All eating disorders affect your physical health more than any other mental health condition. The longer you experience an eating disorder, the harder it can become to change habits, thought patterns, and the social consequences they bring. So focusing on early change makes a huge difference.
Overcoming an eating disorder helps break rigid patterns of perfectionism and loneliness and, in the long term, helps you to live a happier and healthier life.
Test your motivation to change by exploring the following categories:
Willingness
Change requires a willingness to leave behind an existing pattern of being, and to incorporate a new one because you recognise that there are things that concern you about the current situation. This includes being able to value who you are and give up on trying to achieve an impossible ideal.
Write down what really concerns you about not changing.
Now ask yourself: Are you willing to make this change now?
Readiness
Change requires a person to be ready.
This means that you don’t just recognise a need for change but see this as a priority.
Write down what changes you see as a priority.
Now ask yourself: Are you ready to make a change now?
Ability
Change also requires a person to be able to make a difference.
Being able means having confidence in your ability to make the change needed, and having the necessary knowledge and skills to put this change into practice.
Write down what you feel confident of, and what knowledge and skills you have, to make this change happen.
Now ask yourself: Are you able to make a change now?
Benefits
The best part of change is being able to see the benefits of new things.
To see the benefits, you need to be able to visualise, feel excited about, and let yourself experience the positives.
Write down the benefits as you see them.
Now ask yourself: Can you see the benefits of change?
Keep revisiting these questions to help you make the change of leaving behind your eating disorder.
