People of all ages struggle with being present, especially now that we’re living in the age of technology. Surrounded by smartphones, video games, social media, and more, it can be challenging for us to appreciate the moment we’re living in. However, taking the time to ground ourselves in the present can vastly improve our mental health. It can also be a helpful technique for individuals with eating disorders.

What is Mindfulness?

What exactly does it mean to be mindful anyway? Mindfulness is defined as “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.” When we take a moment to step back and focus on our feelings, we can transform our destructive habits into healthier thoughts and behaviors.

Mindfulness is something that we should all be practicing every day. It is something that requires work and effort, but it can be beneficial in your recovery.

How Mindfulness Can Help Those with Eating Disorders

The practice of mindfulness is especially important to people who are suffering from an eating disorder like anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder. A lot of people who are struggling with eating disorders are consumed with negative thoughts pertaining to body image and confidence. Often these sufferers are so overwhelmed with these negative thoughts that they begin to dictate their everyday life. You may be spending a large amount of your time thinking about your weight and caloric intake. This is why mindfulness is an extremely important value. The next time you find yourself heading down the road of negativity, redirect your thoughts by being mindful of your surroundings. This can be easily accomplished by feeling, smelling, seeing, and hearing everything that is around you at that moment.

Some helpful tips to think about that can ground you in the present moment include:

• Understand what is happening that is causing you to feel negative or engage in negative eating habits
• Focus on turning your thoughts and behaviors into positive results
• Take action to be kind to your mind and body

Examples of Positive Affirmations

Using positive affirmations is another tool to use when you are stuck in negative thoughts. The next time you find yourself having a negative thought, be still and use positive affirmations.

Here are some examples of positive affirmations:

• I like myself today. I am aware of the possibilities for improvement, but I don’t want to be anyone else.
• I cannot see the outcome of the journey, but I can take the next step.
• I am healthy.
• Today I can bring awareness to my selftalk and replace all the negative thoughts with positive thoughts as soon as they appear in my mind.
• I can live creatively if I can accept my anxiety and am willing to experience butterflies in my stomach from time to time.
• I will be patient, even amid trouble.
• I am a good age to be.
• I am a responsible and trustworthy person.
• I can only find out by trying.
• I am creative.

You Deserve a Full Recovery

Tapestry offers a wide range of services and treatment programs for individuals with eating disorders. Our team firmly believes that all our patients deserve to recover from eating disorders so they can reclaim their lives. Our team is comprised of psychotherapists, a full-time registered nurse, a registered dietician, and more, all of whom are trained and passionate about helping those in need.

Our eating disorder treatment program serves patients struggling with anorexia, bulimia, body dysmorphic disorder, and other disorders that negatively impact their eating patterns. No two patients are the same, which is why we can work closely with you to create a plan that aligns with your goals. We can help you redefine your relationship with food for good.

Fill out our form online or call our team at (828) 490-4032 to learn more about Tapestry’s various treatment programs. We can help you determine whether our mental health or eating disorder treatment programs are right for you and your unique situation.