What to do when eating disorder thoughts are loud
Someone submitted a question on my Instagram about what to do when you’re in a low mood and have more eating disorder thoughts than usual. I think this is a really good question because even when you’re pretty far along in recovery, this is something that a lot of people can still struggle with, especially because your mood can really impact your thoughts. So eating disorder thoughts can come up a little more frequently if you’re more stressed, overwhelmed, not in a good mood, etc. So, I am going to give a couple of tips that I use when I’m in a low mood and having more thoughts. I hope these help!
Tip #1: Don’t judge yourself for having more thoughts. The first thing that we usually do once more thoughts pop up is ask the question: Why is this happening to me? Why are thoughts louder than usual? What’s wrong with me? Am I going backwards? And the answer to all of these questions is no, there is nothing wrong with you. This is just part of life. Life is going to be up and down. Thoughts are going to be louder sometimes, and that’s ok. It’s all about how you react to having more thoughts.
Tip #2: Get curious. This is when I usually say, “Put down the judge’s mallet and pick up the binoculars.” Inspect why might you be having more eating disorder thoughts than usual. Are there stressful things going on in your life? Do you feel more out of control lately? Are things happening that are putting you in a bad mood? For me, I noticed that my eating disorder thoughts are louder in two circumstances: 1) Things are going really well and my PTSD brain identifies this as unsafe, so I self-sabotage and experience more eating disorder thoughts, and 2) the second way is that I’m super stressed and feel out of control / overwhelmed. A lot of things may be going on, and I haven’t been able to slow down, so sometimes the thoughts come up as a way to control things. So, what is it for you? Get curious about why this might be happening so that you can respond in a positive way. And this can also inform situations in the future. Usually getting curious > being judgmental makes the thoughts go away quicker for me :)
Tip #3: Tell someone that eating disorder thoughts are louder. I think this can be someone in your support system or your therapist or dietician. The reason I say tell someone is it just takes away the shame. A lot of times, there’s shame around experiencing more eating disorder thoughts, but when we realize that we can’t control our thoughts and that this is just a wave that we have to pass over, it’s a lot less overwhelming.
Tip #4: Use your coping mechanisms. I think I’m making this one general because these can be really different for everybody. For me, I know that sometimes distraction works with busying myself with work or spending time with friends. Other times, I might need a yoga class to center myself, or time first thing in the morning to journal my thoughts, or an entire day to decompress. What do you need in this moment? (I’m linking a list of coping tools here in case you find these helpful.)
Tip #5: Seek out community. Whether it’s a lunch with a friend or spending some time with your family, community can really help you to get out of your head. This is because spending time with other people makes you think less about what you’ve been thinking about if that makes sense. You have to actively engage with people outside of your own brain! In other words, a community can help you escape the noise in your own head.
Tip #6: Normalize going through struggles. I think sometimes when we go through recovery, we’re so quick to tell ourselves that something’s wrong if our thoughts are louder and things aren’t going well. But, struggles are part of life. Whether you have an eating disorder or not, you’re going to have times when you’re more in your head. You’re going to have times when you’re struggling more. And that’s okay! You’re only human, so give yourself a break. It is okay to struggle!
I hope these tips help you. A lot of what I’ve shared is just realizing that going through periods of having louder eating disorder thoughts is normal in recovery. There’s nothing wrong with you, and there’s nothing to judge yourself about. Thoughts aren’t truth. And while this feels like a really big deal, it is temporary, and it won’t last forever.
I hope that this blog helped you! I’m sending you so much love!
xx Tori