Coping with an eating disorder is no easy task, especially when it takes a bottoming-out event to even come to terms with the fact that there is a problem. Once you have admitted that there is a problem, the hard work is just beginning. These tips on overcoming your condition or helping a loved one overcome their own eating disorder may lead to a much needed plan for recovery.

The First Steps in Overcoming Any Eating Disorder
Developing an eating disorder is more than a mental illness, though the mind may be the key to the root cause. It also involves the learning of habits that become as much a part of the condition as the psychological issues that may be fueling the condition. This means that overcoming any eating disorder will involve the physical struggle of unlearning bad habits, while also identifying key psychological issues dealing with self-esteem, body image, and exterior factors, such as bullying. The key to correcting these behaviors lies in listening to your feelings and learning how to understand what healthy eating really entails.

Once you’ve determined that you want to resolve your eating disorder, it’s necessary to recognize that this isn’t something you can do on your own. You may choose to turn to a trusted friend or relative, or seek out a community leader, such as your local priest or a therapist. Maybe you feel better seeking out specialized treatment at a facility that focuses on helping those with eating disorders, such as Reasons Eating Disorder Center. Wherever you turn, you will soon learn that the emotional support and assistance is invaluable in your journey.

Tools For Overcoming Your Eating Disorder
While there are as many treatment programs as there are eating disorders, there is a common set of principles to most of them. Overcoming this type of condition means retraining your mind to look at food and wellness from a different perspective. By embracing these principles, you can learn to love yourself more fully, which is vital to a healthier state of mind.

First, it’s recommended that you begin to think of food as a medicine for your body. Something to give your body what it needs without overindulging for the sheer love of food. This leads directly to the second principle of only eating when you’re hungry. Don’t eat, just because it’s your traditional meal time. Similarly, don’t continue eating, once you begin to feel full.

Recognize that words do hurt, even when they come from yourself. Stop calling yourself fat. It’s also important understand that, much like alcoholism and drug addiction, you’ll never be cured and you can always have a relapse. Knowing this will help to avoid triggers.

Overcoming an eating disorder is a struggle, just like dealing with any addiction or mental illness. Taking it one day at a time and seeking out help, when it’s needed, are the keys to a successful recovery and a healthier image of oneself.