Struggling with negative self-talk is not uncommon for those with eating disorders. A powerful tool to combat these thoughts and empower yourself in recovery is using mantras or affirmations.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- What negative self-talk looks like
- Why transforming how you talk to yourself in recovery is important
- What mantras are
- How to use mantras in recovery
- Examples of mantras to empower your recovery
Negative Self-Talk and Eating Disorders
You may be wondering what the connection is between eating disorders and negative self-talk. The way you feel about yourself and your body impacts the way you talk to yourself. Take a moment to think about your inner dialogue. How do you speak to yourself throughout the day?
Maybe you’ve thought of things similar to…
“Why did you eat that? You mess everything up!”
“You can’t wear this dress, your body is disgusting.”
“You don’t deserve to recover from your eating disorder.”
“You are not sick enough, look at yourself.”
“No one can love you at this size.”
“You will never recover from your eating disorder, you should give up now.”
“You are a burden, stop bothering your family and friends about your recovery.”
“You’ve already messed up today, you might as well purge/restrict/binge.”
If these sound familiar, know you are not alone. Many individuals struggling with eating disorders deal with similar negative self-talk. It can be hard to find the divide between your own feelings towards yourself, and your eating disorder thoughts.
While shifting your thoughts around food, body and weight are a big focus in recovery, improving your self-talk is important. When you are able to treat yourself with unconditional compassion, understanding, and comfort you are able to make lasting changes in recovery stemming from a new respect for yourself.
After struggling with an eating disorder and negative self-talk for a significant amount of time, the idea of talking to yourself with kindness may seem uncomfortable or impossible. The goal is that the more you practice talking to yourself in a new way, your healing process will continue to thrive.
Ready to work on your negative self-talk but not quite sure where to start? Mantras can be a powerful tool to begin transforming how you see yourself and speak to yourself.
What are mantras?
Mantras, sometimes referred to as affirmations, are short statements to practice reciting to yourself whether out loud or in your head to foster a more positive mindset or to help you cope during difficult moments.
The word mantra itself is a Sanskrit term, with “man” meaning “mind” and “tra” meaning “release.” This is often used in the practice of meditation.
How does this help in eating disorder recovery?
Recovery involves changing disordered behaviors. These behaviors are the result of disordered thoughts and feelings, typically stemming from a place of negativity.
There are many ways you could incorporate mantras into your recovery. You could practice reciting a mantra as a part of your self-care routine in the morning or before a meal or snack. Or, have a few mantras that you turn to in moments when your eating disorder feels louder than usual or you are struggling with urges.
Here are 7 examples that may help you in your recovery. If you like any of these affirmations, write them down or save them to your phone. Or if you feel inspired to come up with your own, spend some time journaling about what feelings or beliefs you’d like to empower yourself with and create phrases to encourage those positive feelings.
1. “I AM WORTHY OF RECOVERY. I DESERVE FREEDOM FROM MY EATING DISORDER.”
Doubt around recovery are not uncommon in the process of healing from an eating disorder. Questioning if recovery is possible, if you are deserving of recovery, or if you are sick enough to recover may arise frequently. Reminding yourself that you are deserving of freedom from your eating disorder and worth of recovery can be a powerful way to combat the parts of you feeling scared or uncertain.
2. “FOOD IS NOT THE ENEMY, MY BODY IS WORTH NOURISHING.”
Beginning to challenge eating disorder thoughts and rules around food can be overwhelming. There may be times before, during, or after meals or snacks that you feel regret, shame, sadness or anger. Taking a step back and reminding yourself that food is not the enemy and that you are deserving of nourishment can keep you on track with your meal plan during difficult moments.
3. “MY WEIGHT DOES NOT DEFINE MY WORTH.”
Coping with body changes or letting go of control of your weight is a challenging step in eating disorder recovery. Repeat this mantra to yourself to combat the thoughts that your worthiness is connected to your weight, body or appearance. Your worth is not dependent on the number on the scale.
4. “I DO NOT HAVE TO RECOVER ALONE.”
Learning to lean on support whether a family member, a friend, or a member of your treatment team, is a vital skill to lasting recovery. Asking for help can seem intimidating at times. You may feel you are supposed to be able to handle certain things alone, or that you are a burden if you need help. This mantra empowers you to remember you are not alone in this process and you deserve support while you embark on this journey, no matter where you think you are supposed to be.
5. “I AM MORE POWERFUL THAN MY EATING DISORDER.”
There may be times where your eating disorder feels louder than usual. You may have moments that you question whether or not you are stronger than your eating disorder and if you can recover. Repeating this statement is a reminder that you are more powerful than you think and to not underestimate how strong and resilient you are.
6. “TODAY I WILL AIM FOR PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION.”
Recovery is full of ups and downs, it is not a linear process. In moments of struggle or relapse, you may feel that if you are not doing recovery perfectly, you might as well give up. It is important to remind yourself that there is no perfect way to recover. The goal is to make progress, learn from lapses, and continue moving towards your goals in recovery.
7. “I AM DESERVING OF COMPASSION AND KINDNESS.”
As you embrace recovery, moments of struggle, pain, and imperfection can bring eating disorder thoughts and urges to the surface. Working on treating yourself with self-compassion and kindness can lead to pivotal change. Ask yourself how you’d talk to a child or your best friend. Remember you are worthy of compassion and kindness.
If you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder and are looking to improve negative self-talk, guidance and support from a professional can be a great way to combat your eating disorder. The team at ‘Ai Pono specializes in eating disorders and practices cognitive behavioral therapy that can aid in challenging negative thoughts and beliefs. Take a step towards recovery and talk to someone about the eating disorder recovery programs we offer.
