Some of these essays appear under other categories in Information (main menu above), but not all and most are shorter reads than the long-format papers.
Fasting is integral to many religions around the world. Fasting holds specific risks of activation of eating disorders and relapse for those who are susceptible. Take a brief look at how faith and commitment are not synonymous with ritual practice.
Interacting with propaganda is not just about gullibility. Learn more about how loss, grief and propaganda are interwoven as all these topics are very relevant in today’s world.
While this is part 4 of the series on eating disorders (and other chronic mental health conditions) getting worse during the pandemic and how to work through turning things around if that is your experience right now, this is a standalone piece of a linchpin of recovery efforts of any kind: failure.
We're very honored to announce Kerrie Baldwin's memoir of her recovery experience using the Homeodynamic Recovery Method (HDRM). Her book is available for pre-order with proceeds going to Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders (F.E.A.S.T.org). Read more about her journey and an excerpt of the book here.
A response to the often asked question of what constitutes "done" in recovery from an eating disorder.
A first-person experience that may have value for those in recovery from eating disorders who feel nothing is going "according to plan."
More important things are happening in the world now. Discussing eating disorders at all seems elitist, superficial and ultimately discordant to many at the moment. But if you are dealing with an eating disorder right now, nothing is more important.
Obviously the short answer is "No." But this is a common dilemma those in recovery from an eating disorder suddenly encounter with their nearest and dearest.
Welcome to our new brand, new name and new site: The Eating Disorder Institute. Want to find out more about what's new? Read more...
BMI doesn't reveal the presence of an eating disorder. You don't have to be emaciated to be severely energy deficient. We're so insistent that body mass and food intake are linked, we're overlooking a serious artifact in our scientific research. We've done this before too.
What is body image really? A look at the sensory perception below the sociocultural mess that has moved it well away from its biological purpose.
Here are some ideas to contemplate if you feel conflicted about eating meat and yet are equally committed to a recovery effort from an eating disorder.
Intrusive thoughts of harming oneself are common to all of us. However, for anxious people (eating disorders being a type of anxiety disorder at its core), intrusive thoughts of self-harm create a cascade of distress and panic that can trigger a compulsive drive to follow-through on self-harm. Thankfully, several psychoeducational treatment approaches can help.
The word "resolve" means both to find a solution and to take a firm course of action. We're inundated with the need to take a firm course of action each New Year to bolster our status in society. Perhaps we need to consider what problems need solutions instead.
When your partner, family member and/or friend is getting increasingly negative and unsupportive about your effort to get to remission from an active eating disorder, what are you supposed to do?
We need to update our sense of the so-called glamorous world of modeling and we need to understand that regulating models, instead of the industry that exploits them, only serves to reinforce the exploitation.
Part IV: Empathy. A four-part series looking into all the ways you might neutralize the impact of pervasive fattism and healthism talk at seasonal gatherings this year.
Part III: Bring It. A four-part series looking into all the ways you might neutralize the impact of pervasive fattism and healthism talk at seasonal gatherings this year.
Part II: We're On Each Other's Team. A four-part series looking into all the ways you might neutralize the impact of pervasive fattism and healthism talk at seasonal gatherings this year.
Part I: Don't Go. A four-part series looking into all the ways you might neutralize the impact of pervasive fattism and healthism talk at seasonal gatherings this year.
When the inner voice is hijacked by all things eating disorder, you face an unending spewing misery of cruel self-talk. Here are some options for navigating the endless chatter.
You can never feel completely ready for a recovery effort to get to remission from an eating disorder. But you can have some tools to improve your chances of getting through it all. Here are some options for amassing those tools.
There are numerous safety and avoidant behaviors that plague those with active eating disorders and body checking is a common, invasive and life-limiting example. Body checking doesn't just disappear as you enter recovery and it often worsens. So what are you supposed to do?
Acne is a common symptom in recovery. Equally common is the recommendation to treat the condition with dietary restriction. That's not scientifically sound and it's dangerous for those with eating disorders. What do you do instead?
Confused about intuitive eating? Not sure why people with eating disorders can't eat intuitively? Then this post may help clear up some misconceptions.
"Hey you've put on some weight, you look great!" And other terror-inducing comments you face in recovery. A lot.
The importance of resting along with re-feeding and brain re-training (psychoeducational support) in recovery from an eating disorder is hard to reinforce when jobs and childcare are on your "to-do" lists.
A thought experiment to highlight how our current culture might be both increasing the prevalence and severity of eating disorders in our society.
Facing a relapse of an eating disorder and currently in university? Here are some things to consider if you're planning a recovery effort to get to remission.
Illusory superiority may impact your expectations of what your recovery process will look like and how long it will take. Developing flexible realism instead might help you navigate your time in recovery and improve your chance of practicing remission long term.