Anxiety and Depression at Christmas

Many of us associate the Christmas season as a time of joy and happiness but for many people it can be a time of stress, anxiety, disappointment or loneliness, especially for those with mental health conditions, those who have recently lost a loved one or those with feelings of isolation, financial pressures or increased family conflict.…

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Competence of Clinicians in the treatment of Eating Disorders

The latest Bulletin published by the National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC) makes reference to a review in 2013 that 97% of general health clinicians interviewed had little or no training in the field of eating disorders. The NEDC Bulleting goes on to raise the alarm that “clinicians who practice beyond their level of competence (in…

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Coping with feelings of Guilt during Recovery

“I can’t eat that, I am too afraid of weight gain”. A fear response at the thought of eating, during eating and after eating can keep an eating disorder going. The anxiety experienced can lead to ongoing compensatory behaviours – restriction, purging and exercise. For a person without an eating disorder, the brain will respond…

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Coping with feelings of Guilt during Recovery 2

“I can’t eat that, I am too afraid of weight gain”. A fear response at the thought of eating, during eating and after eating can keep an eating disorder going. The anxiety experienced can lead to ongoing compensatory behaviours – restriction, purging and exercise. For a person without an eating disorder, the brain will respond…

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Coping with the Holiday Season

The holiday season is just around the corner, literally. After a pandemic, this may also mean more outings, weddings, engagement parties, work Christmas parties, family gatherings, social outings/occasions with friends and thus a period of heightened stress, anxiety, and fear of the unknown when you are battling an eating disorder. We understand just how challenging…

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Coping with the Summer Season

Whilst for many, the summer season is a time of catch up with family, friends, going to the beach, wearing summer clothes, last minute food decisions and more occasions to eat out socially, for people living with an eating disorder it can be a particularly stressful time. For those with an eating disorder, this can…

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Dealing with setbacks in eating disorder recovery

Let’s first start by recognizing that setbacks are always possible and often common in eating disorder recovery. It is rarely a straight trajectory and smooth sailing. What is most important is how you prepare for, respond to and manage any setbacks. Setbacks can occur for all kinds of reasons. For Example, stress, illness, or circumstances…

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