When Does It Get Better? Eating Disorder Treatment.

www.etsy.com

During the time I worked as Support Staff at the Victorian I
met hundreds of different clients. Each were different ages, demographics with different
stories and back grounds but, all of them had one thing in common, powerfuladdictions. Many of the women in their 50’s had been in several treatment
facilities. I met women as young as 18 who had been given treatment at 9
different rehabs since the age of 9. For myself, as a staff member it was
incredibly discouraging. I can only imagine that as a parent or a loved one with
an addiction, this news is devastating.

The only hope I can offer, is that though I have seen many
women suffer with an eating disorder for years, I have also seen those same
women accumulate years of abstinence. Some of those same women have worked at
The Victorian and are able to offer support and hope for those in similar
situations.

So the question is, “What
is the magic combination that makes someone with an addiction ‘get it’? What
makes recovery stick?” The only thing I have seen help women maintain
abstinence from an eating disorder is DAILY working on their recovery. The best
method I have seen for doing that is the 12 Steps of Overeaters Anonymous. The
12 Step program requires women to incorporate recovery as a part of their
lives. As it is said in the Overeaters Anonymous literature. “The addiction to food  and/or absence is it is a spiritual, mental
and physical disease which needs to be treated accordingly.” Therefore,
being a part of Overeaters Anonymous requires:

·
Attending Meeting weekly

·
Working with a Sponsor

·
Serving others

·
Being authentic and accountable to a group of
women who are also in recovery

·
Working on yourself through the 12 Steps

Time and time again I have seen women who thought they “had
it this time” and didn’t need any more counseling or 12 step meetings and then
lose their recovery due to stress in their life. Recovery is a way of life, I
encourage anyone who is searching for the solution to this disease to check out
the rooms of Overeaters Anonymous. They also have specific meeting available
for Anorexics and Bulimics as well which we take our Victorian client too.

Happy Recovery,

Irvina