Tag: Eating Disorders

Inspiring Hope

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Write the blurb for the book jacket of the book you’d write, if only you had the time and inclination.

This prompt is great for me. I am currently in the final editing stage of my book—Inspiring Hope: How Eating Disorder Recovery Is Possible, which I plan to self-publish by the end of this year. It has been an amazing journey and I have learnt a lot. As this is my first book jacket I am interested in people’s ideas about how it can be improved. I look forward to your insight.

Possible Inspiring Hope cover

Do you or someone you know have and eating disorder?

Are you confused by them or how to get help?

Have you lost hope that this monster—your eating disorder can be defeated?

You are not alone

Eating disorders are physical and psychological disorders that defy logic and their harrowing effects impact over one million Australians, their families and the economy.

Inspiring Hope is a concise, comprehensive punchy guide that men and women of all ages find engaging. Written by a specialist eating disorder nurse with many years experience, supporting and guiding those in the recovery maze. This book describes life living with an eating disorder and gives expert insights into eating disorder recovery. Full of practical strategies, Inspiring Hope helps individuals recover and assists loved ones with the best ways to offer support and how not to.

Empowering individuals to take responsibility for their life and to learn how their choices affect their eating disorder, Inspiring Hope demonstrates the steps—forwards and backwards—along their recovery journey. By revealing the mysteries involved in recovery, Inspiring Hope gives hope that recovery is possible.

Quotes from those living with an eating disorder throughout, bring this book to life and encourage readers to start or get back on track with their recovery journey because their spark of hope is ignited.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/byobookworm/

Transition Recovery House

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You’re given a plot of land and have the financial resources to do what you please. What’s the plan?

If I had the resources I would open a transition recovery house for people in the later stages of recovery from their eating disorder. It would be a small facility with 6-8 beds. Its purpose would be to support during the first 90 days after discharge from hospital anyone who was transitioning from their family home to independent living and met the entry criteria. This post discharge is critical for relapse as the stress triggers reverting to old coping skills. By living in a purpose-built facility and continuing to work on recovery—new practical coping skills can be taught in the here and now.

Moving out of home is a right of passage for most young people. For anyone it is a stressful time with a rewarding goal—independence. For people living with an eating disorder without extra support this is even more difficult. Pre-requisites of my transition recovery house would include:

  • a stabilised healthy weight for the individual—based on their bodies natural set point not BMI
  • study and /or working
  • individual and group cooking
  • group food shopping
  • daily recovery work time
  • weekly group work
  • mindfulness
  • body image work including shopping for clothes
  • compulsory participation in the structured house program
  • no alcohol or drugs
  • shared chore roster
  • personal clothes washing
  • keeping psychiatrist, dietitian and  psychology appointments
  • continued control of eating disorder behaviours
  • nightly accountability groups
  • budgeting
  • meal planning
  • volunteer work

I hope that over time my recovery transition house would develop to fill any other individual needs of its housemates and teach them how to do the same.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/a-plot-of-earth/

(Eating Disorder Recovery) for Dummies.

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Take a complicated subject you know more about than most people, and explain it to a friend who knows nothing about it at all.

Well it seems amazing to me that today I celebrate my 200th post. I am also proud to say that is has only taken me 276 days to reach this milestone. Not a bad effort for someone who—works full-time and is writing a book.

It is the topic of my book that I thought may work well with today’s prompt—my thing is—how eating disorder recovery is possible. I have worked in the field since the 1980’s and have many years experience supporting people living with and recovering from an eating disorder. But what are they and how does one recover?

Eating disorders are psychological and physiological disorders that takes over the lives of those living with them as well as their families. They are characterised by an obsession with food, weight and body shape. There are 4 types:

  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Bulimia Nervosa
  • Other Specific Feeding and Eating Disorders
  • Binge Eating Disorders

People living with an eating disorder use a mixture of various behaviours to control their weight, numb their feelings and control their lives. Behaviours used that need to be manged in recovery are:

  • Restriction
  • Bingeing
  • Self-induced vomiting
  • Laxatives
  • Excessive exercise

Recovery involves stopping the use of these behaviours and replacing them with healthy coping skills. But how?

There are 6 stages of recovery. It is an individual journey and  can take between 2-7 years from the commencement of when people decide to recover. This in fact may be several years after the person was diagnosed.

The stages of recovery are:

  1. Nutrition Management
  2. Stopping Eating Disorder Behaviours
  3. Feelings management
  4. Passions
  5. Relationships
  6. Intimacy

My book—Inspiring Hope: How Eating Disorder Recovery Is Possible covers all of these areas and many more. Breaking the hold an eating disorder has is difficult. It requires addressing many individual issues some of which are initially unknown. There is no map for the journey, but it is definitely one that needs professional help. The quicker help is sought, the better. However seeking help late doesn’t mean someone is not treatable — even if you have had an eating disorder for years. Committing to recovery and connecting with a treatment team is what makes a difference. This is always hope.

Possible Inspiring Hope cover

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/daily-prompt-2/