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'People are afraid of relapsing': Dealing with an eating disorder during this time of uncertainty

Disruption to routine and normality can add undue stress to those dealing with disordered eating.

A LOT OF challenges have arisen for people with eating disorders caused by Covid-19 restrictions and changes to daily routines, an expert has said.

Harriet Parsons, psychotherapist and training and development manager at Bodywhys,  said the lack of routine and control at the moment can induce panic in people who have eating disorders. 

Bodywhys is a national voluntary organisation supporting those affected by eating disorders.

“The problem with an eating disorder, and everybody really feels this at the moment, is that one minute you could feel fine and within minutes you can flip and feel absolutely awful,” Parsons told TheJournal.ie. 

“I think most of us feel like this at the moment, but people with an eating disorder can feel like this all the time.”

The organisation’s online support service has seen an increase in people who have been doing better with their eating disorders checking back in with these groups recently as old thoughts resurface. 

“People are afraid of relapsing, so people who have been really okay with their disorder have been logging in to get the support while being out of their routine,” she said.

When dealing with change at the moment, Parsons emphasised the importance of being kind to yourself in terms of productivity.  

“[One person with an eating disorder] felt this pressure of ‘I should be doing this or that’ and I think that’s really a potential panic inducing thing for people with eating disorders. They really put pressure on themselves to be the best at everything and do everything to 150%,” Parsons said. 

It is okay to do absolutely nothing… You do not need to earn looking after yourself – it’s okay to rest and veg out and not get anything done.

“Eating disorders love nothing more than someone being in a state of panic,” she said. “The eating disorders thrive on that and they will use that.”

Dealing with new restrictions

People affected by eating disorders often set rules around what they eat and the energy they expend.  

“Now that there are boundaries around [movement] and what they can do, this can cause a lot of panic for a person,” Parsons said.  

“Realising that you’re a member of the human race and you also need to feed yourself and that you’re not different to everyone else is important.”

For adolescents and/or those living with other people, she said “a lot of good” can come out of being around others and watching them eat regularly. 

“Everybody has to eat according to a routine and structure and the young person can see everybody is doing this, and it’s okay,” she said.   

Parsons said one way for people who are affected by eating disorders to re-focus these thoughts is to imagine themselves as a small child. 

“You wouldn’t say to a child that you’re not allowed to eat your dinner because you ate too much at lunch… You wouldn’t be cruel in the same way that an eating disorder makes someone be cruel and punish themselves.”  

Bodywhys has also heard from people who have found it challenging to listen to diet and fitness conversations from those who do not have an eating disorder. 

Parsons advised getting panicked thoughts outside of the brain in whatever way suits best. 

“Anything that helps you to slow your head down and get the thoughts out of your head,” she advised. 

This could be through writing it down in a journal or saying it to another person, for example. Parsons also suggested writing an email to the Bodywhys support service who will respond to the person. 

Visiting a regular supportive space is also important to incorporate into a daily routine for people dealing with a lot of change at the moment.  

If you need to speak to someone, contact:

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    Mute Rodger O Waters
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    Dec 12th 2011, 7:24 PM

    I do not have a trace element of trust in Kenny/Gilmore,they will do what they are told irrespective of Irish national interests.

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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Dec 12th 2011, 7:44 PM

    I can’t wait that long to write my squiggly IR £ sign again. So much prettier than the €! Ah…

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    Mute Liam Ó Broin
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    Dec 12th 2011, 9:09 PM

    You mightn’t *have* to wait that long Réada. The morkets are at it again, getting all scared in their boots. :P

    19
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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Dec 12th 2011, 9:16 PM

    I don’t thunk so either Spud. Even Mercozy will get fed up of being whores to those Market pimps. Oh sorry – wimps !

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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Dec 13th 2011, 4:25 AM

    Can anyone say when the government are back after their Christmas break please

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    Mute corky2004
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    Dec 12th 2011, 7:48 PM

    In other words “Let’s just wait until the hype blows over and we’ll sneak it through in march”

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    Mute Niall Sheridan
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    Dec 12th 2011, 7:21 PM

    Yeah. Let’s not rush. Wasn’t it Brian Cowan who wanted to wait until March – and remember what happened him!!

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    Mute Ardo Ci
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    Dec 13th 2011, 12:33 AM

    Well said!

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    Mute Lou Brennan
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    Dec 12th 2011, 8:42 PM

    Well when the inner elite of the dail get their act together.
    Here’s my decision – No .
    And when their puppeteers give them a yank on their strings to re-run the whole show the answer will be still
    NO

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    Mute Paul Mallon
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    Dec 13th 2011, 7:34 AM

    There act is together, it just doesn’t involve anything to do with Ireland’s best interests.

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    Mute Liam Hanrahan
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    Dec 12th 2011, 8:03 PM

    Ridiculous for people to be hoping we go back to the punt, we’d be crippled by inflation, our currency would be devalued all the time. We’d also be tied to sterling like in the 80s where any ups and downs in the uk forced changes on us ( punt was proportioned to sterling).

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    Mute Sean O'Keeffe
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    Dec 12th 2011, 8:55 PM

    I suspect we are not likely to see much of either the Euro or a referendum in March as the beleaguered currency is already in trouble one working day after Merkosy’s latest feeble effort.
    http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-12-12/stocks-euro-commodities-fall-as-rating-companies-assess-summit.html

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    Mute Stephen Kearon
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    Dec 13th 2011, 1:16 AM

    well said Liam, also sterling is as vunerable, or not more so than Euro

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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Dec 13th 2011, 4:32 AM

    The Irish pound and Pound sterling came about in the late 70′s around and it caused big hassle for a while but the after effects were hard in the eighties approx 87/88 we started to pay huge interest on mortgages 18% but if this Government do not get their act together we might have to call it a day for them
    How can we have confidence in them so how can we support such a doddery leadership of OUR STATE

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    Mute JeasusBigBalls
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    Dec 12th 2011, 7:45 PM

    He’s not into the Smartphones yet by that Pic. A good auld Nokia with Angela Dorothea on speed dial 1.

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    Mute Paul Mallon
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    Dec 13th 2011, 7:32 AM

    I was just thinking that myself! what the hell decade is that phone from? My cat has a better phone than that.

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Dec 12th 2011, 9:08 PM

    The’re be a plenty of back scratching and belly tickling going on to fiddle this one between this and March. Constitutional lawyers will be doing the soft shoe shuffle at the Xmas parties all over town.

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    Mute Toureag
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    Dec 12th 2011, 8:17 PM

    Yawn…..

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    Mute Mike Hall
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    Dec 13th 2011, 12:18 AM

    Video of talk by Dr Heiner Flassbeck, former deputy finance minister of Germany speaking at the University of Texas. He explains how Germany manipulated & exacerbated the imbalances of the Eurozone. An attempt at ‘beggar thy neighbour’ that backfired, exposing the failure of neo liberal economics thinking that continues to offer ‘solutions’ that aren’t. Linked at nakedcapitalism.com here:

    http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/12/class-war-low-wages-and-beggar-thy-neighbor.html

    A must watch for Euro citizens. Some extraordinary honesty in this & excellent analysis.

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