This is what we’ve learned about your pattern so far…

RESTRICTING YOUR FOOD INTAKE

 CAUSES TENSION AND CRAVINGS  

WHICH THEN

INTENSIFIES YOUR TRIGGERS

CREATING YOUR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS 

Continue to identify what your triggers are from Step 2.

How do you describe your eating disorder's voice?

For some people, the first link in their trigger could be what they’re thinking to themselves. It’s that whispering voice in their head, which I liken to a little evil green leprechaun. Others call it “the eating disorders voice” or the “binge voice.”

Some of my clients benefit from calling him “ED” (eating disorder). But you could call him whatever you like! I prefer an evil leprechaun and imagined him super glued onto my shoulder, hissing viciousness, which then caused my unbearable feelings. In recovery, I would slap him off my shoulder to stop the constant berating.

Do you have an evil leprechaun sitting on your shoulder?

Let's be honest. He's more than likely whispering hurtful comments 24 hours a day, but if you had a choice and met the beast, you wouldn’t want the little monster in your life even for a minute. He can be so controlling and dominant, and he’s also very conniving and tries to trick you into believing what he tells you. “If you lose more weight, then you’ll be happy, and life will be perfect.” But whatever you do, it won’t be good enough. He’ll always come back, bullying you into bingeing again.

But it's difficult not to listen or believe in what he has to say, and whenever you try to do something positive in your life, there he’s telling you, “That's not good enough. You had an apple earlier, and you're going to get fat, then no one will love you. You shouldn't have eaten anything; you might as well go on a binge. Go on, go on, this will be your last binge, and then tomorrow, you’ll stop. You’re all alone for two hours, plenty of time for a binge. You’re worthless and don’t deserve to be happy.”

This leprechaun isn’t part of you; he may sound like you, but he isn't in you. Imagine he’s your bullying bulimia voice sitting on your shoulder. He’s a little shriveling leprechaun that may seem to shout louder than your real voice, but he’s still an outsider.

Your real voice, that positive, healthy part of you, is still there, maybe buried beneath your leprechaun, but if you listen carefully, you’ll be able to hear it.

Now you have listened to this video, in the next lecture, are the details of what was discussed with guidance to making your list of what your real voice is and also making the list of you feelings connected to the negative thoughts.

See you there....

“IF YOU WOULDN’T SAY IT TO A FRIEND, THEN DON’T

SAY IT TO YOURSELF”