Philosophy
People struggling with eating issues can often readily identify the emotional and physical costs associated with their behaviors. However, we recognize that a person’s use of an eating disorder is often an attempt to cope with life’s challenges. For example, people at times use food and weight to:
- Distract and numb painful feelings
- Avoid doing things that cause anxiety
- Use shape to express distress and get noticed, or conversely use weight in an effort to feel safe by not being noticed.
- A way of trying to feel good enough and to feel special
- Reduce negative feelings about self
Given that people can experience both costs and benefits with the same behaviors, it is very common and normal to feel conflicted/or ambivalent about change. This may be a source of tension with people in you life as they may only see the costs of the behavior, and get frustrated when change is slow.
Thus, the work of treatment is to address the underlying source of distress and help a person develop coping skills that they feel good about.