Sunday 18 September 2016

Things that signify a possible Eating Disorder relapse (WARNING SIGNS)

  • Skipping meals/snacks
  • Purging
  • Retreating to my room and isolating myself
  • Making excuses not to have meals with family/friends – avoiding situations that involve food.
  • Significant increase in exercise
  • Sleeping more/less than usual
  • Missing appointments
  • Decreased energy
  • Increased depression and feelings of hopelessness
  • Increase in frequency of weighing myself (note…there is NO need to weigh myself at home…ever! If my weight needs to be monitored, I can leave it up to my GP or dietitian to do so)
  • Increase in perfectionistic thinking
  • In my experience, I have also needed to consciously work at reducing my exposure to triggers and where exposure is unavoidable, to create a plan of how I will navigate those times of increased vulnerability. Some of my triggers include:
    • Dieting or ‘diet talk’
    • Physical illness that affects appetite/eating
    • Too many late nights or lack of sleep
    • Forgetting to take my medications
    • Missing meals (it is important for me to carry snacks in my bag in the event that I am unable to access my normal meal)
    • Becoming too busy and failing to make time for self-care, rest, and relaxation
    • Viewing a magazine that focuses on weight, diets, weight-loss, eating disorders, or has an abundance of unrealistically thin models.
    • Weighing/measuring myself
    • Seeing myself in photos
    • Learning of a friend’s relapse or weight loss
    • Clothes shopping
    • Interruptions or changes to schedules
    • Life stressors or pressures
    • Relational issues
    • Strong emotions such as shame, fear, guilt, anxiety, anger, depression, and loneliness.
    • Boredom