The Value Of Self-Awareness In Eating Disorder Recovery
Colleen Werner
One of the most valuable tools I have found in my recovery from anorexia is self awareness.
While therapists, doctors, dietitians, family members, and friends can tell us many things about our eating disorders, eating disorder thoughts, and eating disorder behaviors, being able to find true self awareness is extremely powerful.
By finding self awareness, you’re able to stay on top of and in charge of your own recovery. For example, through self awareness, I am able to trust myself with the transition to intuitive eating. I’m able to trust that I’m truly listening to what my body and mind want, and I can consciously choose to kick pesky eating disorder thoughts to the curb before they impact any actions.
Self awareness is also helpful in identifying and reducing vulnerability to triggers. By knowing what things trigger you, you can actively cope ahead, while also working to become less susceptible to those triggers. For example, if you know you tend to be more triggered on days where you get less sleep, you can actively work on getting to bed earlier.
Another valuable part of self awareness is being able to see the progress you have made. By being self aware of where I’m currently at in my eating disorder recovery, I can find motivation to continue my journey, while also finding pride for how far I have already come.
Today, work on cultivating self-awareness and see how far it can take you in your eating disorder recovery.
Colleen Werner is a writer, dancer, and future therapist from Long Island, NY. She’s studying Psychology at SUNY Old Westbury and plans on going to graduate school for Mental Health Counseling. She aspires to start an eating disorder treatment program for dancers. Colleen’s experiences in recovery from an eating disorder and anxiety disorder have inspired her to share her story in an effort to help others, end the stigma, and create a sense of community. She is a National Ambassador for Project HEAL, a Campus Editor-at-Large for HuffPost, and a contributor for HerCampus and The Mighty. Colleen’s Instagram, @leenahlovesherself, inspires thousands every day with her posts about authenticity and mental health.
