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Do you have any questions for @BeatMegan No pressure tho ofc she will be back on thursday if u think of anything during the week!
great question over to you @BeatMegan
This can be such a difficult position to be in, especially if your still dealing with a lot of those eating disorder thoughts. It may be useful to ask your GP if you can speak with a dietician who has experience supporting people with eating disorders. They may be able to help you with loosing weight in a healthy way, often this is done gradually to stop the eating disorder from taking over. I know you've said you're just in partial recovery but you should be extremely proud of how far you've come! If you do start to notice any of those warning signs that things might be getting worse for you remember you can always reach out for support
Just a reminder Megan will be here again on Thursday 14th december again at the same time 1-3pm so if you have any more questions that come up during the week then come along then
take care everyone
Thanks for having me @ebyrne556
Pop your questions here for them to answer, or ask anonymously using this link and we'll post it beforehand: https://forms.office.com/e/s6g4gCrVEY
As @JustV said me and @BeatMegan will be online in about 10 minutes answering some of your amazing questions
https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/news/coping-with-eating-disorder-christmas/ -
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/christmas-and-mental-health/christmas-coping-tips/
https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/if-youre-having-difficult-time/if-youre-finding-things-hard-this-christmas/
Great question! Relapse can feel really disheartening but it's important to acknowledge the progress you've made. Recovery isn't always a straightforward process and it's normal to have these blips. It can be helpful to take some time to think about what your warning signs for relapse might be so that you can reach out for support before it gets any worse. Try to remember your motivations for recovery and write these down.
In terms of setting goals, it can feel quite overwhelming to set yourself huge targets to reach so it might feel more manageable just to set a goal for the week ahead. For example, for someone with anorexia, a good goal could be to try a new fear food or to go out for food with a close friend. Recovery can feel difficult at times so try to be kind to yourself
It’s almost impossible to get away from food at this time of year, and this along with encouragement by others to “indulge” can be stressful or upsetting. It may create additional pressure to eat, or cause
increased worry about bingeing. It's so understandable why this might be triggering for you!
Planning for Christmas and potential triggers in advance can help. For example with Christmas dinner you could even have a practice meal before the day. You could talk about your concerns and how to address them with your loved ones. Agreeing on what will be served, at what time, portion sizes and who will be there means you know what to expect, and don’t have to make decisions on the spot.
Some food could be kept away from the table – a laden-down table may increase anxiety. It might also be easier if meals are served away from the table – you may feel less “watched” if
you’re having different food or portions.
I hope this helps!
Really good question River. It can definitely add to any anxiety you might be feeling when you feel like your being watched at meal times.
If you have any family members who are aware that you struggle with eating, it might be helpful to try and talk to them beforehand and sit next to them during the meal. Sometimes eating disorders can make you feel like everyone is watching you but most the time people with be focusing on their own meal or the conversation.
It might be a good idea to think about any distractions you can put in place during the meal, whether that's listening to music, playing a game or just having something prepared that you can chat about to keep the focus off food. If you can also limit the time you have to spend at the table that might help with your anxieties too, so see if your family can move somewhere else once you've finished eating
take care everyone and have a good rest of the day
Thanks @ebyrne556