E: edani@btconnect.com
Contact Us
Telephone:028 9023 5959
EMail:
edani@btconnect.com
Address:
Eating Disorders Association N.Ireland 28 Bedford Street
Belfast
BT2 7EF
N.Ireland
Looking after your Emotional Health
Developing a holistic approach to body and mind is very important in recovery from an eating disorder. The body and mind are not separate entities.
Try to get into the habit of practising emotional self care daily.
Learning to deal effectively with emotions involves connecting with your emotions as they arise.
Here are some steps you can take to help you use your emotions to enhance your health:
- Identify the Emotion: Name it, define and describe it as clearly as you can. If you are experiencing turmoil, try to remove yourself to a quiet place to help you identify what you are feeling.
- Observe the Emotion in your Body: Bring your full attention to it. Slow down and deepen your breathing. Allow your awareness to experience fully the physical sensations. Just be there with the emotion. This will help you not to identify with the emotion and let it overwhelm you. You will be able to distinguish between the feeling and the person (you) who is witnessing the feeling.
Take Responsibility for your Feelings: How you feel is not anybody's fault. Your feelings are neither 'right' nor 'wrong'. All of us experience a whole range of feelings - anger, excitement, disappointment, joy, sadness, contentment, worthlessness, confidence, fear etc. Once we accept what we are feeling, it becomes easier for us to find the right response. For example, when someone asks us to do something for them and we are already under a lot of pressure, or we simply don't want to do it, we may feel angry and be inclined to lash out. In fact, what we need to do is say 'not by saying no' we are choosing to take better care of ourselves. Once we realise that we have the power to choose how we can respond, we feel more in control and we are more likely to respond in a way that meets our real needs. It is not your responsibility to make other people feel better. Your responsibility is to take care of yourself.
Express your Feelings: You can do this in private, to yourself. Speak them aloud or write them down. Express any details and insights connected with the feeling. Describe also the feelings that you are experiencing in your body as you do this work. This is a very powerful way of releasing your emotions and allowing all the energy in your body to return to a healthy state of flow. Releasing the emotion can also be done through physical activity - a massage, physical exercise or even breathing exercises.
Treat yourself to something that brings you enjoyment!