Fear of Relapse in Eating Disorder Recovery

A common fear that keeps people stuck in quasi recovery is the fear of relapse.

The narrative goes something like this: if I don’t recover, then I also can’t relapse!

True…but let's call this what it is: choosing to remain imprisoned by the very condition you're trying to escape.

There’s absolutely no guarantee of what will happen when you take the difficult actions in eating disorder recovery.

There’s no guarantee that you’ll be free from mental hunger.

There’s no guarantee that your weight will settle within the range you think it will.

There’s no guarantee that you will be happier than when you had an eating disorder.

But this also means that there’s no guarantee that you will relapse.

The only thing that’s guaranteed is this: however you’re living right now is not the way you want to be living (otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this!).

Sustainable ED recovery is about building trust in your ability to navigate the inevitable challenges of being human.

This does NOT mean “looking out for signs of relapse” because where your attention goes, energy flows.

If you tell yourself you will relapse, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

When you adopt the mindset of a lifelong learner, and acknowledge that you’ll never have it “fully figured out,” you will be free. You will be free because you stop playing whack-a-mole with guarantees that never existed in the first place.

Ready to step into the unknown with someone who's been there? Schedule a consultation call for Eating Disorder Recovery Coaching here!