Are Eating Disorders Anxiety Disorders? w/ Chris Sandel
Sep 30, 2024
auto_awesome
In this discussion, Chris Sandel, a nutritionist and expert in eating disorder recovery, sheds light on the close relationship between eating disorders and anxiety. He emphasizes how addressing anxiety can aid in preventing relapse and the importance of creating a life vision beyond just recovery. Chris also advocates for embracing fear foods to build resilience, the healing power of love in recovery, and recognizing negative thoughts as separate entities. His insights highlight a holistic approach to fostering recovery and well-being.
Recognizing the link between eating disorders and anxiety underscores the necessity of addressing anxiety to prevent future disordered eating patterns.
Creating a personalized vision beyond mere recovery fosters meaningful goal setting, enhancing motivation in individuals' healing journeys.
Emphasizing a compassionate approach to recovery, which involves gradual exposure to fear foods, promotes holistic healing rather than rigid adherence to meal plans.
Deep dives
Understanding Extreme Hunger
Extreme hunger is addressed as a significant barrier for individuals recovering from eating disorders. The book 'How to Beat Extreme Hunger' discusses how to attain food freedom without losing control, emphasizing the integration of scientific research and personal experiences. It highlights the necessity of distinguishing between genuine hunger and emotional or binge eating, revealing how mismanagement of these aspects can hinder recovery. This comprehensive resource aims to guide individuals step-by-step in overcoming maladaptive food views, fostering a healthier relationship with food.
The Role of Relationships in Recovery
Recovery from eating disorders involves reshaping one’s relationship with food and body image, which is a central topic discussed in the podcast. The conversation reveals that many practitioners, like Chris Sandel, focus on the interpersonal dynamics affecting individuals struggling with disordered eating. By creating a safe and loving environment, they facilitate a supportive space where clients can explore their issues without the pressure of rigid food rules. This compassionate approach recognizes the complex emotional landscape surrounding eating behaviors, allowing for genuine healing to take place.
Eating Disorders as Anxiety Disorders
The podcast outlines the perspective that eating disorders are fundamentally linked to anxiety disorders, with anxiety often preceding the development of disordered eating patterns. Key indicators such as fear of food outcomes and weight suppression reveal that these disorders stem from anxiety-driven behaviors. The relationship between anxiety and avoidance behaviors illustrates how individuals may resort to eating disorders as a misguided coping mechanism. Recognizing this connection highlights the importance of exposure therapy and other therapeutic approaches to address both anxiety and eating disorders effectively.
Goal Setting in Recovery
Effective goal setting is vital in eating disorder recovery, and the podcast emphasizes the need for clients to establish clear and meaningful objectives. By envisioning their life after recovery and articulating specific desires and aspirations, individuals can navigate their recovery journey more purposefully. The discussion introduces the concept of collaborative goal setting, where practitioners work with clients to identify personalized goals while accounting for their fears and motivations. This process cultivates accountability and encourages small, manageable steps towards broader recovery, aligning actions with the client's greater vision.
Embracing Discovery Over Recovery
Reframing the recovery narrative as a journey of discovery can empower individuals facing eating disorders to embrace the process more positively. The podcast emphasizes that this shift allows for a focus on learning and growth rather than merely adhering to rigid recovery expectations. By positioning recovery as a series of experiments, individuals can view setbacks as learning opportunities rather than failures. This perspective fosters resilience and encourages the development of lifelong skills that extend beyond eating disorder recovery, enriching various aspects of personal growth.
The connection between eating disorders and anxiety has been well established, but what about seeing eating disorders as a form of anxiety? In today's episode of the Liv Label Free Podcast, Livia Sara chats with Chris Sandel, a nutritionist, coach and eating disorder expert. Chris is the founder and owner of Seven Health, a platform through which he helps people with eating disorders fully recover. Chris is trained in several specialties including Intuitive Eating, Health At Every Size, polyvagal theory, and trauma. He’s originally from Sydney and now lives in the UK with his wife Ali and 6-year-old son Ramsay. Topics discussed:
How addressing anxiety can prevent the development or reemergence of eating disorders
The importance of creating a vision beyond recovery
Embracing challenges through gradual but repeated exposure to fear foods
Emphasizing the role of love in healing and holistic recovery rather than focusing solely on meal plans and nutrition
The Domino Effect in eating disorder recovery
Recognizing negative thoughts associated with eating disorders as separate from yourself