The Most Harmful Advice Given to People Recovering from Eating Disorders
When someone is dealing with an eating disorder, the support they receive can have a profound impact on their recovery journey. However, well-intentioned advice can often do more harm than good. In this article, we will explore some of the worst advice given to those struggling with eating disorders and why it can be so damaging.
Outing Symptoms
One of the worst pieces of advice is to “help” by outing someone’s symptoms. This can be extremely harmful as it reveals the individual’s struggles to people who are unaware of their condition. This advice undermines the individual’s trust in those around them and may even trigger a relapse.
Example: Someone who is recovering from an eating disorder confides in you and talks about their struggles. However, another person in the room decides to “help” by revealing the individual’s symptoms to others. This not only confirms the individual’s fears that they cannot trust anyone, but it can also exacerbate their anxiety and make them feel vulnerable.
Overloading with Advice and Criticism
Another piece of damaging advice is when people attempt to ‘help’ by micromanaging the individual’s every action, such as checking if they have eaten or taken their medications. This constant surveillance can feel invasive and oppressive to the individual.
Example: A friend of someone with an eating disorder insists on knowing exactly what they eat every day, constantly reminding them to “eat more” or “put some meat on your bones.” This well-intentioned advice can be overwhelming and make the person feel like they are always being watched and judged.
Poor Understanding of Mental Health
Misunderstanding the nature of mental health conditions is a common issue. People often confuse having a mental disorder with simply experiencing some emotional fluctuations. This ignorance can lead to insensitive and uninformed advice, further complicating the recovery process.
Example: Someone tells you they are “a little depressed today” and then dismisses the need for professional help. This attitude is harmful because the definition of a mental disorder is the need for intervention. Just because someone hasn’t sought professional help doesn’t mean they don’t have a legitimate mental illness. This kind of advice can discourage individuals from seeking the help they need.
Enabling Unhealthy Behaviors
Offering excessive or enabling advice can also be detrimental. For example, suggesting or pressuring someone with an eating disorder to “just eat more” or vilifying whole foods. These types of comments can trigger negative behaviors and make the individual feel pressured and judgmental.
Example: A parent or friend might say, “Is that all you are eating? You need to put on some more weight.” They may not mean to, but this advice can make the individual feel worse about themselves and their body. Instead, support and encouragement are what is needed during recovery.
Conclusion
Supporting someone with an eating disorder requires empathy, understanding, and sensitivity. Well-intentioned advice can be misguided and even harmful. By recognizing and avoiding these harmful pieces of advice, we can provide better support to those in recovery and foster an environment of trust and healing.
Key Takeaways: - Avoid outing symptoms to others. - Don’t micromanage the individual’s eating habits. - Understand the definition and needs of mental health conditions. - Avoid pressuring or enabling unhealthy behaviors.
Remember, every person’s experience with an eating disorder is unique. Providing unconditional support and recognizing the person’s individual journey is crucial for recovery.