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By Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C  The world is beautiful and everything is amazing. Colors look more vibrant and music sounds incredible. She could listen to it all day. She’s finding that she has a ton of energy, despite sleeping a lot less lately. She feels like she is on top of the world. Ideas flow out of her mouth quickly; people are looking at her funny at times because she is speaking so rapidly. And money doesn’t matter anymore. She feels more impulsive than ever and keeps “adding to cart” online. Shopping has never felt so appealing. She starts to believe that she has special powers, which she can use to bring the universe and world to a state of peace. She feels she is so important that Taylor Swift is directly speaking to her in her music. Her friends and family are concerned about her - but she’s not quite sure what the problem is. It feels amazing, until it doesn’t. Her mood is starting to dip and she’s beginning to feel embarrassed about all of the impulsive things she has said and done. The guilt and anxiety is also creeping in about how much money she has spent - on things that she did not need. And then comes the crash. She is exhausted. Sleeping 12 hours a night, but waking up tired. It’s an effort to even take a shower or make a cup of coffee. Her mind starts telling her that maybe it would be better off for everyone if she wasn’t here. That she is a terrible burden. That there is no use living this way (depression tells a LOT of lies). This cycle is becoming exhausting and she feels so trapped and tired. She also feels very alone, like no one else in her life understands what she is going through. She wishes there were people in her life who “got it.” **This is an example of bipolar 1. Everyones specific symptoms can look a bit different, however there typically commonalities. Living with Untreated Bipolar Disorder Is Exhausting. While bipolar disorder is a chronic condition, there absolutely is hope for better management of the symptoms and for being able to pursue your life values. Many therapists and psychiatrists are not trained in treating and supporting those with bipolar disorder and it can feel frustrating when one is seeing a provider who doesn’t know how to help them. Therapeutic treatments that can be helpful for individuals with bipolar disorder include interpersonal social rhythm therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy for bipolar, and acceptance and commitment therapy. Additionally, trained therapists have skills and tools for helping you to better manage triggers and episodes-when they occur. No two people with bipolar disorder are the exactly same, however, there are strategies and tools that can help. Having a therapist who is skilled in working with individuals with bipolar disorder, as well as a psychiatrist who is also trained in this area, can be life-changing. Living with bipolar disorder that is untreated and also feeling the burden of stigma, while feeling alone and misunderstood, can be highly exhausting. There Is Hope. Working with professionals who are highly knowledgeable about bipolar disorder can feel refreshing and hopeful. Check out our other blog about bipolar disorder: Our practice sees individuals with bipolar disorder for virtual therapy in Maryland, Virginia, and Florida. If you are struggling with bipolar disorder click the link below to schedule a free 15 min phone consultation with a therapist. Click here. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California, serving those in cities including Palo Alto, San Francisco, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, San Jose, and Beverly Hills. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
By Caroline Roberts, EDC Intern  Being a part of a team can be such a special experience. A group of individuals working together to achieve the same goals: winning and improving. Amidst all of the time and effort that is put in together, you start to become more like a family than a team. This means that you know and care for your teammates on a different level. Oftentimes, disordered eating habits are prevalent in athletes. In fact, one study found that 25% of female athletes reported disordered eating behaviors (Greenleaf et al., 2009). If this is the case for one of your teammates there are things you can do to help! 1. Pay attention You know your teammates well. You know their normal attitudes, and how they normally play at practice or in a game. If you notice that they seem withdrawn from team conversation and partake in self-isolating behavior, you may want to check in with them. Additionally, if you notice they are showing signs of fatigue, dizziness, are excessively sore or injured these are also key indicators that they may be experiencing difficulties eating. These are only some of the many signs and symptoms that can indicate a potential eating disorder. The most important thing you can do is pay attention to any changes in your teammates' usual behavior. They may be struggling silently, and having a teammate notice that, can go a long way. 2. Treat them as a whole person, not just as an athlete In the case that a teammate comes to you for support, the most helpful thing that you can do is listen. Not everyone understands the ins and outs that come with an eating disorder, so it’s okay if you’re not an expert! However, listening to your teammate is something that can go a long way in helping them recover. It may seem like a form of tough love to say things like, “If you don’t eat, you won’t play” or “If you don't eat for yourself, do it for the team,” however these are NOT constructive statements. If your teammate trusts you enough to open up to you, they don’t want to feel pressured into recovering just so that they can play a sport. They want to know that they have your support for whatever steps are necessary in their recovery process. 3. Offer support I know this tip seems rather obvious, but there are many different forms of support that are sometimes overlooked! Every person is different so the type of support one person might seek is different from the type of support that someone else needs. For some, eating meals with a teammate would be beneficial. When you’re on a team, you typically eat a lot of meals together. Making sure you sit and eat with your teammate lets them know that they aren’t alone in this process. For other people, they may want support in the form of spending quality time with you. Doing things outside of playing your sport and outside of eating meals, can be a healthy distraction from thinking about the different triggers of their disorder. The best way to find out what kind of support your teammate needs from you, is to talk to them about it and remain patient and consistent in your efforts! 4. Ask for help Eating disorders can be very private for some people. So while you should respect their privacy, it’s okay to acknowledge that you could also use some help while you support them. Turning to a coach, therapist, or trusted adult is a great outlet for helping you navigate the situation! The Eating Disorder Center has coaches and therapists who have extensive experience working with athletes struggling with eating and body image struggles. References: Greenleaf, C., Petrie, T. A., Carter, J., & Reel, J. J. (2009). Female collegiate athletes: prevalence of eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors. Journal of American college health: J of ACH, 57(5), 489–495. https://doi.org/10.3200/JACH.57.5.489-496 For more blogs related to athletes, check out: Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, DC, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
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The Eating Disorder CenterWe are a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center in Rockville, Maryland.
We also provide eating disorder recovery coaching to people worldwide via Zoom. Click here to book your free 15 minute phone consultation! Phone: 301-246-6856 Email: [email protected] Archives
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