NEDA Blog Recovery topics - National Eating Disorders Association

This Christmas, focus on relationships – and let food take care of itself

Christmas can be one of the toughest times of the year, and not only because you get carried away by the commercialism spin and spend too much on presents. The true meaning of Christmas is wonderful, of course, but the other warm and cozy aspects…

Navigating the Holiday Season

I hated holidays when I was in my eating disorder. I felt like I was in a minefield of panic. I would tip toe through the eating disorder detonators only to have to deal with worried family.My eating disorder would kick up a fuss months before…

Twelve Ideas to Help People with Eating Disorders Negotiate the Holidays

Courtesy of: Center for Change / Compiled by: Michael E. Berrett, PhD1. Eat regularly and in some kind of reasonable pattern. Avoid “preparing for the last supper.” Don’t skip meals and restrict in an attempt to make up for what you recentlyate…

Lessons in Self-Care: 5 Ways to Survive and Thrive Through the Holidays When You Have an Eating Disorder

“Change happens when you understand what you want to change so deeply that there is no reason to do anything but act in your own best interest.” — Geneen RothFood, family gatherings and thankfulness are centerpieces of many Americans’…

“Lessons That I Wish I Knew Before” and More from Dr. Insel, Director of the NIMH

EATING DISORDERS ARE FAMILY DISORDERSEating disorders are family disorders. Keynote speaker at this year’s National Eating Disorders Association Conference, Dr Thomas Insel, spoke from the heart.The Federal government shutdown meant he could…

Writing Can’t Help Me Make Decisions (But it Could Give You Clear Perspectives)

I can waiver back and forth endlessly and aimlessly on a decision. In thought or on paper, my mind can justify Choice A or Choice B (or Choices C and D!). I'll list out pro's and con's in side-by-side columns, but that doesn't necessarily…

The Internet – a New Frontier in Eating Disorder Care

Technology is increasingly building bridges in eating disorder prevention, treatment and recovery.Recovery Record and Proud2Bme will be the subject of a concurrent session ‘Building Bridges Not Walls’ at this year’s NEDA Conference. Both…

Weight Stigma and My Eating Disorder: A Personal Story

When I was a child, teen and young adult a series of traumatic events, hurtful words, and a dysfunctional environment led me to develop this coping mechanism called an eating disorder. My eating disorder spanned over twenty years of my…

Writing Brings Up My Inner Demons (And is a Great Place to Confront Them)

We all have inner demons, some of them very familiar and believable. In a recent write, I explored what felt like work overload in my life, leaving me fearful, overwhelmed, burdened, generally flattened and wanting to avoid work. …

Writing Requires Talent That I Don’t Have (But Who’s Telling You That?)

Does fear convince you that you lack talent and that your writing will shamefully sound more elementary-school than polished and dazzling? A journal is a great place to challenge that voice that tells you you're lacking talent, you're doing…