Getting Uncomfortable in Eating Disorder Recovery
Uncomfortable does not mean bad.
Uncomfortable does not equate to wrong.
Uncomfortable doesn't mean you're going in the wrong direction.
It is uncomfortable to stop our eating disorder behaviors. How we physically feel in recovery is uncomfortable. The thoughts getting louder when we don't listen to them is uncomfortable. Building our window of tolerance is uncomfortable. Doing hard things is uncomfortable. Facing our fears of recovery is uncomfortable. Navigating the unknowns of recovery is uncomfortable. Doing something different is uncomfortable. Rewiring is uncomfortable. Learning body acceptance is uncomfortable. Practicing respect for our body is uncomfortable. It is all so very uncomfortable.
That uncomfortable feeling can feel wrong, like we are doing something in our recovery that is leading us in a bad direction, leading us to judge that feeling and conclude that we shouldn't be doing that thing. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. Many times when we are getting uncomfortable in recovery, we are experiencing that discomforting because we are doing something that the eating disorder is not happy with, or we are doing something we are not used to doing and it feels different!
Ways in which you can start getting uncomfortable in recovery:
Redefine discomfort. Make new connections with what discomfort means. How do you know discomfort means growth? How can you connect discomfort with moving in the direction you want to be going in your recovery?
Start small. Increase your window of Tolerance with discomfort by asking yourself how can I get a little bit uncomfortable today? Make it manageable by breaking it down into smaller parts. No piece is too small.
Surround yourself with people who will encourage and support you through the discomfort.
Work on raising awareness around and changing your self-talk. Are you saying “ I can't handle this discomfort”, “ this is impossible,” “ this is too difficult”? How is this holding you back?
Acknowledge the fear around this discomfort. It's okay to be fearful. Courage does not mean not having fear. It means doing the thing despite having that fear. We can get used to being uncomfortable.
Discomfort in a normal part of recovery
Feeling discomfort in recovery is to be expected and celebrated. Rather than act with automatic behaviors and judgment, get curious with that discomfort and practice sitting with the feeling with mindful awareness.
In eating disorder recovery, we have to get really uncomfortable to grow.
How can we work to change our relationship with what it means to be uncomfortable today and everyday?