I Have Sought Support for my Eating Disorder... Now What?
CONGRATS!! You have taken the first step towards being in recovery! It won’t be easy, but hopefully you will have a solid treatment team and a great support outlet to help you through this process. It is recommended you prepare for the following as you enter this first step:
Your Team
It is recommened that you have a full team supporting you once you enter treatment. This wouldmean having a therapist (family therapist if you’re an adolescent), dietitian and possibly a psychiatrist. These three individuals will communicate with each other in order to provide a complete picture from the perspective of all three disciplines. It is possible that you will need to meet with your therapist and dietitian weekly until you are in a more stable place. If you were to need a psychiatrist for medication management, then that might be on a monthly basis depending on any changes he/she would make to your regimen.
The Food
The food is most likely the scariest part. Your dietitian will probably place you on a meal plan and will want to monitor your weight. All of this is to ensure you are getting the nutrients you need in order for your body and brain to return to a place of normal functioning. Your dietitian may want you to keep food records so that he/she can review them and see how they compare to your meal plan.
Therapy
They often say that you don’t feel better until you feel worse. Going through therapy isn't easy or fun but it’s where the deeper work happens. Your therapist will help you come up with goals for therapy and guide you to a place of discovery and insight. You will be able to identify triggers to your eating disorder and its origination. You will leave with ways to cope and challenge negative thinking.
Other Possible Appointments
You may have to see your primary care physician to get regular blood work and an EKG done. This is to make sure everything is functioning appropriately on the inside; and if it’s not, then your doctor will let you know what to do. If you’re under 18, you will most likely need some appointments with a family therapist as well. This is to help educate your support system and make sure everyone is on the same page. Family therapy can also be helpful for those who are married or living with their significant others. Eating Disorders can be very secretive and having as many people involved in your recovery will allow you to progress as quickly as possible!All of the above may seem overwhelming but you can do it. There will be good times and bad; leaning on your support system will be key in getting over the speed bumps that are ahead… and guess what? YOU ARE WORTH IT.Stay tuned for my next blog...
For more information or if you or someone else may be struggling with an eating disorder, please contact us today for a free phone consultation.