Recovery from an eating disorder can have its ebbs and flows. Sometimes it feels like you’re cruising along—you got this. But very quickly, it can turn into the opposite, like you’re treading water and the waves are only getting bigger.
When you feel like you’re losing momentum, it can help to remember that this rollercoaster ride is a normal part of the recovery process. There are small, compassionate steps you can take to help you get through the tough times.
Understanding the “Stuck” Feeling
Many aspects of life can impact your recovery—both positively and negatively. Stress, life transitions, people, and underlying mental health concerns are just some of the ways your recovery can be impacted. Just know that it’s a temporary situation, and there are things you can do to get through these challenging times.
The first thing you need to be able to do is identify that you’re in a plateau in the first place. Some signs include:
- Feeling frustrated or hopeless
- Feeling burnt out
- Returning to old coping mechanisms
- Straying from your treatment program
Shift Your Mindset with Self-Compassion
It can be easy to be hard on yourself and feel extremely frustrated when hitting a snag in your recovery. Whenever you feel like you can’t get back on track and feel “stuck,” try to reframe this as an opportunity for reflection and not failure.
During these times, you may start criticizing yourself or feel disappointed in yourself—don’t. Remember that these ebbs and flows are normal and that recovery isn’t linear.
To get yourself through these periods, you can increase your mindfulness practices and give yourself some gentle self-talk to reduce any self-blame or frustration that you’re experiencing.
Lean on Your Support Systems
Your support system is there for a reason, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them when you need them. Your support system could be:
- Family members
- Friends
- Your therapist or dietitian
- A support group
When communicating your struggles, remember to be open and honest about how you’re feeling. Sometimes just saying it out loud can be therapeutic in itself.
Set Yourself Small, Achievable Goals
Getting back on track with your recovery can take time and patience. Trying too much too quickly can put you in a worse spot. Instead, set yourself smaller goals that you know you’ll be able to achieve. This could look like making sure you’re journaling every day, even if you’re just writing a couple sentences about how you’re feeling, or perhaps practicing grounding exercises whenever you feel overwhelmed.
Your clinical team can help you come up with new coping tools to help you get yourself out of this slump.
Seek Help
In some cases, the low you’re experiencing may be more than temporary and call for specialized help. If you feel as though none of the tools are helping you refocus, it may be time to get additional treatment.
Remember, there’s absolutely no shame in enrolling in treatment more than once—sometimes we just need a little extra help.
Whether you choose remote treatment that works with your schedule or your therapist is recommending a higher level of care, the important thing is that you get the help you need, when you need it.
Within Health is a revolutionary way for the millions of people who suffer from eating disorders to receive clinically-superior continuous care attuned to their needs. Whoever they are, wherever they live, and whatever form their eating disorder takes. Built to work where real life happens, Within treatment is accessible wherever you are, whenever you need. For more information, please visit withinhealth.com.