Understanding Control

 Understanding Control 

 

Understanding Control

... and some little activities you can try for yourself (you can email us for a free self-help worksheet)

Control and the desire to be in control is often synonymous with eating disorders. Of course, that's not the case for everyone experiencing eating disorders/disordered eating. However, many find that having some control over something in their life - food and weight and body - helps them feel they have some more control over other things in their life that otherwise feel overwhelming, stressful, difficult to deal with or out-of-control.

Control or non-control of eating and food can provids a way of also coping with often painful, difficult or distressful thoughts, emotions, experiences or memories: by blocking them out, denying them, or dealing with them via one’s relationship with food and eating.

 

For those with eating disorders, life seems easier to manage through the control or non-control of food. Eating disorders can often develop in response to what is going on inside of us. We can use food, eating, weight and exercise as a way of dealing with these powerful feelings and emotions.

 

It's important to hightlight that eating disorders and disordered eating may be caused by a combination of social, psychological, biological, interpersonal, genetic and environmental factors.

 

Want to complete an 'Understanding Control' activity for yourself? If so, email us for a FREE 'Understanding Control' self-help activity sheet that has an exercise/activity that you can try that will help you become more aware of the place, function and advantages and disadvantages of control in your life. 

 

If you have discovered that you feel you need to be in control most of the time and it's causing you problems, are afraid of being out-of-control, or are controlling aspects of your life that are then leading to unhelpful behaviours, risky situations, missing it on life, distress etc. please feel free to get in touch and talk to one of our therapists, counsellors, coaches or dietitians.

 

Our professional, supportive, encouraging and patient therapists work at your pace and can offer in-person appointments in Glasgow city centre or online appointments to anyone in the UK. Our contact details are below.

 

Best wishes,

Talking EDs (Eating Disorders Support Service Scotland)

CONTACT
W: www.eatingdisorderscotland.co.uk
E: support@eatingdisorderscotland.co.uk