Adjusting to Summer If You Have an Eating Disorder

Adjusting to Summer If You Have an Eating Disorder February 17, 2020 Cultura RM Exclusive/Mischa Keijser/Getty Images More in Eating Disorders Treatment Symptoms Diagnosis Awareness and Prevention The anticipation of summer and its warmer weather can often heighten body image concerns amongst those in recovery from an eating disorder. The focus on bathing suits, skimpier clothing, and dieting to get “bathing suit ready” can be difficult to manage for individuals of any size and may exacerbate negative body image and eating disorders. For many with or recovering from eating disorders, wearing more revealing clothing such as shorts, sleeveless tops, and bathing suits is scary and something to avoid. Avoidance is a common response to anxiety. It can be adaptive when evading something truly dangerous, but the cost of avoidance can outweigh any benefits when what youre avoiding is merely uncomfortable and not really hazardous.   Why Avoidance Coping Creates Additional Stress Consider that you will probably draw more attention to yourself bundled up in a hoody on a 90-degree day than you will if you wear clothing that blends in with what everyone else is wearing while you soak up some sun. One common mistake among those with or recovering from eating disorders is wanting anxiety to subside before engaging in a certain behaviorâ€"in this case, wearing summer clothing. However, the only way to get over anxiety is to face it.   It is better to engage in activities now than to wait for a perfect opportunity that may never present itself. And then you’ve missed outâ€"summer activities offer the opportunity for pleasure, socialization, movement, and vitamin D! Preparing Yourself The deliberate facing of feared situations is a core component of cognitive-behavioral therapy and key to the successful treatment of anxiety and similar problems. This can be applied to summer clothing and activities as follows: Rank summer-related situations from least to most scary. Make a list of summer-related situations that you avoidâ€"or dreadâ€"and are likely to encounter like wearing shorts or sleeveless tops, going to the beach/pool in a bathing suit, or playing tennis.Consider interim steps within these situations. If wearing shorts is a general fear, think about it in different scenariosâ€"wearing shorts in your apartment, to the grocery store, or to an event with friends. Break down each situation further into different settings and rank-order them. This is called complete ranking your exposure hierarchy.Go shopping. Once this work is done, shop for clothes that will allow you to conquer your exposure hierarchy. These clothes should be appropriate for summer activities. Most importantly they should fit now, even if you are unhappy with your current size and shape.Practicing wearing clothes in less threatening settings. You can start at home and then progress to more scary, public settings. For e xample, shorts in the apartment, and then out in the neighborhood; a swimsuit in the house, then the pool on a less-crowded weekday, then the pool on a crowded weekend.Track your progress. Note your distress level before, during, and after the exposure activities. Many people use a scale from 0-10 to rate their distress. Try combining relaxation techniques with exposure. When you are exposing yourself to anxiety-provoking situations, try practicing relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises and imagery to help relax your body and lessen your anxiety response. Eventually, youll begin to feel more relaxed in these situations. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders A Word From Verywell It is normal to feel uncomfortable as you do the exposure assignments, but remember that they are supposed to raise your anxiety. Over time and with repeated exposures, you should notice a gradual decrease in anxiety. You may need to practice each step in the exposure hierarchy several times. When you notice a decrease in anxiety, move a step up the ladder. Summer promises longer days, warmer weather, leisure, and fun. With practice and preparation, you will be able to enjoy a variety of fun activities and overcome your body image anxieties. As always, if your individual use of the strategies over time does not give you relief, don’t hesitate to seek help from a professional.