Email; The Shoes for the Road to Recovery

Meetup.com ED support Group; The Shoes for the Path to Recovery

There are many different techniques and exercises that are great for those that have decided to take steps towards recovery. This email will be an overview on the artillery one needs in their arsenal while they work towards recovery. The next round of emails will be specific activities pertaining to the points in this email. The main aspect of recovery is to remember that it is about you. Finding help is not easy and it takes a strong amount of desire, motivation and commitment to find what works.

The first step anyone needs to take is to admit that you have a problem, that it is significant, and that it requires your attention. Just joining this group is a great example of taking responsibility and preparing oneself for recovery. The next step should be to find someone in your life you feel you can trust ? this can be a friend, family member, meetup.com member :) - anyone that can provide support and encouragement. The person may not respond the way you expect but you should be clear in what you need them to do and supply them with the written material I put together previously. I strongly suggest, this is essential, that you seek professional help and find a doctor and a therapist. There are many online support options (www.something-fishy.org/online/options.php) but they should not be a replacement for professional help.

?Remember that your recovery is about YOU. Don't let anyone push you into things you do not want to do... but also be prepared to keep an open mind about things that may be recommended. If your doctor suggests hospitalization ask yourself why he might and remember that he may see things you are not aware of. Ask him to explain why he recommends things and do research yourself. Also remember that if your nutrition levels are low, or if you have electrolyte imbalances or hormone and vitamin deficiencies it will affect your moods and ability to see things rationally, as well as put you in physical danger. You do not need to be underweight to suffer from these things and you will need to keep in mind that your self-perception is distorted.?

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Before one embarks towards recovering there are a few key points to know. Recovery is not just about learning to eat in a healthy way. Eating disorders are not about weight and food. They seem to be, but they are just symptoms of something much deeper.

?There are deeper issues and feelings that the eating disorder has become a coping mechanism for.

One needs to be willing to be honest with oneself and explore what these issues are. This will involve learning to talk about emotions and identifying current negative emotions and what triggers negative thinking. Figuring out ones emotions is the first step in learning how to deal with them in a healthy way.

?Use your voice, express what it is that you are feeling, to be able to communicate effectively with others what it is you need, what it is you lack, what they can do to help.

Focusing on are what you weigh or food, is a way of covering up what you are really feeling. Too often people suffering from eating disorders spend years covering up true emotions with discussion on weight and food. You must learn to find your TRUE voice beneath the symptoms of your Eating Disorder.

?Therapy is a great way to help you discover what's going on inside. Support groups are helpful. Journaling about how you feel, buying self-help books and workbooks, going to self-esteem seminars, thinking about how your relationships and pivotal people in your life have effected you, thinking about choices you've made, exploring what you have (had) and do not (did not) have control over, visiting with past major events of your life -- these are all important parts of getting to your issues and feelings.?

Eating disorders are just a coping mechanism. With new ways to cope the eating disorder loses its importance.

?Create a coping bank, find what works for you when times are difficult; ex. Write in your Journal, Listen to your favorite music, Write at least 5 affirmations (http://www.something-...)

Use affirmations to help with consistent and constant positive thinking. Find creative ways to surround yourself with support. Keeping a symbol with you at all times helps also.

?Believe in yourself

?It is important to surround yourself with people, who will encourage your recovery; who will provide you with some accountability while you're learning to be accountable to yourself; Who will listen to what you are going through and what you are feeling. Ask friends to make you accountable. Ask family members to ask you how you really feel when you start harping on weight and food. Ask your spouse to listen to your insecurities. Ask anyone willing to support you to listen, and ask them for what you need.

?Find/Develop a support network; by surrounding yourself with supportive people you will encourage recovery.

You are also your own support network and should ask yourself the following questions;

? Am I doing my best to keep myself safe?
? Am I surrounding myself with supportive people?
? Am I trying to listen to healthy advice from supportive people?
? Am I asking for what I need?
? Am I getting what I really need by restricting/purging/binging?
? Am I expressing how I really feel?
? Am I doing the best I can right now?
? Am I being honest with the support people in my life?
? Am I being honest with my therapist?
? Am I being honest with myself?
? Am I asking for more help if I need it?

It is up to you to get what you need to recover. It is up to you to ask for help to get what you need to recover. It is up to you if you take your meds (if necessary) and it is up to you to say they aren't working if they're not. It is up to you to show up for your therapy appointments, and it's up to you to be honest with your therapist and other support people in your life. AND if you are having a seriously hard time doing any of these things, it is up to you to say "I need more help here."

Everyone has the ability within themselves to recover. Regardless of co-existing psychological illness, regardless of life circumstance, everyone can improve their life by eliminating the part of them that says "I hate me" and by getting rid of an unhealthy coping mechanism such as an Eating Disorder. Fill up your recovery toolbox, reach out and ask for help, and I know you can do it!?

(Created through the help of something-fishy.org and Benjamin Ritter)