How To Support a Loved One with an Eating Disorder

Eating disorders are real, with devastating conditions that can seriously affect one's health, productivity, and relationships. They affect a persons physical and emotional health, that can be seriously life threatening. Eating disorders are not a fad, or lifestyle choice.

How do we deal with a loved one that is suffering from an Eating Disorder? Listed below are a few key points that might help you during this time period.

  • Educate yourself on eating disorders and the jargon

  • Learn the difference between facts and myths associated with training nutrition and weight

  • Listen with an open mind

  • Recovery is a marathon not a sprint

  • Refrain from telling the person what they should do

  • Don't take their actions personally

  • Offer to help with practical tasks such as laundry, or driving them to and from appointments or work

  • Distract your loved one during meal times... both before and after to calm their anxieties

  • Involve activities that don't centre around food; so that they can take part

  • focus on the emotional aspect of the eating disorder, not just the physical

  • Focus on positive personality traits that don't centre around appearance.

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