Remuda-Ranch-Treatment-program-for-Anorexia
Dealing with an Eating Disorder Relapse
Get more information about girls and Anorexia Treatment
Although complete recovery from eating disorders is possible, many experience slips and relapses during the recovery process. A slip is a once or twi ce, perhaps occasional, return to maladaptive behavior. A relapse is a complete and longer-lasting return to the behavior or worse. In a relapse, someone with an eating disorder would be back where she was before she entered recovery.
The best way to deal with relapse is prevention. Those in recovery need to identify risky situations in advance. A suitable analogy is black ice. When a driver encounters black ice, she skids out of control. Yet, if the driver knows where the black ice is, she can take precautions by going slower, driving more deliberately, or taking another route. For women and adolescents recovering from eating disorders, red ice is anything likely to trigger the eating disorder. Triggers are highly individualized. Often, but not always, they are the same situations and experiences that caused the eating disorder in the first place. Identifying these risky situations in advance allows the person to strategize how she will cope with the thoughts and emotions associated with her trigger situations.
Even with rigorous planning, slips may occur. If so, it is important for the individual to understand why the slip happened. Using a behavior chain analysis, she can identify the links in the chain—the events and her reactions—that led to the unhealthy behavior. She can process what happened step by step, understanding what transpired in her mind and emotions at each step. With this information, she may not need her eating disorder when encountering the same situation in the future, because she can break the chain with different, pre-planned choices.
If relapse occurs, the individual can: Be hopeful and choose recovery again. Acknowledge her behavior is destructive and will damage her life now and in the future if she chooses to continue. Seek help from a healthcare professional. List the pros and cons of returning to the eating disorder. This list can re-establish the value of recovery. Talk to someone rather than choosing the eating disorder for support. Think about her accomplishments and what she will lose with a relapse. Identify goals and activities that relapse will prevent. Set small goals that can lead back to recovery, and congratulate herself for every success. Acknowledge that although her eating disorder has advantages, she already knows of healthier and less dangerous ways to obtain these same advantages.
Remember her personal rights—the right to say “huh-uh”, to express her feelings and opinions, to ask to have her needs met. Start a journal to help her identify feelings, internal messages, and triggers leading to the relapse. Let go of faultfinding, blame, guilt, and shame. Focus on the present and what she can change today. Ask her Higher Power for guidance. Parents and spouses can also help during relapses by speaking to their loved one with truth and love. The dialogue takes place in a nonthreatening environment. Confrontation must always be preceded by listening, understanding, and validation. Validation comes through words such as “I know how difficult this is for you.” Confrontation without validation is perceived as an attack and the person will retaliate or withdraw.
three
When addressing the relapse, cite actual behavioral examples to prevent denial. Present the facts using supportive statements, such as “Help me understand what is going on,” or “Obviously this fills a need; how can I help?” Encourage the person to seek renewed treatment.
In case of self harm or imminent death, take action—up to and including legal action to ensure the person receives the help she needs.
Learn more about eating disorder treatment
3 years ago • Notes