Eating Disorders Support Group
Eating disorders are marked by an obsessive need to control the intake and/or purging of food. This community is dedicated to those struggling on the road to recovery. Join to discuss your experience with others and find support. Get advice, ask questions, and meet others who are going through similar struggles.
this is one of the therapy exercises from the book "life without ed". it's from the section of the book called "the merry-go-round: the nuts and bolts of recovery"
dr. thom rutledge asks readers to define their recovery. what do you want out of recovery? how do you want to feel in recovery? what do you want to accomplish in recovery? he encourages readers to not think about what their treatment team wants, what their parents, boyfriend/girlfriend want, etc. what do YOU want? be specific, be personal. this is YOUR definition of what recovery looks like for YOU. to help you define it better, he suggests you think about what you want out of recovery in four areas:
spiritually
mentally
emotionally
physically
you do not have to respond here. it is really totally up to you if you want to share your definition of recovery. try writing it down somewhere. mine is VERY long. i have not decided if i'll post it. by the time i was done with this section, the journal entry for it was almost 5 pages. i thought this was worth sharing. just something to think about. don't feel obligated to define it now. it took me a couple of weeks of mulling it over before i could get anything written down.
dr. thom rutledge asks readers to define their recovery. what do you want out of recovery? how do you want to feel in recovery? what do you want to accomplish in recovery? he encourages readers to not think about what their treatment team wants, what their parents, boyfriend/girlfriend want, etc. what do YOU want? be specific, be personal. this is YOUR definition of what recovery looks like for YOU. to help you define it better, he suggests you think about what you want out of recovery in four areas:
spiritually
mentally
emotionally
physically
you do not have to respond here. it is really totally up to you if you want to share your definition of recovery. try writing it down somewhere. mine is VERY long. i have not decided if i'll post it. by the time i was done with this section, the journal entry for it was almost 5 pages. i thought this was worth sharing. just something to think about. don't feel obligated to define it now. it took me a couple of weeks of mulling it over before i could get anything written down.
spiritually: i will be rooted in christ. i will be able to say without question or doubt that i am the righteousness of god in christ. he loves me. i am his daughter, his princess, and nothing i have done or will change that.
mentally: i will replace my negitive thoughts about myself with positive, biblically-based thoughts. my opinion of myself will no longer be based on how i look, feel, my perception of my body, or my performance4. rather, it will be based on the knowledge that i am the righteousness of god in christ. i will learn to seperate who i am from my mistakes. just because i have failed, doesn't mean i am a failure.
emotionally: i will learn to live beyond my emotions. they will no longer dictate my life and how i behave with food. i will learn to forgive myself and love myself in a healthy and balanced way. i will stop blaming myself for so much and develop a healthier sense of responsibility. it is not my job tofix all my loved ones' problems. i will not feel guilty about everything. i will stop putting so much stock in what others think of me. i will stop being so fearful. ii will stand up for myself when needed. i will follow god in all things.
physically: i will take all medications as prescribed. i will eat 3 meals a day and/or follow a food plan if neccessary.i will NOT diet, weigh myself, count calories, binge, starve, or chew and spit. if i am told i need to lose weight, i wll do so in a healthy way under the supervision of my treatment team. i will learn to love and accept my body. it is god's creation, therefore it is beautiful. i am committed to recovery. i will do whatever it takes to be healed spiritually, emotionall, mentally, and physically.