A rejection of diets – ways out of eating disorders.
A rejection of diets – ways out of eating disorders
Most of us have lost or even never had an unbiased approach to food. Puberty in particular is a very critical phase for the development of eating disorders.
For those who feel too fat, dietary recommendations are becoming more and more varied and seemingly well-tuned to each individual’s needs and preferences.
The goal of finally having a relaxed relationship with food again has never seemed so close. How is it that despite all this, more and more people feel too fat – or are actually overweight – and suffer from the yo-yo effect of the diet trap?
On the other hand, the number of anorexic girls and young women is increasing. This is a very worrying development, as this form of eating disorder can quickly become life-threatening.From the point of view of Gestalt therapy, eating disorders have deep roots in disturbed relationship formation, which are widespread in society and which are not in the public consciousness.
As long as the focus is only on calorie counting and fat burning processes and the multi-layered complex but unmet needs that always underlie an eating disorder are not taken into account, the spiral of suffering will not come to an end. On the contrary, diets of any kind aggravate the problem.
If you are worried about your figure and perhaps already have many failed diets behind you, it will not be so easy to give up habitual ways of thinking. Often a real fear of eating (too much or too little) has developed. It seems unimaginable to be able to rely entirely on one’s body sensations and self-experience to regulate food intake instead of dietary rules. Of course, this does not happen overnight. After all, an eating disorder takes years to establish itself.
How this process took place, which beliefs and ingrained habits led to it, must first be explored in order to be able to set a new course.
When you have found better access to the broad spectrum of needs and feelings and can deal with them satisfactorily in your life, then satisfying food hunger can become an easy, carefree, pleasurable process. And you will never need to diet for weight management again.
If my views on dieting appeal to you, you are welcome to contact me. I offer themed evenings, groups and one-to-one sessions.
