Eating disorders treatment and therapy
Comfort eating or overeating; being bulimic or restricting intake of food (anorexia)
Often we develop a relationship with food and this is a ‘symptom’ of underlying distress. It may help keep feelings at bay or allow you to cope – in this way it is similar to addictive problems because food, either overindulging in it or denying it, becomes a way of rewarding or punishing ourselves. Often without realising it, ways of relating to ourselves and others have become prohibited. We don’t allow ourselves to depend healthily or successfully on ourselves or other people
These are not easy problems to shake off, but therapy offers a way to find options, alternative ways to manage your feelings or your relationships. This can lead to ‘evolving’ greater depth of character as you get more in touch with yourself through the therapeutic relationship. You can come to see your feelings as meaningful, that they can tell you what you are/are not comfortable with and so respond directly to people and situations when they arise. This may be because of buried anger so you cannot assert yourself in an okay way. Other issues can be sadness about emotional deprivation, or denial of your importance, or even abuse, in your family of origin.
I have been counselling in Eating Disorders for 9 years in private practice – before that I was a residential therapist in an Eating Disorder Centre. Therapy can help you deal with anxieties in a direct way about managing food intake. More profoundly, life can be enriched by becoming more involved in close relationships. Trust in yourself and others can be grown through the therapeutic relationship.
|
