June 22, 2012

Roll Up Your Sleeves

Eating disorders are terrible and they just don’t leave you alone. Often people end up feeling hopeless after a brief period of getting better, they find themselves regressing to old, unhelpful eating patterns. They can be difficult to overcome, but to defeat the eating disorder once and for all, the first things you need are tenacity and commitment.

You can overcome the disorder with the help of your clinician, your friends, and your family. The first step is to choose a clinician who is right for you, and to work with him or her. Be committed to the work. Stick to the plan that you and the clinician set out collaboratively, and don’t let yourself be defeated.

Inevitably, there will be ups and downs in your progress. That is OK, but don’t let the downs overwhelm you, keep fighting for your health. The alliance between you and your therapist is crucial, and it is important that you work together, and feel supported by them.

With your therapist, track your progress. It is important that even small changes are noted down so that you can see your successes over time. This gives you something to review and be proud of. It also can highlight the changes that you have already made if. This can be useful when you have down times. All change is important to record – even small changes – as they all add up to a big change over time.

Let us reiterate, seek support from friends and family. Avoid isolation!

So roll up your sleeves and commit yourself to beating your eating disorder. Commit to a course of therapy. Commit to yourself, and to your loved ones.

Please give us let us know your thoughts, suggestions and experiences.

Yours in health, Charles

One Response to “Roll Up Your Sleeves”

  1. Jenny says:

    What about spitting? My daughter has changed from anorexia, to a habit of chewing but not swallowing food. That doesn’t get referred to does it?

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Endorsements from Clients

  • Hello Charles! I am unsure if you will even remember who I am haha, but this is [name withheld] – I saw you in (I think) 2017 with anorexia.

  • My wife and I felt quite emotional last Monday after our short Zoom session. All three of us hugged. It felt like the end of a relatively short but profoundly enriching journey with you which started in June at your home office on Waiheke Island.

  • Dear Dr Fishman Thank you so much for this website. I have a long history of swinging between bulimia and compulsive over-eating. I am currently a compulsive over-eater.