Eating Disorder Recovery is Possible for Non-Journalers: A Guide

Eating Disorder Recovery is Possible

I don’t like journaling; is recovery even possible?

 

At some point, you’ve heard likely your therapist or coach suggest that eating disorder recovery is possible and that are some simple journaling exercises that will help. If you’re like many, I’m sure your first thought went something like:

 

“Ugh, I hate writing.”

 

I hear you. And the good news is that recovery is possible without journaling.

 

There are so many other strategies that WILL work for you – and they can complement your personality and align with your lifestyle.

 

Recovery is possible; 5 alternatives to traditional journaling:

 

1) Voice Memos or Video Journal

 

…Yes, I’m asking you to talk to yourself. Yes, really.

 

Record voice memos, keep a video journal, or speak to yourself during your commute or in the shower.

 

There’s no one way to do this, so get creative! Speaking has many of the same benefits as writing. It slows down your cognitive processing so you can detect patterns and shift your perspective.

 

Keep in mind, this is very different from “thought dumping”. The intention is to not only speak your thoughts, but to detect, reject, and redirect any lies the ED voice may be telling you.

 

Some great starter questions:

  • “What am I feeling? Can I summarize it in one word?”
  • “Is there another perspective?”
  • “What advice would I give to a friend in this same situation?”
  • “If I wasn’t battling an ED, what would I do?”
  • “What can I do next time to truly meet my needs?”
  • “When someone says recovery is possible, how do I feel about that?”

 

If this feels overwhelming, I encourage you to work with a coach or a therapist and ask them to verbally process together. Practicing with a professional is a great way to learn the skills you need to apply in your own life.

 

Creating your own journal for eating disorder recovery

2) Start a Photo Journal

 

Self-expression and self-discovery isn’t confined to words alone. Start a photo journal and collect images that visually represent what you struggle to put into words.

 

These can be symbolic photos that have a special meaning to you or could also be photos that offer hope or remind you that recovery is possible.

 

3) Meditation and Deep Breathing

 

Try this with me: breathe in through your nose for 3 seconds, hold for 4, release for 3 through your mouth.

 

Now, on the breath in, add a mantra, prayer, or intention. You can also choose the name(s) of loved ones who motivate you to recover, like your kids or your partner.

 

Possible mantras or single word intentions:

  • “Courage over comfort”
  • “Fear is my green light”
  • “Resilience”
  • “I am safe in my body”
  • “I am allowed to be imperfect”
  • “Recovery is possible for me”

 

On the exhale, expel any negativity, fear, or doubt. Picture it emptying with your breath, clearing space in your mind and body to welcome a new perspective.

 

4) Use Charts or Bullet-Points

 

Journaling doesn’t have to require paragraphs… or even full sentences. Start a bullet journal about your daily wins, gratitudes, goals. Or, chart your habits, activities, and plans. This chart should depict progress and remind you that recovery is possible.

 

Have fun with this – buy fun stickers and posterboard, use Excel, or download an app. As long as you have a sustainable way to shift your focus, collect information, and track your consistency, you’re on the right path.

 

5) Schedule Playtime

 

As I always like to say: “If you’re in eating disorder recovery, you need to get serious about playtime.”

 

Much like journaling, having FUN can give you much-needed reprieve from busyness, and a way to reconnect with yourself.

 

Make small, but frequent commitments. I recommend starting with 15-minute commitments, 3 times a week.

 

Some ideas for fun:

  • Learn a new language
  • Break open a new puzzle
  • Schedule a family board game night
  • Read one chapter of a book
  • Blast music and have a dance party with the kids
recovery is possible
reading a new book

So often, we lose our identities during an eating disorder. A large part of outshining your eating disorder involves reconnecting with the TRUE you.

 

Eating disorder recovery is possible without journaling

 

You get to do this on your terms – re-define “journaling,” and carve your own path because eating disorder recovery is possible with or without journaling.

 

This blog post was written by Coach Beverly. You can read more about her here.

3 Tips For A Highly Sensitive Person With An Eating Disorder

Eating Disorder Picture of HSP Girl

Are you a highly sensitive person?

 

Many of my eating disorder clients who identify as a highly sensitive person share that they didn’t feel HEARD or SEEN as a child. They felt out of place and misunderstood.⁣

 

You might be a HSP if:⁣

 

1) your INNER world feels more alive and loud than the one you’re living⁣

2) you are extremely perceptive and attuned to others’ likes and dislikes⁣

3) you feel highly anxious or distracted with constant noise, chaos or repetitive sounds (i.e. smacking, pen tapping, etc)⁣

Highly Sensitive Person with Eating Disorder Annoyed Loud Noises Restaurant

4) criticism of any magnitude can greatly affect your mood and self-talk⁣

5) you are sensitive to the clothes you wear – restrictive clothing bothers you as do seams and tags⁣

6) you struggle when there is time or performance pressure (such as test)⁣

7) you can’t make sense of violence and feel deeply for others experiencing it⁣

8) you are highly aware of your surroundings and environment and very observant with a high attention to detail

A more exhaustive list of 21 Signs That You Are A Highly Sensitive Person can be found here.

 

Eating Disorder Recovery as a HSP

 

I didn’t discover I was a highly sensitive person (HSP) until a few years ago. Now that I know I’m a HSP, I understand my emotions better and give myself more grace.

 

This would have been game changing if I knew this during my eating disorder recovery. Did you know that many highly sensitive people struggle with disordered eating?

 

3 Tips During Eating Disorder Recovery

 

1) Embrace who you already are

 

Accepting who you are is a beautiful process. Don’t try to change who you are. This is exhausting and causes internal conflict.

 

The eating disorder wants you to be somebody else. It has convinced you that you aren’t good enough the way you are. This is a total lie! Do you know the other ED lies? Familiarize yourself with them here so you’re ready and on the lookout for them.

 

Being a highly sensitive person is a strength in recovery. The HSP is more in touch with his or her emotions and this is a good thing when it comes to recovery and uncovering how you feel.

 

Highly Sensitive Person with Eating Disorder being comfortable with who they are

 

2) Learn more about what it means to be a Highly Sensitive Person

 

I recommend reading this book by Elaine N. Aron. The author has a workbook as well.

 

It will help you make sense of who you are which is entirely comforting. You will feel less alone and see how to use the many strengths that exist within the HSP. The author also touches on eating disorders which I found totally relatable and eye opening.

 

3) Create a routine for yourself.

 

Understand that food cravings are a common reaction to upsetting emotions in HSPs. The highly sensitive person often takes an emotional trigger and satiates it with a physical comfort – mostly eating.

 

Routine can help bring predictability to the uncertainty. It takes practice but many of my HSP clients have found that adding structure prevents them from immediately reacting to a trigger.