Is an Eating Disorder Support Group for Me?
Is an Eating Disorder Support Group for Me?
Eating Disorder Treatment in Philadelphia
An eating disorder can impact anyone, at any time and in any stage of life. You may be walking down Walnut Street in Center City, Philadelphia feeling great about your body and your relationship with food one day, but, maybe a few months or years later, you find yourself in a very different head space. You do not feel as great about yourself. You question the worth of your body and you turn to unhealthy behaviors, such as restricting, binging or purging to cope.
Eventually, you find the courage inside of you to take the necessary steps towards eating disorder recovery. You turn towards an eating disorder specialist or eating disorder inpatient facility to address the unhealthy eating disorder behaviors that seems to be making your life smaller and more miserable. And, although you have been able to walk through individual or inpatient therapy in addressing the eating disorder behaviors, you still feel that you need something more to support you on your road to recovery. In that case, I encourage you to explore the idea of joining an eating disorder support group, as a support group can provide you with that additional layer you may be searching for to strengthen your eating disorder recovery.
An eating disorder support group is essentially a space for you to join other individuals who are experiencing similar feelings and thoughts that are associated with an eating disorder and the eating disorder recovery process.
Eating disorder support groups are a way for individuals to gather together in a safe, authentic space to share their true thoughts and feelings with others who can understand what you may be going through. Recovering from an eating disorder can be isolating due to the shame and guilt associated with the behaviors, which is why an eating disorder support group can truly provide you with a wonderful opportunity to get out of those feelings of isolation and into a space of connection with others that understand you and are also journeying the road to recovery. Joining an eating disorder recovery group, such as this, truly can provide you with the opportunity to not only hear the challenges of others, be supported by others, but come to the realization that you are not alone in your experience!
Recovery from an eating disorder is hard, and others do understand you!
As a group member of an eating disorder recovery group, one can not only look forward to connecting with other members on a deeper level but can experience an invaluable layer of support that can assist them on their road to successful recovery. The journey to recovery is very much an ongoing process, and I like to remind many of my clients that eating disorder recovery is anything but linear. Which is why joining an eating disorder support group may be a terrific option for you, because you can work on continuing your recovery journey outside of your individual therapist office or eating disorder treatment program. Eating disorders are difficult and challenging to navigate alone, which is why an eating disorder support group is a wonderful idea that can truly provide members with an additional layer of support. So, whether you're recovering from anorexia, bulimia, compulsive overeating or binge eating disorder, an eating disorder support group may be right for you- you just have to find the one that feels right!
Right now, you may be feeling that you have lost a sense of how to navigate the world around you because you are in the throes of recovery and you have lost parts of yourself to the eating disorder. However, I would encourage you to get curious about a therapy support group and ask yourself, is this something I could benefit from? Is this something I am ready for? Connection is scary, but is it what I need? Do some research! Maybe ask your own eating disorder therapist if you feel it is a good idea! Eating disorder recovery is about claiming your life back- what will best support you in this process? if you feel that you are ready to unpack and share your own journey, connect with others’ experiences, empower and be empowered by others, and form social connections then I would encourage you to consider joining an eating disorder recovery support group.