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.

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Mental Health
/ Eating Disorders Support Group

Recovery is not linear!

RosieK
RosieK

I feel like many support people think that once you're out of your first treatment, it can only go uphill from there. I guess I would consider myself relatively "new" to my eating disorder- I started excessively exercising back in March, and dropped weight. I spent 6 weeks of summer in a partial program, tried to get a full-time job, but then went back to old habits. Currently I am in a day program that meets for one meal. I feel like I have moved in the right direction, but am disappointed in myself for falling back so far. My diagnosis also got changed to anorexia "binge-purge" type (the purge being exercise) and that side has shown a lot more in recent weeks. I wish people understood that there can be many sides of the disorder, and that taking steps backwards doesn't mean failure.

forestfreek
forestfreek
No, you are exactly right - recovery is a process that takes us through many ups and downs, for sure. Support people simply don't understand because they've never lived with an ED, so it's understandable that they don't "get it". Just try and be a bit cautious - sometimes I think the more we remind ourselves that "relapse is part of recovery" the more we give ourselves permission to slip back into old ways. Relapse doesn't *have* to be part of recovery but unfortunately sometimes it is.

Sorry you feel you are taking steps back, but please try and not focus on that - focus on the steps you HAVE taken and currently still are to get yourself well.
HUGS
Jen