Understanding the Stages of Change in the Recovery Process STAGES OF CHANGE
PERSON WHO HAS DEVELOPED AN EATING DISORDER
PreContemplation Stage
The person does not believe they have a problem. Refusal to discuss the issue and deny needing help.
CARER Others can see eating disorder behaviours exhibited like restrictive eating, binging, vomiting, over exercising or pre-oocupation with weight and appearance. Trust your instincts. Carers should educate themselves about eating disorders and share this information with their loved one, highlighting the harmful effects of the disorder on their health and the positive aspects of change. Understand the signs and symptoms of an eating disorder and avoid rationalizing eating disordered behaviours. Openly share your thoughts and concerns with your loved one and take them to a doctor as soon as possible.
Contemplation Stage
Person is willing to admit they have a problem and open to receiving help.
Take you child to see an eating disorder specialists.
Find a treatment team (GP, Dietitian and therapist).
If your loved one is an adult, encourage them to seek specialist help.
Fear of change maybe strong.
Try not to “fix” the problem yourself.
Therapist can assist in helping the person to discover the function of their eating disorder, why it is in their lives and how it no longer serves them.
Educate yourself more about eating disorders.
Start to list the pro’s and cons of the eating disorder, to see clearly in what ways it has helped and in what ways it has hindered you. As you find other ways to cope, you will see that they way it hinders you far out weighs the way it helps you. Write down the things you identify as negative eating disorder thoughts and behaviours and those thoughts and behaviours that come from self care. Some stages of change information sourced from Sarah R. Brotsky, (2009)
40 Understanding Eating Disorders
Encourage your loved one to write down the pro’s and cons of the eating disorder and to distinguish between negative eating disordered thoughts and behaviours and healthy self caring thoughts and behaviours. Be a good listener. Seek support for yourself from eating disorder services or support groups for family and friends.
STAGES OF CHANGE
PERSON WHO HAS DEVELOPED AN EATING DISORDER
Preparation Stage
Ready to change but not sure how to do it. A plan of action is developed with a treatment team (GP, Dietitian and therapist) and carers. Finding people or services to call in times of crisis.
CARER Identify your role in the recovery process. Explore your own beliefs about food, weight and appearance. Ask your loved one and the treatment team how you can be involved in the recovery process and what you can do to be most supportive.
Time is spent finding strategies and coping skills to deal with negative eating disorder thoughts, emotions and behaviours. Potential barriers to change are identified. Action Stage
Person begins to implement their strategies, try new ideas and new behaviours and to face fears in order for change to occur.
Follow treatment team’s recommendations. Know what strategies they are trying to implement and support them to do that.
Trusting treatment team and support network.
Remove triggers from your environment like scales. Be warm and caring with you rloved one, yet determined with rules, guidelines and boundaries in dealing with the eating disorder. For example if you have the important role of meal support, you have to be able to be firm and follow the treatment plan at the same time as acknowledging the difficult work in changing behaviour. “You have to eat this meal, I know that will be hard for you, but this is what you have to do to get well and I’m here to support you to get well”. Reinforce positive change without focusing on weight, shape or appearance.
Maintenance Stage
This stage is actively practicing new behaviours and new ways of thinking, using self care and coping skills. When the person has found strategies that work and has sustained change for 6 months or longer they can find new areas of interest and begin to live life in more meaningful ways. It sometimes involves revisiting potential triggers in order to prevent relapse.
Keep being supportive.
The Eating Disorders Association 41
Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Body Image Affects Us All
Free your mind and your body will follow Learning to love myself, accepting my body and learning strategies to deal with anxiety, emotional issues and eating disordered thoughts with a trusted therapist, helped me reach the surface to recovery. Recovery is worth it, and so are you.
44  Understanding Eating Disorders