By Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C If you're reading this, it's likely that you've tried a whole bunch of strategies to get rid of unhelpful thoughts and uncomfortable emotions-and they haven't actually worked in the long term. There are often two commonalities when it comes to folks who are actively struggling with eating disorders and eating disorder thoughts: 1. Often folks actively struggling with eating disorders are very fused to their eating disorder thoughts i.e. they believe them to be true, they take action in alignment with them-they may not even see them as 'thoughts.' 2. Often folks use eating disorder behaviors as subconscious coping strategies-for things like difficult emotions, uncomfortable thoughts, trauma, experiences of oppression, relational and attachment struggles etc. (To be clear eating disorders are NOT choices-they are serious mental illnesses). Acceptance and commitment therapy, is one of the therapies that myself and some of my team members use to help our clients to recover from eating disorders. Today, i'm going to talk about an ACT skill called thought defusion. Defusion is one of many skills we might use for helping clients to change their relationship with their thoughts. It's a way to create distance from thoughts when folks are in recovery (so that clients can work towards taking actions in alignment with their true values). Examples of defusion skills for eating disorder thoughts: 1. Next time you notice an eating disorder thought try this exercise: Add the line 'I am having the thought that...' One step further is to say 'I am noticing that i'm having the thought that.' This helps to create seperation so you can start to see your thoughts are just thoughts. Not the truth or something that needs to be acted on-if they are unhelpful and not in alignment with your true values. 2. Labeling unhelpful stories that come up frequently. -You might start to say-ahh this is the 'if I recover from my ED-I won't have any way of coping' story. 3. Create an anaology. -One that I like to use is 'imagine that your eating disorder thoughts are unhelpful TikTok videos. You can click on them, engage with them, and watch the whole way through. Or acknowledge they are there and swipe past. With enough swiping, eventually the whole allgorhym changes.' -You can also start to view eating disorder thoughts as similiar to spam emails or texts. 4. Sing it. -This one won't resonate with everyone, but singing unhelpful thoughts to popular songs or old classics-is another defusion skill. Ultimately, we can use a variety of tools and strategies to help people to learn how to decide if a thought is helpful or unhelpful in terms of getting them in the direction of the life they want (v.s trying to decide if it's 'true' or 'untrue'), practice defusion skills, connect to their true life values-and practice taking committed actions in the directions of those values. 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. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in Maryland, Virginia, New York, Washington D.C., Florida, Pennsylvania, 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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By Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C  As parents, it can be difficult to tell what is really behind your teen’s recent desire to lose weight, newfound interest in “healthy” eating, or preoccupation with food. As a therapist and founder of The Eating Disorder Center in Rockville, Maryland, I have spoken with many parents about “warning signs” that their children were struggling with, which they initially missed. There is no guidebook for how to tell if your child is secretly struggling with anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder. Eating disorders often thrive on secrecy and silence. Many children may be unaware themselves that they are starting to slip into a life-threatening mental illness. The following are some common warning signs that may signify that your teenager is struggling with an eating disorder. 1. Eating rituals or strange eating behaviors. One sign to look out for is if your teen has started to adopt eating rituals or strange eating behaviors. Eating rituals include behaviors such as, cutting food into tiny pieces, arranging food in certain patterns, or constantly measuring food. Other eating rituals could include using the same utensils or only eating foods in a specific order. These rituals could be warning signs of anorexia nervosa and could also be an early sign of binge eating disorder. It is important to note that the presence of rituals alone doesn’t necessary indicate an eating disorder, but is something to consider in the context of the person’s other behaviors and attitudes towards food and their body. 2. Excessive or unusual use of condiments and beverages. Another sign of a potential eating disorder is if your teenager is using condiments/and or beverages in a way that is excessive or strange. For instance, if you notice that your teen is using an excessive amount of mustard, salt, or other spices on their food that would be one red flag that they might be struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder. Additionally, a warning sign that your teen may be struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating is if they begin abusing beverages, such as diet sodas or coffee in an attempt to feel full. 3. Preoccupation with weight, body size and food. Other warning signs to look out for is if your teen suddenly appears preoccupied with thoughts of their weight, body size, and food. For instance, if your child has an intense fear of weight gain this is one sign that they could be suffering from an eating disorder. Further, if your teen decides that they are dramatically changing their eating habits-it is important to take note and to observe their motivation and the rigidity of their habits. For instance, your teen might suddenly proclaim that they are “not eating carbs,” or have become a vegetarian (with no history of an interest in this from an ethical standpoint). Other red flags could be if they appear to stick to only a few “safe foods,” suddenly exclaim that they 'do not like' numerous foods which they used to enjoy, become fixed on fat content of foods, hoard food, cook elaborate meals for others but do not eat them, or go to the bathroom frequently right after eating. Additionally, if you start to notice that large quantities of food are going missing this would be another important sign to look out for. 4. Isolating themselves from people or becoming less interested in things they previously enjoyed. Another indicator of a teen who may be struggling with an eating disorder is if they become socially withdrawn and start to isolate themselves. It is a warning sign that there may be a deeper problem if your teen no longer desires to socialize and instead is consumed with researching recipes, going to the gym, and/or talking about food, calories, "clean eating," or dieting. When someone is struggling with an eating disorder often their eating disorder becomes their primary relationship and begins to take the place of the real relationships in their life. The Bottom Line If you notice any of these warning signs, and suspect that your teen may be struggling with an eating disorder, it is critical that you reach out to an eating disorder treatment professional. They can assess your child to see whether they are struggling and if so, provide treatment. Eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of any mental illness and individuals who are struggling need access to evidence-based treatment and support. It is also important to note that you cannot determine whether an individual is struggling with an eating disorder based upon their weight. Eating disorders do not discriminate and those who are struggling may come in all shapes and sizes. Additionally, early intervention is important to regards to helping people to recover from eating disorders. Therefore, the earlier that you can have them evaluated-the better. It is also critical that you approach them with compassion and support-rather than judgment. They are not making the choice to feel and behave this way, but with treatment and support they can recover and go on to lead meaningful and productive lives. Lastly, it’s important that you can be compassionate with yourself. It's not your fault that you may initially have missed the warning signs. Further, parents and families do not cause eating disorders; however, they can be incredible allies and sources of support to their children in recovery. We have immediate openings right now for eating disorder therapy in: Maryland, Virginia, and New York And recovery coaching worldwide. Click this link to schedule a free 15 min consultation. 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. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in Virginia, New York, Washington D.C., Florida, Pennsylvania, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com By Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C Last night, the fire alarm went off in my building. My husband Mark and I begrudgingly went outside where we learned (as we'd suspected) that some kids had pulled it and everything was totally fine. The fire alarm goes off in our building all of the time and rarely has there ever been any actual danger. If you live with an eating disorder, anxiety, and/or OCD, you might have a faulty over-active alarm system too. Breaking It Down Here's the thing, the anxious part of your brain is doing exactly what it's been designed to do. Back in the stone age, your brain would send alarm signals telling you to 'fight or flight' and these helped us to survive and not get attacked by a bear! However, if you live with an eating disorder, OCD, and/or anxiety, this beautifully engineered protective mechanism is now totally getting in your way and causing you to feel trapped. Your brain is sending you those same 'escape, danger, now!!' signals frequently, around things that aren't actually dangerous. Just like the fire alarm going off in my building all of the time when the building is safe. They may feel incredibly scary and anxiety provoking AND we have to remember that feelings and thoughts are not facts. The power lies in working on how you respond to those unhelpful thoughts. And unlike the fire alarm in my building-you do not need to respond to these false fire alarm signals by engaging in behaviors that are attempts to try to reduce that anxiety: i.e. eating disorder behaviors, compulsions in OCD, or general safety behaviors in an anxiety disorder. Every time you engage in an eating disorder, OCD, or other kind of compulsive behavior-you send the message to your brain that 'the threat' or feared outcome is real. This strengthens the illness and can make your life really small and consumed with anxious thoughts and compulsive behaviors. I know it's not easy to start to challenge these compulsive behaviors. However, eating disorders and OCD are very treatable and professional help is recommended. But what if the feared outcome could actually happen? I can hear the anxiety pushback now, so i'm going to address it. Here's the thing. This may be uncomfortable to think about but the only certainty in life (aside from death and taxes) is uncertainty. No amount of safety behaviors can 'prevent' the feared circumstance from happening. So even if your brain is telling you that 'my feared outcome may happen'-remember that the idea of 'totally controlling what happens in your life" is an illusion anyway. Also, how is engaging in all of these safety seeking behaviors getting in the way of you living a life according to your true values? Part of the work in therapy is strengthening and leaning into your ability to tolerate uncertainty. Additionally, part of eating disorder specific work is learning the function of the eating disorder behaviors, unpacking and unlearning fat-phobia, connecting to true values, and helping clients to heal their relationship with food & body, as well as any underlying layers. The Bottom Line You are not broken, beyond repair, or hopeless-no matter how much you are currently suffering. Eating disorders and co-morbid mental illnesses are very treatable and recovery is 100 percent possible! We have immediate openings right now for eating disorder therapy in: Maryland, Virginia, and New York And recovery coaching worldwide. Click this link to schedule a free 15 min consultation. 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. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in Virginia, New York, Washington D.C., Florida, Pennsylvania, and California.
We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com Jonah Hill Asks For The Body Comments to Stop: Why You Should Never Comment on Someone's Weight10/15/2021  We live in a society where “You look great, have you lost weight?” is unfortunately seen as a normal greeting. Jonah Hill, a film actor who has starred in Superbad, 21 Jump Street, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, has experienced body shaming throughout his career. He has previously spoken out about the immense harm that this has caused him. The other day he posted on his Instagram, "I know you mean well but I kindly ask that you not comment on my body. Good or bad. I want to politely let you know it's not helpful and doesn't feel good. Much respect." As an eating disorder therapist and founder of The Eating Disorder Center in Rockville, Maryland, I have spoken about the dangers of body comments many times in the media and on Instagram. I applaud Jonah Hill for setting this boundary and I send him so much compassion for all of the body comments he has endured over the years. I truly believe that people often do not intend to hurt others by exclaiming, “You look so thin, that’s awesome,” or “Did you lose weight? How great,” or even, “You got bigger.” In light of that, the following are three reasons why you should never comment on someone’s weight. 1. You cannot tell anything about a person’s health, happiness or life circumstances based on their weight. We live in a society where often weight loss is perceived as “good” and weight gain is seen as “bad.” This fundamental assumption is inherently flawed. Weight loss and gain tells you nothing about a person’s health, happiness, habits, or life circumstances. The person that you are praising for their weight loss could be suffering from a life-threatening eating disorder, cancer, depression, grief, the diet-binge cycle, intense self-hatred, or numerous other issues. The person that you are judging for their weight gain may be happy, healthy, in recovery from an eating disorder, finally letting go of the diet mentality, etc. Being thin is not “good” and being fat is not “bad.” There shouldn’t be this sense of morality surrounding weight. Additionally, our bodies are meant to change throughout our lives. This is part of being a human being and nothing to be ashamed of. All bodies are good bodies, but more importantly people’s worth is not based upon their weight, shape, or health status. 2. Weight-related comments can be highly triggering for people. There are so many examples of how weight-related comments can trigger people. For instance, we know that for those in recovery from an eating disorder, weight-related comments can be incredibly triggering and can serve to fuel their disorder or cause a relapse. It’s also important to note that you cannot tell who has an eating disorder based on their physical appearance. People with eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes. Let’s say that someone has simply lost weight on a diet and you applaud them on their “weight loss.” Since we know that diets have around a 95% “failure” rate when it comes to maintaining weight loss in the long-term, this “praise” will only serve to make them feel worse when they inevitably gain the weight back. This can serve to perpetuate the diet-binge cycle, which has been shown to have highly detrimental effects in regards to people’s health and happiness. 3. It shifts focus away from things that are actually important. I am sometimes struck by how I can be among a group of ambitious successful people who have amazing careers and are raising children, yet the conversation is primarily focused around dieting and weight-related concerns. These are people who have achieved incredible things and yet they are choosing to focus on something so trivial and meaningless. I do not blame them, as this is largely a cultural and societal issue. Unfortunately, anti fat bias is prevalent in our society (alongside other systems of oppression). Body image issues and diet-culture impact people of all genders. It's important to note that a focus on these issues often keeps us from “playing big” in other areas of our lives. Additionally, It’s sad to me that people will approach someone that they haven’t seen in a long time and the first comment that they think to make is about the individual’s weight. What if instead you asked them about their passions, their relationships, and how they are doing in general? There are so many more important and interesting things to focus on than a person’s weight or eating habits. What to Say if Someone Comments on Your Weight The following are some simple suggestions for what you can say if someone comments on your weight. “You look great! Did you lose weight?” - I choose not to focus on my weight. There are so many more interesting things about me. - No clue. I don’t weigh myself. So how has your family been? - I feel great and that’s all that matters. - Nope. I just look and feel great. - That question honestly makes me pretty uncomfortable, as I try not to focus on my weight as a barometer of my worth. “Have you gained weight since I last saw you?” - I’m happy, thanks for noticing. - Is weight something that you focus on? - No clue. I don’t tie my self-worth to a number on a scale. - I’m trying not to focus on my weight, so I’d rather you not comment on it. - Yep! (with a smile). - I don’t think that’s an appropriate question. My body is nobody else’s business. Ultimately, your worth and your value do not come from your appearance, the number on a scale, or your body. Your value lies in the kindness that you extend to others, the spark in your eyes when you laugh, the way that you pursue your passions, and your relationships. You are enough, just as you are. 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 Washington D.C., Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com By Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C  In my opinion, connection is one of the main reasons that we are here. We are hard-wired to want to connect with others, as back in the day our survival often hinged on traveling in groups. Plus, as infants we relied on our caregivers in order to get our basic needs met. Connection, relationships, and a sense of belonging, are natural and hard-wired human needs. My Eating Disorder Days When I was struggling with an eating disorder, I had other relationships. I had a boyfriend, friends, and family members who I spent time with. The problem was, I wasn’t 100 percent there. And as my illness progressed-I wasn’t even 50% present in my relationships. Out to dinner with my boyfriend, my mind was racing about calories, fat content, and anxiety about gaining weight. I couldn’t tell you conversations that we had or even ‘fun’ memories that were made because they were all so colored by the misery that is living with an eating disorder. My brain was consumed with constant thoughts of food, weight, exercise, and my body-there wasn't room for much else. Eventually, spending time with people became less frequent. People often wanted to get together around food and not feeling ‘in control’ of what would be served (by putting my safe foods together myself) threw me into a panic. My eating disorder began to isolate me from other people, while at the same time promising that it was my ‘friend’ and would provide me ‘comfort.’ Sure, it gave me a false sense of security in the short term-but in the long term it made me increasingly anxious, depressed, and isolated. One of the many devastating things about eating disorders is that they can cause increased disconnection and isolation. My Relationships Now This past year or so has been a tough year when it comes to connection. The pandemic and social isolation has been tough for many-and I definitely missed the in-person connection. That being sad, my relationships are completely different now because I am actually able to be present for them. I have wonderful memories of trips that I’ve gone on with my fiancé, lunches and dinners with friends, and quality time spent with family. I have so much more brain space, my memories are no longer tainted by an eating disorder, and I am able to be much more present in my relationships. Journal Questions: 1.What qualities are important to you in a relationship i.e. friendship/significant other etc? 2.Think of one person in your life (past or present) who you are grateful for. Explain why. 3.Thinking about the relationships in your life-do you long to have more relationships or deeper relationships? If so, how might that benefit you? 4.If you are in recovery, does your eating disorder impact your relationships? How so? 5.Think of 2 people who you could reach out to and connect with and make a plan to do so within the next week (a text asking them how they are doing counts!) 6.Think of 1 recovery goal that you could set, which could have the side benefit of improving your relationships i.e. challenging yourself. to go to lunch with a friend. We have immediate openings right now for eating disorder therapy in: Maryland, Virginia, and New York And recovery coaching worldwide. Click this link to schedule a free 15 min consultation. 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, Pennsylvania, 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 Megan Samuels, EDC Intern and Social Work Graduate Student A large motivation for my recovery was wanting to have kids someday. I want to raise kids that practice intuitive eating. I want my kids to watch me appreciate and respect my body, understanding that all bodies are good bodies. I want them to not struggle with food and body image. I am determined to stop the intergenerational cycle of dieting and body hate within my family. I am recovered from an eating disorder now and I wanted to share a few tips for how to cope when you are struggling in recovery with motivation. Lack of motivation can be a natural and a common occurrence during eating disorder recovery. The following are some tips to keep in mind for when you feel like giving up with recovery. 4 Tips for Lacking Motivation in Eating Disorder Recovery Tip 1: Ask yourself why you started recovery in the first place. Spend some time with your journal or a friend and think about when and why you started recovery? What did that look like for you? What were your thoughts about trying to recover from an eating disorder? For me, I was scared to start recovery and I honestly thought that I would never recover. I started recovery because I did not want to continue living a life full of counting calories, restricting, and exercising too much. I was exhausted and eating disorders are exhausting. Tip 2: Remind yourself of what your goal is. Whenever I felt like giving up, I went back to what kind of life I would want for my children. I want to be a good food and body image role model for them. In many ways, that drove my recovery and holds true for a long-term goal. What is your recovery goal? Tip 3: Make a list of what would happen if you gave up on recovery and went back into your eating disorder. I find that this list can be helpful for gaining motivation to recover. Think about what your life would be like if you went back to your eating disorder? How would it be different from your life in eating disorder recovery? This is also a great place to bring in a conversation about values. What did your eating disorder value vs. what does your recovering self value? For me, my eating disorder valued competition and thinness; however my recovered self values vulnerability and health at every size. Tip 4: Remind yourself that recovery is a process that is not always linear. I love the word process. The word process can be loosely defined as a series of steps or tasks in order to achieve something. I look at the recovery process as a fluid term; we are always learning and growing. The raging perfectionist inside of me wanted my recovery to be perfect. I wanted to check all the boxes and then life would be okay again (which is not how recovery, or life itself works unfortunately). I used to have to remind myself that there would be ebbs and flows during the recovery process. Not everyday will be Instagram perfect, and that is SO okay. Often when I would feel unmotivated, I would tell myself that I was failing at recovery. I would need to tell myself that feelings are ever-changing, so I could be unmotivated one minute and totally motivated and committed to eating disorder recovery the next minute. Nothing, not even thoughts and feelings, are permanent. And that was a helpful concept for me to remember. To quote Ellis Grey from Grey’s Anatomy, “the carousel never stops turning.” I bring up this quote not just because I am a huge Grey’s Anatomy fan, but I also think it can be applied to thinking about eating disorder recovery and how thoughts and actions are not permanent. Once you begin recovery, you are on that recovery carousel and it is moving. You have the ability to run on the carousel to move faster, to stay still on the carousel and let it move you, to run backwards on the carousel, or to get off of the carousel. There are options in recovery that are not permanent. Someone can choose to get off the carousel and stop recovery in one moment in a movement of low motivation and then get right back on the carousel to continue eating disorder recovery in the next. It is never too late to get back on the carousel and continue in your recovery journey. Journal Prompt: Where do you think you are, in relation to the carousel, in your eating disorder recovery journey? What would you like your next step to be and why? *I also want to note that the ability to recover from an eating disorder can be impacted by race, socio-economic status, religion, ability, location, among other factors. Not everyone is able to recover at the same pace due to lack of accessible treatment options, insurance, family dynamics, culture, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etc. This remains a huge problem in the eating disorder community. If you are looking for therapy or recovery coaching worldwide, we can help! We are eating disorder and body image experts. ***Disclaimer: Please note that this blog post is for informational and educational purposes only and is not psychological, therapeutic, or medical advice. Book a free 15 min consultation for therapy or coaching! 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, Pennsylvania, 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 Megan Samuels, EDC Intern and Social Work Graduate Student  Eating disorder recovery may come with weight changes. It can be scary and overwhelming. It is important to understand that your body is just trying to get you to your set point range. I like to remind clients that your body is on your side, even when it might not feel like it. In the depths of restricting and bingeing, your body is still working to return to its set point because it wants you to live. Your body is constantly trying to keep you alive. Your set point weight range is where your body is working the most efficiently. Your body is always working to get you back to that range to keep you alive and functioning well (Baum, 2019). In an article about set point theory, the author writes that “just as we cannot determine our height, gender, race, hair color, eye color, etc., we cannot determine or force our bodies to be a weight that it does not want to be at” (Baum, 2019). When struggling with disordered eating, I can imagine that it is very distressing to hear that our weight is pretty much out of our control. What’s coming up for you right now as you read this? Maybe you are feeling relief because you can finally stop trying to control your weight. Maybe you are angry because you do believe that you can change your weight. Whatever you are feeling, be there with the feeling and honor it. Bring this blog post and your thoughts and feelings to your therapist or recovery coach to further process what is going on for you. Weight gain may come with negative body image thoughts and a recurrence of eating disorder thoughts. How can you challenge those thoughts? Can you allow the thought to just drift away like a cloud in the sky? A difficult part of weight gain during eating disorder recovery can also be the physical and emotional changes that may occur. You may experience headaches, dizziness, bloating, and/or fatigue as a result of your body trying to figure everything out. It is always advised to gain weight in eating disorder recovery under the supervision of a treatment team who is knowledgeable in the treatment of eating disorders. This will often include a doctor, a therapist, and a registered dietitian. If you are experiencing any symptoms that are concerning, it is important to check-in with your doctor and your treatment team. You do not need to go through this process alone. Note: I want to note that I am writing this acknowledging my privilege of living in a smaller body. Weight gain may be more difficult for people in larger bodies because of shame and stigma surrounding certain body types. Healing Statements for Weight Gain:
References: Baum, Emily (2019, Oct. 9). Body Set Point Theory Explained. Eating Disorder Solutions. https://eatingdisordersolutions.com/body-set-point-theory-explained/ If you are looking for therapy or recovery coaching worldwide, we can help! We are eating disorder and body image experts. ***Disclaimer: Please note that this blog post is for informational and educational purposes only and is not psychological, therapeutic, or medical advice. Book a free 15 min consultation for therapy or coaching! 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, Pennsylvania, 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 Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C  The scene: many years ago, I sit in my therapist's office in Washington D.C. "My boyfriend invited me to go visit his parents at their house in Rhode Island for the weekend and i'm so stressed out" I said as tears streamed down my face and dripped off of my chin. My therapist looked puzzled. "Are you nervous about meeting his parents?" he asked. "Not really. I'm worried about gaining weight. I won't have control over the food. There's no gym there," I sobbed. "Are you sure there isn't something else that you're worried about?" he asked. My therapist of the past few years was confused. What had started out as me telling him that I was 'trying to lose weight in a healthy way' (whatever the heck that means!) had developed into a full-fledged eating disorder. He didn't treat eating disorders and didn't seem to understand why I was so distraught about a weekend away. That weekend is one of those memories that's embedded and vivid for me. I spent it thinking constantly about food and my weight. My anxiety was at an all time high. I felt completely out of control and terrified. I spent the weekend trying to micromanage my food-often ordering very restrictive things at the restaurants that my boyfriend, his family and I go to. I woke up early to frantically jog outside because I was terrified of taking the weekend off from exercise. I felt uncomfortable being in a bathing suit because all my mind could see is 'flaws.' I was often cold and I was pretty irritable. Needless to say, I didn't have a very good time. The scene: present day, it's a Thursday and I am packing a big gold suitcase for a weekend away. I'm headed to my friend's bachelorette party for the weekend at the beach. I am looking forward to getting to celebrate her and her upcoming marriage-and for a fun weekend. The difference between then (trapped in an eating disorder) and now (free from one) is that I have a ton of freed up brain space. I am not worried about exercising (not planning to do any), food, or my weight. In fact, I am looking forward to getting my favorite peanut butter softserv and Grottos Pizza. I can't wait for the sun, sand, yummy food, and memories made with a good friend and her other friends. I am free. I am at peace with myself. And it feels so incredibly good. Book a free 15 min consultation for therapy or coaching! 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, Pennsylvania, 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 Megan Samuels, EDC Intern and Social Work Graduate Student  As the vaccines for COVID-19 are becoming more available, things are starting to open up again. People are going to the beach, going on vacations, and hanging out with friends and family members. In some stores, fully vaccinated people are even allowed to not wear masks. It has been 14 months of masks, social distancing, hand sanitizer, and some form of isolation. For an introvert like myself, I enjoyed some aspects of the pandemic, such as being able to stay in my house more often. It was difficult to adjust to not being able to see my friends in person, but I got used to Facetiming, Zooming, and texting friends more often. Now we are in this weird space where a lot of people are vaccinated and starting to go out and about again. What does that mean for introverts like me? A summer full of possibly seeing people in person more often. This can be even more stressful for people who are in eating disorder recovery. As the weather gets warmer, as it is in Rockville, MD, people are wearing less and less clothing. The summer months can be difficult for people in recovery from an eating disorder or any type of body image distress. Showing more skin and less clothing can be scary! The anxiety that comes around body image could even increase eating disorder behaviors. So, what can we do about this? I think the first thing to do is to make sure you have a support system in place. This may look like a therapist, a registered dietitian, a psychiatrist, family members, and friends. Or, this may look like a therapist and a romantic partner. Everyone’s life is so unique and complex that our support systems will reflect that uniqueness as well. Once you have identified your support system, touch base with them. This could look like requesting more therapy appointments during the summer months, having a conversation about coping skills with your therapist, or letting your friends know that summer may bring up some yucky body image thoughts. If your friends do not have experiences with mental health or disordered eating, consider sending them some helpful phrases that they can say to you when you are having a bad body image day. The next thing that can be helpful this summer is to do a stoplight analysis of your recovery journey. When I use this technique with clients, I usually grab a blank piece of paper and fold the paper so there are 3 rows and 2 columns. For the column on the left side, I would draw a green circle in the first row, a yellow circle in the second row, and a red circle in the third row. These three rows will act like a stoplight. The green light would explain what your life would look like if you were doing well in recovery. The yellow light would explain what your life would look like if you started to revert to unhealthy behaviors, including any warning signs of reverting to past behaviors. The red light would indicate what it would mean to be using unhealthy behaviors and that you would need more support. You would write these warning signs in the right column for each corresponding row. After solidifying your support system and going over a stoplight analysis with your treatment team, the next thing that could be helpful for you this summer could be to plan lots of self-care activities. If you are anything like me, I physically have to schedule TV time or meditations into my Google calendar, or I will forget to do them! It can be a good idea to incorporate some sort of self-care practice each week or everyday, depending on what you have going on this summer and what is accessible for you. If you find yourself having a crappy body image day, it can be helpful to look at your calendar and remember that you are watching your favorite movie tonight with your best friend. This particular self-care practice, watching a movie with a friend, can distract you from those pesky body image thoughts and can also provide you a space to process your thoughts with your friend, if you feel comfortable doing so. This summer may look a lot different than last summer in terms of mask usage and social distancing restrictions. Summer also may typically be a challenging time for people working through body image issues. Hopefully, these steps to address body image and eating concerns can help you have a summer that is not consumed by distressing thoughts about food and your body. Recovery from body image and disordered eating is hard work - you got this! If you are looking for therapy or recovery coaching worldwide, we can help! We are eating disorder and body image experts. ***Disclaimer: Please note that this blog post is for informational and educational purposes only and is not psychological, therapeutic, or medical advice. Book a free 15 min consultation for therapy or coaching! 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, Pennsylvania, 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 Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C  The love of your life just got down on one knee and popped the question you’ve been waiting for ‘will you marry me?’ It feels so surreal and you don’t remember the last time you’ll felt this level of happiness. You are so excited to tell your family and friends. This is a moment you’ll remember for the rest of your life. And then, comes wedding planning. From photographers and makeup artists whose Instagram feeds are filled exclusively with thin brides, to the pressure around ‘looking your best for the big day,’ to dress shopping where most dresses run 3 sizes too big and sales attendants may make diet culture-y comments-there is a hot bed of triggers for those actively in eating disorder recovery. As an upcoming bride, eating disorder therapist, and individual who is recovered from my own eating disorder-I wanted to provide some coping tips for brides to be in recovery. ***It’s important to acknowledge that I live with thin privilege and while I can empathize, I cannot fully understand how difficult it must be to be a bride to be in a larger body in recovery (in our fat-phobic world). 1. Recognize that your body IS NOT the problem. The problem is diet culture and fat phobia in the wedding industry-and world at large. First off, it’s important to recognize that the wedding industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry. There are so many individuals and companies who stand to make a profit off of brides feeling terrible about their bodies. After all, if you felt great about yourself, you would not be tempted to sign up for a “bridal boot camp,” makeover package, or diet program. Thus, it’s important to recognize the diet-culture and body-shaming messages that you are being fed from the wedding industry. I know it may feel tempting to blame your body if sample size dresses aren’t fitting, you are struggling to find a dress you like (or in your size! I’m looking at you retailers who don’t carry larger sizes), or you are struggling with negative body image-however the problem is NOT and will never be your body. The problem is diet culture and cultural fat phobia, as well as the other systems of oppression. 2. Set boundaries as best you can with vendors, sales assistants, and family. Of course, it’s impossible to eliminate diet culture and fat-phobia from your life, so part of the work is going to be helping you to manage triggers as they come up. However, it’s also important to recognize that you deserve to be able to set boundaries with people who are on this wedding planning ride with you. For instance, you could call the bridal shop ahead of your dress fitting and ask that the sales associate not make comments on your weight or body. You also might set boundaries with family members who ask if you plan to lose weight for the wedding-or anyone who is putting lots of appearance based pressure on you. For instance, when I was trying on my wedding dress-the shop owner walked by and commented on how ‘slimming’ the dress was. I know if I was in a larger body, I potentially would have gotten more comments and THIS IS NOT OK. It’s ok and can feel empowering to stand up for yourself and set boundaries. Anyone who is commenting on your weight or body is simply demonstrating their own struggles and what THEY think about. 3. Come up with a cope ahead plan with your treatment team and get more support if you need it. In Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, one skill we might use is a cope ahead plan. This is where you can work with your therapist to think about upcoming potentially difficult situations i.e. dress fittings, cake tasting, and think about how you can best set yourself up for success when it comes to recovery. You might also consider reaching out for more support during this stressful time period i.e. a recovery coach (if you can access this). Part of your cope ahead plan could also look at the media you are consuming around the wedding industry. You action step here could include unfollowing toxic wedding industry diet culture on Instagram or Tik Tok for instance and adding in more positive wedding inspiration. 4. Reconnect with your true values vs. the eating disorder’s values. If you are struggling with eating disorder urges to want to try to ‘lose weight’ before our wedding, I would urge you to imagine yourself and your future partner in your 80s. When you look back on the wedding planning process, do you think you will be fondly reminiscing about skipping dinners out, obsessively exercising, crash-dieting, and being filled with guilt at your cake tasting? It’s far too easy to lose sight of the reason why you are getting married in the first place. Your wedding is a celebration of the love and commitment that you are making to another person. You are lucky to have found love and to be taking a huge step in your life. Instead of focusing on what you wish to change about your body, try to pay attention to the things that you have to be grateful for in the present moment and your true life values. I know this isn't easy, however you can work to practice mindfulness skills when eating disorder thoughts come up. If you are struggling with poor body image or increased eating disorder thoughts leading up to your wedding, you are certainly not alone in feeling this way. Instead of beating yourself up for this, try practicing some self-compassion. Self-compassion is simply extending the same kindness that you would to a loved one. It's understandable that you might be having a tough time during a very stressful period of your life. You are not broken and this doesn't mean that 'you'll never recover.' The Bottom Line Getting married is exciting AND the process leading up to it is stressful. During times of stress eating disorders love to try to swoop in and promise you ‘that they will help you to feel more in control.’ It’s important to remember that your eating disorder is full of false promises and lies. I know it’s not easy, however it is so worth it to practice leaning on healthier more values-aligning coping strategies in times of stress. If you are deeply struggling it’s so important to consider reaching out for professional help-as no one should have to struggle with this alone. Appearance based pressure and diet culture in the wedding industry is wildly problematic, however you can work to take your power back by doing everything that you can to not buy into it. Even if mentally this feels really difficult, you can work to take actions that are in alignment with your true values vs. your eating disorder’s values. Your worth and your value do not come from your appearance or body. And the person who is marrying you hopefully is not marrying you because of what you look like (if they are this is problematic). Your value lies in the kindness that you extend to others, the spark in your eyes when you laugh, the way that you pursue your passions, and your relationships. You are worthy of love and belonging. You are enough, just as you are. Book a free 15 min consultation for therapy or coaching 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, Pennsylvania, 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
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