the city started to seem less real. 

I tried to accept and overlook the fact that in occupied territories there are no civilians, only Muslims labelled under the category of potential threat and terrorists.

Even after seeing how the lives of many Palestinians are completely controlled and monitored by Israeli authorities and how the wall in the occupied territories has resulted in separation of many families I could not break away from the ED thoughts.  ED devoids you of all emotions and leaves you numb with a cold heart.

The comments by the guide in Hebron that they hate Arabs and dislike Muslims lost its austerity, as I focused more and more on my ED and how I could lose weight and more weight.

But my disorder was not very strong and not very dominating in al-Aqsa mosque. I knew my time was limited and I just wanted to make most of my time in Al-Aqsa Mosque. So I tried to engage in prayers with a disordered heart as best as I could have. 

So did I fully relapse? No I did not. There was still some sanity left in my disordered mind. On fourth day, after a very emotional visit to West Bank, I ran out to local store and bought water, nuts, bread, cheese, milk, juice, and dried fruit and that night through tears and tears I forced myself to gorge on those densely highly calorific foods, Why? Because I just never wanted to face a humiliation of ending up in Israeli hospital. Also it would have shattered my parents heart. It was difficult for them to send me away to a place which was embroiled in ongoing conflict. Me falling ill would have broken that fragile trust between my parents and me.

City of Hebron- the toughest area to live in

Nablus-largest city in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

That's why I went to Israel to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque. The blessings of being here. Alhamdulilah. All Thanks to Allah. All the hardship was worth it.

So I cried over situation in Palestine, Egypt, Iraq and Syria. Tears never solve anything. I came back home and Yes I could have fully given into the need to lose weight and more weight and I know that my treatment team could have justified it under the label of PTSD, but I didn’t. It did pain me to eat food that had lost all its flavour and taste, but I still ate day after day not once counting and recounting calories.

After spending several days in bed in a melancholy state, I pulled myself together, courtesy of a positive and uplifting message by our beautiful blogger Eudoxia. Thank you so much for your kind and generous offer of help, advice, understanding and Love.  But mostly I want to thank you from depths of my heart for giving me the courage to move on and not to give into my disordered thoughts.  Please visit her fabulous blog at: www.http://lifeonstrangertides.wordpress.com

Dear Friends, If you or your loved ones are living under the occupation, then stand up and defeat this demon.  Life under occupation is indescribable. Free yourself from your Eating Disorder and Live a Life of Compassion, Love and Freedom. We are Unique and We were not created to spend our lives under the shadow of Eating Disorder. Under occupation you have no face, no rights, nearly every facet of your life is controlled by these forces. Say No to Occupation.

Too many things to report and not enough room or time to report them, especially as past years spent in slavery of ED come to mind. I’ll be posting more on my travels in Middle East in foreseeable future:

• Eating Disorder visits Jordan


• ED and Love in Israel


• ED and Jerusalem, Blessings of Holy Land, al-Aqsa


• Me My disorder and West Bank


• Life after Middle East Travels

On the last note, Please no hate E-mails and weird comments. I am not glorifying Eating Disorder and I am not giving the religion of Islam bad name by posting some of the real ED testimonies on this blog. I broke my silence on ED and explained my reality of living a life of disordered eating. And if it wasn’t for this attention seeking, rubbish incoherent blog, a 13 year old child would not be getting the help she deserves and she could have been anywhere in the country with some loser promising her love and respect. It helped her and it helped her Parents. So Please just Stop. It’s a very humble request from me. Yes the freedom of expression exists and I respect that, but I am sorry, I won’t be posting your comments on hell fire, on ED being a fashion choice on this blog.

Peace on all of us

Maha

Eid and Eating Disorders

Eid and Eating Disorders

Wishing Everyone out there a Blessed Eid.

Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated to mark the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. It is a day of joy, bonding, helping one another and spreading happiness all over the globe. For those suffering from Eating Disorders or are in recovery from their disorder, Eid period probably represents the most difficult time of the year. It is not uncommon that the pressure of Eid can instigate a worsening of behaviors for many with eating disorders.  The day can be overwhelming with friends, family, food, and guests and more guests. Food is a big part of Eid, and for those who suffer from eating disorders, the guilt trips, feelings of panic, fear anxiety are sure to follow.

People with eating disorders often use food to deal with uncomfortable or painful emotions:

Restricting food is used to feel in control.

Overeating temporarily soothes sadness, anger, or loneliness.

Purging is used to combat feelings of helplessness and self-loathing.

It’s these negative thoughts and feelings that fuel the damaging behaviors. But being aware of your feelings in advance can help you prepare ways of coping.

Eid doesn’t have to be associated with deterring feelings or anxiety about food, but rather a day to commemorate love, family and friends. 

Eid is about Joy, Love and Happiness! The love for your family, friends, and everyone. Let your happiness and love rule the Eid Day.

If you slip up, then don’t panic. Remember the Japanese Proverb: Fall down seven times, stand up eight.  Just because you have slipped- doesn’t mean you have failed.

"They say it takes, on average, seven tries to quit smoking. If someone fails on their sixth attempt, it doesn't mean they're a failure; it just means they haven't hit that seventh attempt yet. Recovery from eating disorders is like that. Missing the mark once doesn't make you a failure; slipping repeatedly doesn't mean you're hopeless. It just means you haven't tried enough times yet."- Dr. Caryn Bello

The key to surviving Eid involves a pact from you to Relax and be Happy

Some Tips to Help you cope with Eid Day

Plan your Day in Advance. Make a list and have a backup plan. In my family we have multiple family gatherings with multiple food buffets. We have a traditional breakfast with sweet vermicelli at 8-9 am. Then it’s followed by noon lunch at my older aunt’s house. About 3pm we have another lunch/snack at my second aunt’s house. Everyone gets together and out of respect and courtesy we all eat again. Then we have evening dinner at my Dad’s sister’s house.  Not to forget the number of guests that turn up between last lunch and dinner time and all those snacks one has to consume in between.  What really helps me is planning my meals ahead and knowing my portion sizes. It’s bit like intuitive eating. You eat with your eyes and not your stomach. Just paying attention and being mindful.

Stay busy. If you constantly have something to do, it will keep your mind off food.

Try not to isolate yourself. I don’t think it’s possible to do that, taking into account sheer size of our families. It’s your day as well. Your ED has had its fair share of time (all those hours spent in isolation with ED), now it’s time for you to take charge and claim some of your happiness back.

Let at least one person in your family know how you are feeling about your fears around food. The more aware they are of your needs, the more confident and willing they will be to help you. Or if you can identify a friend that you can confide in, enlist their support and work out with them specific ways of coping with the pressures of the day.

Stop Worrying- Being in a state of worry weakens us – energetically, emotionally, spiritually. Try to ease the stress by identifying what might make things less stressful for you. Write out a list and share it with your family. This could help you to negotiate ways of having your needs met.



Present your list as your coping tools so that others may engage positively to support you in using them.

Don’t let yourself get pressured or guilted into eating more than you want to. Even if your so-called Aunt has spent the past 8 hours slaving over a kitchen stove to make your favourite food, you don’t have to eat anything that you don’t want.



If there are kids around, play with them! Kids can be fun and exhilarating.

Write down your feelings if you feel scared. Writing it down can help to dilute or dissipate the feeling.

Arrange that whoever is doing the cooking knows that you need to have some control over what you eat. Try to negotiate ways of having your needs met well in advance of Eid Day, in order to prevent a build up of anxiety and stress.

Try and take time-out from the 'crowd', maybe by reading quietly, taking a walk or simply meditating. Tell people in advance that it would help you to be allowed to do this. It's important to take time out from all this to acknowledge the day and your wish to enjoy it.

Be prepared for comments about food and plan your responses. Avoid reacting defensively. Instead, respond in a way that invites others to respect your needs.(Example: "It's important for me to be able to manage things at my own pace at the moment. If I am allowed to manage things my own way, it will help me to feel less stressed". )

If you eat a little more, or a little less, a little sooner or a little later than usual that is okay. It is Eid Day. It does not mean you will relapse.

Try to not expect too much either of yourself or of others, or even of the day. This will help you to avoid feeling disappointed.

Remember- It is important to remember that you deserve to be happy too, so choose what you want to do as much as you can.

Gift- Give yourself the gift of acceptance - you are as you are.

If you really cannot face the full day of Eid, explore ways of helping others, or escape within the home if that is possible.

Try and stay with the present and not look back or forward.

Finally, if you are feeling overwhelmed, do not be hard on yourself – Eid can be overwhelming at the best of times.


Remember, there is more to Eid than food. After observing this great month, a Muslim is virtually reborn into a state of cleanliness and purity. After Ramadan, Allah gives us another chance at life. Whenever a person faces hardship, it’s easy for him/her to give up and walk away from their challenges. They fall into depression, feel sad about their situation and feel powerless. Do not give into such feelings. During these times of hardship especially with your Eating Disorder, it’s essential to remember there are effective ways to deal with any difficulty. Set new goals, the ones that will defeat the demon of Eating Disorder, remember Allah is with you.