How to Hit The Reset Button on The Recovery Process After a Relapse

How to Hit The Reset Button on The Recovery Process After a Relapse

As we know relapse is a part of the recovery process no matter how we try it can and will happen. The import thing to know is that this define you as a person, you will get past this hurdle or roadblock in recovery.

I had nine years of recovery before I had my relapse. I didn’t want to admit it to myself but I was falling into the same behavior traps as I did in my previous fight with the eating disorder. I felt bad, however coming clean with my therapist and getting a treatment plan helped get the ball rolling in the right direction.

I can tell you that recovery is not a straight-line process; there will be hills and valleys. The hills are the highs of recovery and the lows could be either a struggle or a relapse. You can get through these relapses even when it seems hopeless. Here are some tips on how to get through the relapses; I have also used these myself too.

• Be honest with your therapist during this time.
• Have your food journal ready
• If you are experiencing behaviors during this time come clean.
• Follow treatment plan and have a relapse plan in place.

As hard and scary it is be honest with your therapist. They are there to help you not to judge you. Also once you tell, the secret is exposed and has less power to hurt you. I know I thought that my therapist would be ticked at me for blowing nine years of recovery but she was glad I was honest with her. The more honest I am with her, the more she can help me.

If the treatment plan calls for a food journal which consists of things we ate and maybe how much exercise we do. I know that I incorporate both into the food journal. I do remember one year, my therapist saw that I added more exercise than food and she called me on it. I have turned a corner in that respect, she doesn’t ask to see it, but I show it to her to see what I could improve upon.

If you are experiencing eating disorder thoughts or behaviors, please tell your therapist. I had some bad thoughts early this month and told my therapist everything. She thanked me for trusting her and being honest.

Most of all you want to follow your treatment plan that is either given to you by your therapist or treatment team. Once you do get to a good place in recovery, have a relapse plan ready. This could include either a recovery contract with the treatment team; weekly weigh ins, and periodic sessions with your therapist. For me it was poster boards and decorating them to keep me away from the eating disorder, writing goals to remind me why I need to stay healthy or in recovery zone, and a journal to write thoughts or feelings as they come to you so you can show your therapist. I know when I start to have thoughts contrary to recovery, I journal them and bring them to my therapist. I also keep in mind what could possibly derail me and bring that to the session. I want to try and avoid another relapse stay on recovery so I will rat on myself or do what I have to do to keep me in the green zone/or the safe area.