The eating disorder gives a fake support

In anorexia nervosa the eating disorder gives a kind of support because you get a sense of control of your body. You are able not to eat, despite hunger, and to force your body in the shape that you want. Your day is settled: counting calories and lots and lots of movement.

Also in binge-eating and emotional eating the eating disorder gives a kind of support: eating gives a comfortable feeling, a moment for yourself, a feeling of fullness.

But in the end it turns out to be a fake kind of support. The disadvantages of the eating disorder (social isolation, the obsession with food and not being able to be occupied with anything else, the feeling of shame when you have eaten too much and the emotional flattening in anorexia, the physical effects of the eating disorder) are slowly slowly much greater than the advantage of the feeling of support.

Underneath the eating disorder are things like low self-esteem, a negative body image, not being able to sense emotions and feelings, being too much concerned with meeting the expectations of others, afraid of emotions such as anger and sadness. The eating disorder prevents you looking at and working on that. Out of fear you postpone to deal with the eating disorder and to make space for the inspiring life that you'd like to live, but which you are afraid of at the same time.

Sometimes you manage to deal with the eating disorder through a self-help book or a peer support group. But very often it is better to also seek professional guidance, because many pitfalls for falling back into your old eating patterns often emerge.